Aruba profile

Demography and Health

Aruba is a small island population with 2024 totals of about 107,624 residents, ranking around 190th in the world by size. The natural dynamics show a near balance between births and deaths: 7.97 births per 1,000 people versus 7.58 deaths per 1,000 in 2023, indicating only a modest natural population growth. Life expectancy at birth sits at 76.4 years (2023), placing Aruba among higher-income, health-conscious populations, though still behind the longest-lived nations. The positive net migration figure for 2024 (141.0, with a relatively favorable standing at rank 83) suggests Aruba attracts more people than it loses, which can help offset a relatively low natural increase and contribute to labor supply and cultural diversity. Together, these indicators paint a portrait of a small but stable society with solid health outcomes and a migration dynamic that supports demographic resilience, even as the absolute population remains modest. In sum, Aruba benefits from decent longevity and health indicators, while its demographic momentum relies more on migration and policy choices than on rapid natural population growth.

Economy, Trade and Investment

Aruba’s economy is characterized by a high degree of openness and a service-oriented structure. Exports of goods and services account for 88.3% of GDP in 2023, ranking 12th globally among the indicators, signaling a heavy reliance on external demand and a diversified service export base—consistent with a tourism- and services-driven economy. Imports of goods and services represent 81.5% of GDP (2023), ranking 16th, underscoring a high level of integration with global supply chains and a reliance on external inputs for both consumer goods and industrial components. The economy delivers a robust per-capita income: GDP per capita at current prices is about 33,985 USD (2023), ranking 41st, while GDP per capita at PPP is 44,967 international USD (2023), ranking 52nd, indicating substantial purchasing power and living standards when adjusted for local price levels. The current account balance stands at a solid 5.33% of GDP in 2023, signaling a healthy external position and capacity to finance imports and external commitments with a modicum of surplus. Yet foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows as a share of GDP are negative at -3.77% (2023), ranking 179th, which reveals limited net foreign capital inflows—potentially due to a mature, saturated investment climate, small market size, or competition from larger regional hubs. High-technology exports total about 1.67 million USD (2023), ranking 127th, suggesting Aruba participates in knowledge-intensive sectors but that these are not the primary driver of export revenue. The economic profile points to a high-income, open, and service-focused economy with favorable macro indicators but a need to attract more sustainable investment and to continue diversifying beyond tourism and basic services to strengthen resilience against external shocks.

Governance and Institutions

Aruba exhibits strong governance indicators, reflecting a stable and relatively effective institutional framework. Political stability and absence of violence/terrorism score 1.43 in 2023, with a rank of 5, indicating a low likelihood of domestic political disruption and a favorable environment for policy continuity. Regulatory quality is 0.947 (rank 38), and the rule of law is 1.27 (rank 25), suggesting a regulatory regime that facilitates business activity and enforces laws with reasonable credibility. Control of corruption sits at 0.709 (rank 44), and government effectiveness at 0.795 (rank 41), pointing to a public sector that is reasonably capable and relatively transparent for a small economy. Taken together, these governance metrics imply Aruba benefits from a credible policy environment, predictable institutions, and reinforced investor confidence. While there is room for improvement—particularly in the areas of regulatory quality and anti-corruption performance relative to the best-in-class peers—the overall governance profile supports stable economic planning, credible public finance management, and a favorable climate for business and international cooperation.

Infrastructure and Technology

Aruba’s infrastructure and technology landscape reflects a wealthy, service-oriented economy with strong external linkages. The economy’s openness—exports at 88.3% of GDP and imports at 81.5% of GDP—implies the need for efficient ports, logistics, and digital connectivity to support tourism, financial services, and other high-value services. GDP per capita levels (33,985 current USD; 44,967 PPP) indicate a population with substantial purchasing power that can sustain investment in infrastructure, information and communications technology, and human capital. High-technology exports are present but modest in scale (about 1.67 million USD in 2023, rank 127), suggesting that, while Aruba participates in tech-driven activities, advanced manufacturing or tech-intensive exports are not the primary growth engine. Renewable energy consumption accounts for 8.8% of total final energy consumption in 2022 (rank 44), signaling ongoing moves toward energy diversification but also highlighting reliance on fossil fuels or imported energy for the majority of energy needs. The per-capita greenhouse gas emissions of 5.23 t CO2e (2023) align with a service-heavy economy that still faces energy and transport demands typical of an island nation. Taken together, Aruba’s infrastructure and technology profile is solid for a small, high-income economy: connectivity, logistics, and human capital are strengths, but there is ample room to accelerate digitization, energy transition, and the expansion of technology-led services to enhance productivity and resilience.

Environment and Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is a foreground concern for Aruba, reflected in its energy mix and emissions profile. Renewable energy accounts for 8.8% of total final energy consumption in 2022, indicating a deliberate but gradual shift toward cleaner energy sources amid an island context with high energy demand and import dependence. Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita stand at 5.23 t CO2e in 2023, which is moderate by global standards and consistent with a tourism- and services-based economy that has relatively lower industrial emissions but meaningful energy consumption for aviation, electricity generation, and transportation. Aruba’s island geography intensifies climate vulnerability, including exposure to sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and water resource pressures; thus, ensuring energy security, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable tourism practices is critical. The healthy governance indicators and positive current account balance provide an enabling environment to finance climate adaptation and mitigation measures. Ongoing emphasis on energy efficiency, renewable deployment, and diversification of energy sources will be essential to sustain affordability and resilience as climate risks evolve. In essence, Aruba’s environmental trajectory shows progress with renewables and governance support, but it must maintain momentum to bolster long-term sustainability and economic resilience in the face of climate and external shocks.