Demographics of Aruba


This article is about the demographic features of the population of Aruba, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Having poor soil and aridity, Aruba was detached from plantation economics and the slave trade. In 1515, the Spanish transported the entire population to Hispaniola to work in the copper mines; most were allowed to return when the mines were tapped out. The Dutch, who took control a century later, left the Arawaks to graze livestock, using the island as a source of meat for other Dutch possessions in the Caribbean. The Arawak heritage is stronger on Aruba than on most Caribbean islands.
The population is estimated to be 75% mixed European/Amerindian/African, 15% Black and 10% other ethnicities. Although no full-blooded Aboriginals remain, the features of half of the islanders clearly indicate their genetic Arawak heritage. The population is descended from Caquetio Indians, Afro-Caribbeans, Dutch, Spanish, Italians and to a lesser extent of Indo-Caribbeans, Portuguese, English, French, and Philippine diaspora. Recently, there has been substantial immigration to the island from neighboring American and Caribbean nations, possibly attracted by the higher paid jobs. In 2007, new immigration laws were introduced to help control the growth of the population by restricting foreign workers to a maximum of three years residency on the island. Demographically, Aruba has felt the impact of its proximity to Venezuela. Many of Aruba's families are descended from Venezuelan immigrants. There is a seasonal increase of Venezuelans living in second homes. As Aruba has a little proximity to Colombia, Colombian residents and their children are found here. Descendants of Indian and Javanese contract workers also live in Aruba.
The two official languages are the Dutch language and the predominant, national language Papiamento, which is classified as a creole language. This creole language is formed primarily from 16th century Portuguese, and several other languages. Spanish and English are also spoken. Islanders can often speak four or more languages.
Many people in the Aruba island culture are multilingual meaning they can speak more than two or three languages. Languages in this culture are known to be mainly Spanish and English, but also include languages such as Dutch, Portuguese and a local language known as Papiamentu. The Leeward islands also known as the islands are Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao. All three islands include the languages listed above.
Children in Aruba are known to start school by the age of four and are commonly known to be multilingual by this time. Although main languages for Aruba are Papiamentu and Dutch, English is taught through education when reaching the sixth grade. One issue that has been known to the ABC islands for a very long period of time now is that of people speaking too many languages. Speaking too many languages has had a major effect on the way students learn, students being taught in different languages not only confuses some but also makes it difficult to decide which language is best for them.
Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion, practiced by about 75% of the population. Various Protestant denominations are also present on the island.

Population

The estimated population of is .
The population of the island of Aruba is well over 110,000 people. The Aruba culture is one of a mixed ancestry, Caquetio Indian, African, and European among many more all reside within the island of Aruba. Aruba is located within the kingdom of the Netherlands and with the diversity in immigration and is one of the top ten countries with the highest immigration rate. The People of Aruba also an overall very strong national identity, With their healthy economy, strong education system as well as having the highest standards of living within the Caribbean, all of these aspects have helped shape and mold the people of Aruba as well as the culture that surrounds them. The people as a whole are also generally deemed very warm and kind-hearted to not only each other but to guests and visitors as well, some people even claiming that its the people who bring them back every year.
Between 1985 and 1987 the country of Aruba lost many citizens due to emigration. In 1990, Aruba gained more than 20,000 residents which made it one of the fastest growing countries in the world. The oil industry in the country was growing rapidly along with the amount of tourism; this led the population growth rate to be more than 5.3 percent at all times. Aruba as one, became a much more stable country, as it once was.

Vital statistics

Average population Live birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate Crude death rate Natural change TFR
1952391 9582491 70950.26.443.9
1953402 0021721 83049.94.345.6
1954422 0152051 81048.24.943.3
1955441 9162361 68043.85.438.4
1956461 9182281 69041.85.036.8
1957482 0172331 78441.84.837.0
1958511 9682321 73639.04.634.4
1959531 8362481 58834.94.730.2
1960541 9162541 66235.34.730.7
1961551 8382171 62133.23.929.2
1962561 7872151 57231.83.828.0
1963571 6572081 44929.23.725.6
1964571 5562241 33227.33.923.4
1965571 4202251 19524.83.920.8
1966581 2302191 01121.33.817.5
1967581 15122692519.83.915.9
1968581 14325888519.64.415.2
1969591 18831887020.25.414.8
1970591 23428994520.94.916.0
1971591 23229294020.74.915.8
1972601 20127592620.14.615.5
1973581 00328771617.24.912.3
19745896229866416.55.111.4
19755896828668216.64.911.7
19765894130064116.15.111.0
19775999332067317.05.511.5
1978591 05828477418.04.813.2
1979591 06531874718.05.412.6
1980601 12528883718.84.814.0
1981611 05131773417.45.212.1
1982611 03631372316.95.111.8
1983621 13333979418.25.412.8
1984631 16932384618.65.113.4
1985621 10933477518.05.412.6
1986601 01437763716.96.310.6
19875999237062216.86.310.5
19885994933561416.05.610.3
1989601 14137276918.96.212.7
1990631 14041972118.26.711.5
1991661 15742972817.66.511.0
1992691 29242486818.76.112.6
1993741 33740293518.15.512.7
1994781 31543188416.95.611.4
1995801 41950491517.86.311.5
1996831 45246998317.55.611.8
1997861 45749796016.95.811.1
1998881 31550581014.95.79.2
1999901 25156169014.06.37.7
2000911 29453176314.35.98.41.98
2001911 26343582813.84.89.11.95
2002921 22849273613.35.38.01.93
2003931 24450174313.45.48.01.94
2004951 19350269112.55.37.31.89
2005981 26348278112.94.98.01.91
2006991 35953982013.75.48.22.01
20071001 33953380613.45.38.01.99
20081011 31955476513.15.57.61.97
20091021 25362962412.36.26.11.92
20101021 19761957811.86.15.71.80
20111031 09263345910.66.24.51.72
20121041 14059554510.95.75.21.75
20131041 15456059410.95.35.61.77
20141061 37664373312.86.06.81.86
20151091 24467956511.46.25.21.79
20161101 12178134010.27.12.9
20171111 20270749510.86.44.4
20181121 0287173119.26.42.8

Structure of the population

Structure of the population :
Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total50 11755 859105 976100
0-43 0613 0166 0775,73
5-93 6193 3877 0066,61
10-143 7333 7117 4457,03
15-193 8723 7447 6167,19
20-243 1452 9416 0865,74
25-292 7752 9945 7695,44
30-343 0113 5786 5896,22
35-393 2493 8607 1096,71
40-443 9064 5518 4567,98
45-494 0724 7988 8718,37
50-544 2754 8739 1488,63
55-593 5264 1767 7027,27
60-642 8053 2286 0335,69
65-691 9422 4564 3974,15
70-741 4131 7353 1482,97
75-798861 3682 2542,13
80-845548421 3961,32
85-891953705660,53
90-94651602250,21
95-991055660,06
100+416180,02

Ethnic groups

The population is estimated to be 75% mixed European/Amerindian/African, 15% Black and 10% other ethnicities.

Languages

Religions