Spanish

Literacy: NA

Government
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Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba

Data code: AA

Type of government: part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in
internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the
Netherlands Antilles

Capital: Oranjestad

Administrative divisions: none (self-governing part of the
Netherlands)

Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm; in 1990, Aruba
requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the
agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996)

National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March

Constitution: 1 January 1986

Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English
common law influence

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (of the Netherlands
since 30 April 1980), a constitutional monarch, is represented by
Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) who was
appointed for a six-year term by the queen
head of government: Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29
July 1994) and Deputy Prime Minister Glenbert F. CROES were
appointed by the legislature
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the legislature

Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislature (Staten): elections last held 29 July 1994 (next to be
held by NA July 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats
- (21 total) AVP 10, MEP 9, OLA 2

Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders: Electoral Movement Party (MEP),
Nelson ODUBER; Aruban People's Party (AVP), Jan (Henny) H. EMAN;
National Democratic Action (ADN), Pedro Charro KELLY; New Patriotic
Party (PPN), Eddy WERLEMEN; Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), Benny
NISBET; Aruban Democratic Party (PDA), Leo BERLINSKI; Democratic
Action '86 (AD '86), Arturo ODUBER; Aruban Liberal Party (OLA),
Glenbert CROES
note: governing coalition includes the AVP and OLA

International organization participation: ECLAC (associate),
Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in US: none (self-governing part of the
Netherlands)

US diplomatic representation: none (self-governing part of the
Netherlands)

Flag: blue with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes across the
lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the
upper hoi