History of Aruba in Timeline
Aruba is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea. It lies north of Venezuela and northwest of Curaçao. Aruba gained its status as a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1986.
1911: El Niño year
In 1911, Rainfall was as little as 150 millimetres or 6 inches during strong El Niño years
1912: El Niño year
In 1912, Rainfall was as little as 150 millimetres or 6 inches during strong El Niño years
1924: Salt Extraction at Rancho
Around 1924, salt extraction at Rancho had limited benefits, primarily being used in the preservation of fish during shipping.
1924: Construction of the First Oil Refinery
In 1924, the first oil refinery, Lago Oil and Transport Company, a subsidiary of Standard Oil, was built in San Nicolas.
1927: Establishment of Arend Petroleum Company
In 1927, the Arend Petroleum Company was established to the west of Oranjestad to process crude oil from Venezuelan oil fields.
1930: El Niño year
In 1930, Rainfall was as little as 150 millimetres or 6 inches during strong El Niño years
1931: El Niño year
In 1931, Rainfall was as little as 150 millimetres or 6 inches during strong El Niño years
1933: La Niña year
In 1933, Rainfall can be over 1,000 millimetres or 39 inches in La Niña years
1934: La Niña year
In 1934, Rainfall can be over 1,000 millimetres or 39 inches in La Niña years
1940: Oil facilities in Aruba came under the administration of the Dutch government-in-exile
In 1940, during World War II, the oil facilities in Aruba came under the administration of the Dutch government-in-exile in London.
1942: Attack by the German Navy
In 1942, the oil facilities in Aruba were attacked by the German navy.
August 1947: Formulation of Aruba's First Constitution
In August 1947, Aruba formulated its first staatsreglement (constitution) for Aruba's status aparte as an autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, prompted by the efforts of Henny Eman.
1949: Disappearance of Salt Pans in Paardenbaai
Up until 1949, Paardenbaai (Horses' Bay) contained salt pans which disappeared beneath the sand when it was dredged.
1954: Establishment of the Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
In 1954, the Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands was established, providing a framework for relations between Aruba and the rest of the kingdom and creating the Netherlands Antilles.
1958: Construction of the Lourdes Grotto
In 1958, the Lourdes grotto was constructed by priest Erkamp and his parishioners and this shrine is nestled into the rocks of Seroe Preto.
1970: La Niña year
In 1970, Rainfall can be over 1,000 millimetres or 39 inches in La Niña years
1971: La Niña year
In 1971, Rainfall can be over 1,000 millimetres or 39 inches in La Niña years
1972: Population Trends in Aruba
From 1972 and 2022 the population experienced fluctuations primarily influenced by net migration.
1972: Proposal for a Dutch Commonwealth
In 1972, at a conference in Suriname, Aruban politician Betico Croes proposed the creation of a Dutch Commonwealth of four states.
1976: Adoption of Symbols of Independence
In 1976, Aruba adopted the trappings of an independent state with the creation of a flag and national anthem.
March 1977: Referendum for Independence
In March 1977, a referendum was held in Aruba with the support of the United Nations, where 82% of the participants voted for complete independence from the Netherlands.
1978: Study for Independence
In 1978, the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague prepared a study for independence, entitled Aruba en Onafhankelijkheid, achtergronden, modaliteiten, en mogelijkheden; een rapport in eerste aanleg (Aruba and independence, backgrounds, modalities, and opportunities; a preliminary report).
1982: El Niño year
In 1982, Rainfall was as little as 150 millimetres or 6 inches during strong El Niño years
March 1983: Official Agreement for Independence
In March 1983, Aruba reached an official agreement within the kingdom for its independence.
1983: Publication of Nights in Aruba
In 1983, Andrew Holleran's semi-fictional memoir "Nights in Aruba" was published. The book is partially set in Aruba in the 1950s, where the author's father managed the Standard Oil, later Exxon, Lago Refinery.
1983: El Niño year
In 1983, Rainfall was as little as 150 millimetres or 6 inches during strong El Niño years
August 1985: Drafting of Aruba's Constitution
In August 1985, Aruba drafted a constitution that was unanimously approved.
1985: Closure of Aruba's Oil Refinery
In 1985, Aruba's oil refinery closed, leading to job losses and raising the unemployment rate.
January 1986: Aruba Secedes from the Netherlands Antilles
On January 1, 1986, Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles, officially becoming a country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
1986: Aruba becomes a constituent country
In 1986, Aruba became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and acquired its official name.
1988: Olympic Games Debut
Aruba first competed at the Olympic Games in 1988.
1988: Population Trends in Aruba
Between 1988 and 2016, the population nearly doubled.
1988: La Niña year
In 1988, Rainfall can be over 1,000 millimetres or 39 inches in La Niña years
1989: La Niña year
In 1989, Rainfall can be over 1,000 millimetres or 39 inches in La Niña years
1990: Forest cover in Aruba as of 1990
As of 1990, Forest cover in Aruba is around 2% of the total land area, equivalent to 420 hectares (ha) of forest.
1990: Postponement of Transition to Full Independence
In 1990, at a convention in The Hague, the governments of Aruba, the Netherlands, and the Netherlands Antilles postponed indefinitely Aruba's transition to full independence.
1995: Rescission of Article Scheduling Complete Independence
In 1995, the article scheduling Aruba's complete independence was rescinded.
1996: Full Independence Planned for 1996
Full independence for Aruba was planned for 1996.
1997: El Niño year
In 1997, Rainfall was as little as 150 millimetres or 6 inches during strong El Niño years
1998: El Niño year
In 1998, Rainfall was as little as 150 millimetres or 6 inches during strong El Niño years
1999: Establishment of US Department of Defense Forward Operating Site
In 1999, the US Department of Defense established a forward operating site at the airport in Aruba.
2000: Establishment of Arikok National Park
In 2000, the Arikok National Park was established as formal conservation land, covering 20% of the island.
2003: Establishment of the Aruba Conservation Foundation
In 2003, the Aruba Conservation Foundation was established to oversee the management of the conservation of 16 established protected areas.
2005: Diverse Nationalities
In 2005, Aruba was home to people from 92 different nationalities, according to the Bureau Burgelijke Stand en Bevolkingsregister (BBSB, Civil Registry and Population Register), highlighting the island's diverse culture.
2006: Government Debt and Tax Law Changes
By 2006, the government's debt had grown to 1.883 billion Aruban florins, and the government changed several tax laws to reduce the deficit, converting direct taxes to indirect taxes.
2008: Pre-clearance facility for private flights
Since 2008, Aruba has been the only island to offer a full pre-clearance facility for private aircraft passengers bound for the United States. This service is provided by the United States Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection.
December 2009: Vader Piet Wind Farm Commissioned
In December 2009, Aruba's first wind farm, the Vader Piet Wind Farm, was commissioned. It has a capacity of 30 MW and produces a significant portion of Aruba's electricity.
2009: Discontinuation of Development Aid from the Netherlands
In 2009, the Netherlands discontinued development aid to Aruba at Aruba's request.
July 2010: Kingdom Act on the Law Enforcement Council
Divergent Legal Protections from the rest of the Kingdom of the Netherlands include not being part of the Law Enforcement Council (Raad van de Rechtshandhaving), which is a legal entity based on the Kingdom Act of the 7 July 2010 the Kingdom Act on the Law Enforcement Council.
2013: Government hasn't published statistics since 2013
The Aruban government hasn't published unemployment statistics since 2013.
2015: Reintroduction of Financial Supervision
Since 2015, a form of financial supervision has been reintroduced in Aruba because debt has risen sharply to over 80% of GDP.
2016: Population Trends in Aruba
Between 1988 and 2016, the population nearly doubled.
2016: Biocapacity and Ecological Footprint of Aruba
In 2016, Aruba had 0.57 global hectares of biocapacity per person within its territory and used 6.5 global hectares of biocapacity per person, resulting in a biocapacity deficit.
2017: Population Decline in Aruba
In 2017, a population decline occurred in Aruba, breaking almost three decades of continuous growth.
2017: GDP Per Capita (PPP) in Aruba
In 2017, the GDP per capita (PPP) in Aruba was estimated to be $37,500.
2018: Labour force participation rate
At the end of 2018, the labour force participation rate was 56.6% for women.
2018: Tourism Statistics
In 2018, Aruba's tourism industry was thriving, receiving 1,082,000 overnight tourists. Approximately 75% of Aruba's gross national product was attributed to tourism and related activities, with North America being the primary source of tourists (73.3%), followed by Latin America (15.2%) and Europe (8.3%). Additionally, there were 40,231 visitors from the Netherlands in 2018.
2018: Sunrise Solar Park Opened
In 2018, the Sunrise Solar Park was installed and opened in Aruba. Water- en Energiebedrijf Aruba, N.V. (W.E.B.) produces and distributes potable water and power.
2019: Venezuelan Refugees in Aruba
In 2019, recently arrived Venezuelan refugees were estimated to number around 17,000 on Aruba, accounting for some 15% of the population.
2020: Forest cover in Aruba as of 2020
As of 2020, Forest cover in Aruba is around 2% of the total land area, equivalent to 420 hectares (ha) of forest.
2020: Population Nationalities in Aruba
As of 2020, the population of Aruba is estimated to be 78.7% Dutch, 6.6% Colombian, 5.5% Venezuelan, 2.8% Dominican; 1.3% Haitian, and 5.1% from other backgrounds.
2020: Population Decrease due to COVID-19 Pandemic
From 2020 to 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a population decrease in Aruba, mainly due to reduced births and emigration.
2020: Hurricanes Affect Aruba
In 2020, late in the Atlantic hurricane season, Aruba was affected by two hurricanes in their early stages.
2022: Forest cover in Aruba as of 2022
As of 2022, Aruba has 2.3% of forest-covered land area and only 0.5% of protected natural area.
2022: Population Trends in Aruba
From 1972 and 2022 the population experienced fluctuations primarily influenced by net migration.
2025: Population Growth in Aruba
As of the 1st quarter in 2025, the population of Aruba stood at 108,880 people, marking a modest 0.4% growth compared to the previous year, driven by a significant rise in immigration.
Mentioned in this timeline
Suriname located in northern South America and sometimes considered part...
The modern Olympic Games are a leading international sporting event...
The Netherlands often called Holland is a country in Northwestern...
A constitution serves as the foundational legal document for any...
A national park is a protected area designated by a...
Trending
57 minutes ago Jaire Alexander Reveals NFL Departure, Mental Health Struggles, and Path Back.
57 minutes ago Bernadette Peters Celebrates Lexington Opera House's 140th Anniversary and Its Rescue
2 hours ago Alex Call could gain starts over struggling Teoscar Hernández on Dodgers roster.
2 hours ago Stephanie White assesses Raven Johnson's debut with Indiana Fever, responds to comments.
4 hours ago Portland Fire sets WNBA attendance record; Fans excited for women’s basketball.
5 hours ago Juan Soto Injured: Fouls Ball Off Ankle, Exits Mets Game Early
Popular
Michael Joseph Jackson the King of Pop was a highly...
Thomas Massie is a Republican politician and engineer representing Kentucky's...
William Franklin Graham III known as Franklin Graham is an...
Ted Turner is an American entrepreneur and media mogul best...
Kash Patel is an American lawyer who currently serves as...
Paula White-Cain is a prominent American televangelist and key figure...