Photo: Serge Melki · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Aruba places highest on Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed Persons (top 5% worldwide) and lowest on Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment (bottom 4%).
Share
Aruba in the Nations Inquiry Country Index
Aruba appears in 106 of the statistics tracked here, but is not placed in the Country Index: the index needs a standing on three quarters of its topics, and Aruba is measured on too few of them. Every published reading below is unaffected.
At a glance
Population
107,939
people
since 1950
Land area
180
km²
since 1961
GDP per person
45,428
international $, PPP
since 1990
Life expectancy
76.35
years at birth
since 1950
The newest published figure for each, the year it describes and who published it, with a line showing how it has moved.
01The country
About Aruba
Aruba, a self-ruling country of the Dutch kingdom, rises off the Paraguaná Peninsula of Venezuela, low, dry and swept by trade winds that bend its divi-divi trees until their crowns point south-west. Cactus and thorn scrub fill Arikok National Park, where caves hold Caquetío rock drawings, and diorite boulders lie heaped at Casibari and Ayo. The windward north coast is rocky and wild; the leeward south and west have calm water and the long white sands of Eagle Beach and Palm Beach.
Spain laid claim in 1499 but judged the island of little use, and the Dutch, who took it in 1636, left it largely to Caquetío herders. Gold was found in 1824, and ruined smelters at Bushiribana and Balashi recall the rush that followed; aloe plantations spread from the 1840s. In 1929 the Lago refinery opened at San Nicolas, and German submarines attacked it in February 1942. In January 1986 Aruba left the Netherlands Antilles to stand as a separate country.
Carnival fills the streets with costume parades, and in June the feast of Dera Gai is danced with song. At New Year, dande singers go from house to house with drum, scraper and cuatro, wishing each home luck. Pan bati, a griddle bread, comes with stoba, a stew of goat or beef. Tourism carries nearly the whole economy; aloe is still made into creams at a factory in Hato, and drinking water comes from the sea through a desalination plant.
Key facts about Aruba
- Capital
- Oranjestad
- Official languages
- Dutch, Papiamento
- Currency
- Aruban florin (AWG)
- ISO code
- ABW · AW
- Domain · dialling
- .aw · +297
As Wikidata records them. Official languages are the least consistent — some countries list only a national language, others every regional one. Sources and licences.
02Country Index 2026
Where it stands, topic by topic
Strongest first. Each position is Aruba’s place among the countries with a standing on that topic, built from a few key statistics chosen to measure different things.
joint41stof 198
From 2 of 4 key statistics
113thof 165
From 2 of 3 key statistics
134thof 177
From 2 of 4 key statistics
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
No standing — Aruba holds too few of this subject’s key statistics to be placed on it.
Each standing is built from a few key statistics chosen to measure different things. Select a subject for Aruba’s readings on it, or see every statistic held for Aruba in the table further down this page.
03Highs and lows
Where Aruba stands out
The two ends of its own record: every statistic on which Aruba sits within ten places of the best or worst in the world, plus its strongest and weakest readings overall. Each is turned into a percentile — its place among every country measured — which is what lets a hunger score and a press-freedom rank be compared at all.
Where Aruba does best5
In the top third of all countries measured. 1 is within ten places of the best in the world, in a field of at least 50 countries — marked with that place.
- 7th
Position · derived 7th of 109 · 124.38 · 2024
world median 93.19 (better) · ▼ 3 pts since 2018
Not ranked by the publisher · 2.3 · 2024
world median 0.575 (better)
Position · derived 20th of 211 · 1.265 · 2025
world median 0.171 (better) · ▼ 3 pts since 2015
- Voice and Accountabilitytop 14%
Position · derived 29th of 206 · 1.114 · 2025
world median -0.022 (better) · ▼ 6 pts since 2015
Where Aruba struggles most5
In the bottom third of all countries measured. 1 is within ten places of the worst in the world, in a field of at least 50 countries — marked with that place.
- 5th
Position · derived 91st of 95 · 1.568 · 2024
world median 1.244 (better) · ▼ 5 pts since 2014
Position · derived 158th of 170 · 4.048 · 2024
world median 25.42 (worse)
- Liner Shipping Connectivity Indexbottom 13%
Rank 149th of 175 · 15.98 · 2026
world median 56.21 (worse) · ▼ 13 pts since 2016
- Tertiary Enrolment Ratiobottom 14%
Position · derived 82nd of 95 · 14.07 · 2024
world median 52.77 (worse) · ▼ 12 pts since 2014
- CO₂ Emissions per Capitabottom 14%
Position · derived 31st of 210 · 1 = worst · 8.519 · 2024
world median 3.21 (worse) · ▼ 5 pts since 2014
A band is a place among the countries each publisher scores, so Aruba can move because other countries moved. See the Country Index for the full method.
04In context
Aruba and its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place in the world ranking, not within the region.
Shares a land border with
Aruba has no land border with another country.
Across Caribbean
Every country in the sub-region, by its position in the world.
- 67
Barbados - 68
Saint Lucia - =71
Dominican Republic - =71
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - =76
Jamaica - 81
Antigua and Barbuda - 85
Grenada - 90
Trinidad and Tobago - =104
Bahamas - 119
Cuba - 173
Haiti - —
Anguillanot placed - —
Arubanot placed - —
British Virgin Islandsnot placed - —
Cayman Islandsnot placed - —
Curaçaonot placed - —
Dominicanot placed - —
Montserratnot placed - —
Puerto Riconot placed - —
Saint Kitts and Nevisnot placed - —
Saint Martinnot placed - —
Sint Maartennot placed - —
Turks and Caicos Islandsnot placed - —
United States Virgin Islandsnot placed
05The evidence
Every statistic we hold for Aruba
Grouped by topic. Each row gives the newest edition’s rank or position, the published value and the year the numbers describe. Select a statistic for this country’s row beside every other country, the world median and every edition.
Governance & Institutions11
- Central Bank Independence IndexAna Carolina Garriga, University of Essex · CBI index (0–1, where 1 is the most statutory independence)bottom 9%0.3632023
- Child and Family Benefit CoverageILO · Children or households with children receiving child or family cash benefits (%)bottom 23%52024
- Control of CorruptionWorld Bank Group · Control of Corruption (−2.5 to 2.5)45th of 211position · derived0.8692025
- Government EffectivenessWorld Bank Group · Governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong)45th of 209position · derived0.9052025
- Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed PersonsILO · Labour inspectors per 10,000 employed personstop 5%2.32024
- Old-Age Pension CoverageILO · People above statutory pensionable age receiving an old-age pension (%)top 15%1002025
- Public Sector Wage BillWorld Bank Group · Public sector wage bill (% of GDP)98th of 168position · derived6.9182022
- Regulatory QualityWorld Bank Group · Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5)37th of 209position · derived0.9752025
- Rule of LawWorld Bank Group · Rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)29th of 211position · derived1.2262025
- Voice and AccountabilityWorld Bank Group · Voice and Accountability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)29th of 206position · derived1.1142025
Economy & Innovation15
- Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $)45th of 173position · derived24,4592021
- Container Port TrafficUNCTAD · Container port traffic (TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units)98th of 103position · derived64,8002024
- Creative Services ExportsUNCTAD · Creative services exports (% of services exports)bottom 12%0.2272024
- Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)158th of 170position · derived4.0482024
- Export Concentration IndexUNCTAD · Export concentration index (0–1, normalised Herfindahl–Hirschman)bottom 37%0.2332025
- Foreign Direct Investment InflowsUNCTAD · FDI inflows (% of GDP)bottom 43%1.6332025
- Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexUNCTAD · LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)149th of 175rank15.982026
- Merchant Fleet by Country of OwnershipUNCTAD · Merchant fleet owned (thousand dead-weight tons)bottom 20%11.962026
- Price Level of Household ConsumptionGGDC · Price level of household consumption (US output price level in 2021 = 1)top 21%0.8022023
- Productive Capacities IndexUNCTAD · Productive Capacities Index (1–100)53rd of 195position · derived55.592022
- Scholarly ArticlesOurResearch · Articles with at least one author at an institution in the country (full counting)bottom 6%152025
- Services ExportsUNCTAD · Services exports (% of GDP)top 4%80.282025
- Statutory Corporate Income Tax RateOECD · Combined statutory corporate income tax rate, central and sub-central government (%)bottom 45%222026
- Terms of Trade IndexUNCTAD · Terms of trade index (2015 = 100)top 27%116.392025
- Total Natural Resources Rents (% of GDP)World Bank Group · Natural resources rents (% of GDP)175th of 180position · derived0.0022021
Work & Labour2
- Employment Injury Protection CoverageILO · Labour force covered in the event of a work injury (%)top 33%71.72024
- Unemployment Benefit CoverageILO · Unemployed people receiving unemployment benefits (%)top 29%15.72024
Education & Knowledge11
- Adult Literacy RateUIS · Adults 15+ who can read and write (%)61st of 172position · derived96.822024
- Bachelor's or Higher AttainmentUIS · Adults 25+ who completed a bachelor's degree or higher (%)46th of 90position · derived19.62023
- Gender Parity Index, Tertiary EnrolmentUIS · Adjusted gender parity index, tertiary gross enrolment (1 = parity)91st of 95position · derived1.5682024
- Inbound Mobility Rate, TertiaryUIS · Inbound mobility rate, tertiary (%)32nd of 75position · derived7.1512024
- Primary Schools with ElectricityUIS · Primary schools with access to electricity (%)top 30%1002024
- Primary Schools with Internet for TeachingUIS · Primary schools with internet access for teaching (%)bottom 48%97.622024
- School Life ExpectancyUIS · School life expectancy, primary to tertiary (years)53rd of 77position · derived13.522024
- Secondary School EnrolmentUIS · Gross secondary enrolment ratio (%)7th of 109position · derived124.382024
- Tertiary Enrolment RatioUIS · Gross enrolment ratio, tertiary (%)82nd of 95position · derived14.072024
- Upper Secondary AttainmentUIS · Adults 25+ who completed upper secondary or higher (%)45th of 95position · derived67.892023
- Youth Literacy RateUIS · 15–24 year-olds who can read and write (%)top 34%99.142024
Health & Wellbeing7
- Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19134th of 222position · derived · 1 = worst18.792023
- Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates156th of 222position · derived · 1 = worst86.192023
- Days Above 35°CECMWF · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s landtop 16%02025
- Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 PandemicAriel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset) · Excess deaths per 100,000 people, March 2020 to the end of each country's data (at most December 2023)bottom 42%320.92026
- Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates111th of 222position · derived16.42023
- Life Expectancy at BirthUN DESA Population Division · Years a newborn would live at current death rates92nd of 222position · derived76.352023
- PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³)140th of 220position · derived · 1 = worst11.62023
Development & Human Capital2
- Access to ElectricityWorld Bank Group · Population with electricity access (%)top 28%1002024
- Access to Electricity, RuralWorld Bank Group · Rural population with electricity access (%)top 29%1002024
Environment & Sustainability21
- Agricultural LandFAO · Agricultural land (% of land area)174th of 209position · derived11.112023
- Arable Land per PersonFAO · Arable land (hectares per person)175th of 206position · derived0.0192023
- Carbon Intensity of ElectricityEmber · Carbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated)57th of 165position · derived · 1 = worst5492024
- CO₂ Emissions per CapitaGlobal Carbon Project · Fossil CO₂ (tonnes per person)31st of 210position · derived · 1 = worst8.5192024
- Coal Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · Coal (% of electricity generated)top 32%02024
- Energy Intensity of GDP (PPP)EIA · Energy use per dollar of GDP (thousand Btu per US$ at PPP)bottom 17%4.6642024
- Fertilizer Consumption per HectareFAO · Fertilizer consumption (kg per hectare of arable land)163rd of 188position · derived8.52023
- Fisheries and Aquaculture ProductionFAO · Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic animals caught or farmed, tonnes (live weight)bottom 6%176.52024
- Forest AreaFAO · Forest area (% of land area)186th of 210position · derived2.3332023
- Low-Carbon Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · Low-carbon sources (% of electricity generated)115th of 162position · derived172024
- Mangrove AreaGlobal Mangrove Watch (Aberystwyth University, JAXA, soloEO, Wetlands International, The Nature Conservancy) · Mangrove forest area (hectares)bottom 18%113.012025
- Methane EmissionsEDGAR · Methane emissions (gigagrams of CH₄)bottom 7%1.052025
- Municipal Solid Waste GenerationWorld Bank Group · Municipal solid waste generated (kg per person per day)32nd of 201position · derived · 1 = worst1.742026
- Operating Wind Power CapacityGlobal Energy Monitor · Wind farm capacity in operation (megawatts)bottom 39%302026
- Population Living Below 5 m ElevationCenter for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University · Population living below 5 m elevation (% of total population)top 36%4.9972015
- Renewable Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · Renewables (% of electricity generated)113th of 162position · derived172024
- Solar Electricity Installed CapacityEIA · Solar generating capacity installed (gigawatts)bottom 25%0.0152024
- Solar Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · Solar (% of electricity generated)bottom 49%32024
- Tree Cover LossWorld Resources Institute — Global Forest Watch (data: University of Maryland) · Tree cover loss (hectares, where canopy cover exceeded 30% in 2000)bottom 6%02025
- Tropical Moist Forest DeforestationJRC · Tropical moist forest deforested in the year (million hectares)bottom 4%02025
- Wind and Solar Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · Wind and solar (% of electricity generated)top 24%172024
Gender & Equality2
- Mean Age at First Marriage, WomenUN DESA Population Division · Singulate mean age at marriage, women (years)top 24%28.52019
- Sex Ratio at BirthUN DESA Population Division · Male births per 100 female birthsbottom 33%104.32023
Peace & Security2
- Political Stability and Absence of ViolenceWorld Bank Group · Political Stability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)20th of 211position · derived1.2652025
- Refugees by Country of OriginUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate from this country, end of year (people)bottom 2%02025
Risk & Resilience2
- Asylum-Seekers by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · Asylum-seekers awaiting a decision, end of year (people)bottom 5%02025
- Refugee Population by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate hosted, end of year (people)bottom 3%02025
Mobility & Trade5
- Container Import Dwell TimeWorld Bank Group · Median days a full import container waits in port80th of 156position · derived · 1 = worst4.22024
- EmigrantsUN DESA Population Division · Migrants from the country living abroad, mid-year (people)bottom 22%29,3052024
- International MigrantsUN DESA Population Division · International migrants living in the country, mid-year (people)bottom 33%73,4942024
- Net Migration RateUN DESA Population Division · Net migrants per 1,000 populationtop 33%1.3622023
Energy9
- Crude Oil ProductionEIA · Crude oil produced (thousand barrels per day)bottom 26%02025
- Gas Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · Natural gas (% of electricity generated)bottom 22%02024
- Hydro Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · Hydropower (% of electricity generated)bottom 13%02024
- Natural Gas ProductionEIA · Dry natural gas produced (billion cubic metres)bottom 27%02024
- Net Electricity Imports (share of generation)Ember · Net electricity imports (% of domestic generation)bottom 42%02024
- Nuclear Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · Nuclear (% of electricity generated)bottom 45%02024
- Photovoltaic Power Potential (PVOUT)World Bank Group (ESMAP), data by Solargis · Practical solar power potential (kWh per kWp per day, long-term average)top 7%4.9652020
- Primary Energy Consumption per CapitaEIA · Energy use per person (million Btu)top 12%155.522024
- Primary Energy ProductionEIA · Primary energy produced (quadrillion Btu)bottom 18%0.0012024
Digital & Technology2
- GitHub DevelopersGitHub · Developer accounts located in the economy (as of quarter end)bottom 18%3,8482026
- GitHub RepositoriesGitHub · Public repositories located in the economy (as of quarter end)bottom 15%4,4392026
People & Population15
- Average Household SizeUN DESA Population Division · Average number of usual residents per household (people)bottom 30%2.892026
- Crude Birth RateUN DESA Population Division · Births per 1,000 populationbottom 24%9.4542023
- Crude Death RateUN DESA Population Division · Deaths per 1,000 populationtop 24%9.5762023
- Mean Age at ChildbearingUN DESA Population Division · Mean age of mothers at the birth of their children (years)bottom 39%28.822023
- Median Age of the PopulationUN DESA Population Division · Median age (years)top 19%41.022023
- One-Person HouseholdsUN DESA Population Division · Households with exactly one member (% of households)top 36%21.372026
- Population Aged 65 and OverUN DESA Population Division · Share of the total population aged 65 and over (%)top 24%16.372023
- Population DensityUN DESA Population Division · People per square kilometre of landtop 7%599.662023
- Population Growth RateUN DESA Population Division · Population growth (% per year)bottom 28%0.1312023
- Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation)UN DESA Population Division · Share of the population living in cities as the Degree of Urbanisation defines them (%)bottom 8%02025
- Population Under Age 15UN DESA Population Division · Share of the total population aged 0–14 (%)bottom 28%17.192023
- Sex Ratio of the Total PopulationUN DESA Population Division · Males per 100 femalesbottom 5%89.52023
- Total Dependency RatioUN DESA Population Division · People aged 0–14 and 65+ per 100 people aged 15–64bottom 31%50.52023
- Total Fertility RateUN DESA Population Division · Live births per womanbottom 36%1.6022023
06Method
Sources and how to read them
How to read this page
- The scores and ranks belong to their publishers. Nothing is adjusted, rescaled or re-ranked; each is reproduced from the edition named beside it. Where a row says position · derived, the publisher ranks nobody on that measure and the position is ours, made by ordering the published score.
- Each statistic shows its newest edition, which is not always the edition the Country Index uses: the index pins every source to one data year so its average compares like with like.
How a standing is built from percentiles, why Aruba can move because other countries moved, and why publishers measure between 120 and 215 countries each are set out in full in how a standing is made and what a standing cannot tell you.
Sources
- Statistics: 25 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
- Capital, languages, currency, codes: Wikidata, public domain (CC0).
- Map and land borders: Natural Earth, public domain. Borders are de facto — where administration actually changes — not claimed.
Photographs
The photograph of Aruba on this page comes from Wikimedia Commons and is shown in greyscale. The photographer and the licence are named beside each one.
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Aruba: country statistics, rankings and trends. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/aruba