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ABOUT ARUBA
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ISLAND INFORMATION
The name ‘Aruba’ is derived from the Indian word “Oruba,” meaning well-placed or convenient, in this case, convenient to the South American mainland and jumping-off point for the gold-seeking Spanish Conquistadors. The Conquistadors called it “Oro Uba” or “there was gold.” The capital is Oranjestad, named after the Dutch House of Orange.
The island is part of the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea; it is the most westerly of the Netherlands Antilles, and lies about 12 degrees north of the equator, approximately 29km (18 miles) off the Paraguaná peninsula of Venezuela. One of the Lesser Antilles islands, Aruba is about 30 km (19.6 miles) long and about 8 km (6 miles) wide with an area of 193 sq km (75 sq miles). Its highest point is 617 feet at Mount Yamanota. The island has a population of approximately 95,000.
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