The Government of Aruba - The World Countries

Aruba - Government

Based on the etymolgy of Aruba, it was the origin of the island's name is unclear; according to tradition, the name comes from the Spanish phrase "oro huba" (there was gold), but in fact no gold was ever found on the island; another possibility is the native word "oruba," which means "well-situated". The Government system in this country is the parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands type and the different Administrative divisions includes: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National symbols

Hooiberg (Haystack) Hill; national colors: blue, yellow, red, white.

The flag

The National flag of Aruba has blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner; the star represents Aruba and its red soil and white beaches, its four points the four major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) as well as the four points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world; the blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes represent the island's two main "industries": the flow of tourists to the sun-drenched beaches and the flow of minerals from the earth.

The National Anthem

Title	"Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Precious Country)
Lyric/music	Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVER

note: local anthem adopted 1986; as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, "Het Wilhelmus" is official (see Netherlands)

More about the government of Aruba

Constitution
Date of Independence	none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
National holiday	National Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976)
Legal system	civil law system based on the Dutch civil code
International law organization participation
History	Previous 1947, 1955; latest drafted and approved August 1985, enacted 1 January 1986 (regulates governance of Aruba but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); in 1986, Aruba became a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Citizenship
Executive Branch
Chief of state	King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Alfonso BOEKHOUDT (since 1 January 2017)
Head of government	Prime Minister Evelyn WEVER-CROES (since 17 November 2017)
Cabinet	Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten)
Elections/appointments	the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Staten for 4-year term; election last held on 25 June 2021 (next to be held by June 2025)
Election results	as leader of the majority party of the ruling coalition, Evelyn WEVER-CROES (MEP) elected prime minister; percent of Staten vote - NA
Legislative branch
Description	Unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections	Last held on 25 June 2021 (next to be held in June 2025)
Election results	Percent of vote by party MEP 35.3%, AVP 31.3%, ROOTS 9.4%, MAS 8%, Accion21 5.8%; seats by party - MEP 9, AVP 7, ROOTS 2, MAS 2, Accion21 1; composition - men 13, women 8, percentage women - 38.1%
Judicial branch
Highest court(s)	Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands
Judge selection and term of office	Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarch
Subordinate courts	Court in First Instance
Diplomatic representation in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US
Embassy	The US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Aruba