ARUBA
(Islands)

Historical names of Aruba for the island, dokolumbiysky or Spanish origin: Oyrubaye ("partner", that is Curacao), Aura Oubao ("island cover"), Oro Ubo ("once there was a gold")

LOCATION

Identification. Aruba - multicultural island society with the Caribbean and Latin American features in the culture and social structure. His people were strongly influenced by globalization of world culture.

Location. Aruba - the most southeast island of the Caribbean archipelago. It is located in 27 kilometers from the coast the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguana and in 90 km to the west from Curacao. Together with Curacao and Bonaire it forms the Dutch Leeward Islands. The area of Aruba is 193 square kilometers. The climate is tropical, with an average temperature of 28 °C. The main rainy season - from October to January. Annual rainfall usually doesn't exceed 50 centimeters.

Demography. The population census and housing stock of 1991 showed that on Aruba 66 687 people, apart from, by estimates, from 2500 to 5000 illegal foreigners live. In comparison with the period of 1972-1981 when the population increased by 4,2 percent, from 1981 to 1991 growth rates grew up to 10,6 percent, generally because of immigration after 1987. The share of the inhabitants who were born abroad grew about 18,5 percent in 1981 up to 23,9 percent in 1991.

CULTURE

Linguistic orientation. Traditional language of Aruba is Papiamento (Talk), language of Creole language which also speak to Curacao and Bonaire. Sources of Papiamento are much discussed. In discussion two points of view dominate. It agrees to one, it arose as lingva-franc, based on the Portuguese and West African languages, during a slave trade of the seventeenth century. Others claim that it developed in time of interaction between Spaniards and Dutches. The Indian names of plants and places are included in its lexicon. Thanks to 350 years' colonial domination the Dutch language is official language in the field of education and the public relations. Oil industry, tourism and the subsequent migration brought the English and Spanish languages which are the second and third language of communication on the island. The majority of aruban are multilingual.

HISTORY

Before opening in Europe Aruba was inhabited by the Indian settlements. Since 2000 to 1000 b. with. the island was populated with prekeramichesky Indians. About 1000 b. with. The Arawak from the East of Venezuela migrated to Aruba, representing ceramics and agriculture.

Aruba was found by Spaniards approximately in 1499. Due to the lack of precious metals Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao were announced by nemysliya (useless islands). In 1515 their inhabitants were deported to Hispaniola for work in mines. After unsuccessful attempts of colonization by Juan de Ampis (1526-1533) islands were left to the mercy of fate. Other Hindus migrated to Aruba later, and the Spanish priests from the region Falkon of Venezuela undertook Christianization.