Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation. The average temperature is 82 F (28 C), with cooling trade winds and the rarity of tropical storms and hurricanes. Aruba lies outside the hurricane belt therefore the rainfall is very moderate. The rainfall occurs mainly in short showers during November and December. Weather today: click here for intellicast weather forecast. Overview: Aruba is a very safe island, influenced by European and US-American lifestyle. The climate is very healthy, making it a year-round paradise. Aruba is a quiet island with perfect beaches and friendly people. Arubans are famous for their friendliness and hospitality. No hustle, no bustle, no beach vendors and nearly no crime. So it's no wonder that Aruba has one of the highest rates of repeat visitors anywhere in the Caribbean. Accommodations: The majority of hotels are in the Palm Beach and Eagle Beach resort area on the southwest coast, offering accommodation of a very high standard and price. There are no cheap guest houses, but apartments and luxury villas are available to rent. Sleep: Aruba is general quiet at night, except close to highways. The traffic is quite high. Activities: swiming, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, surfing, wind surfing, kite surfing, deep sea fishing, golf. Time: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time). Currency: Aruban guilder/florin (AWG). Fixed at 1.79 per US dollar. Credit cards: widely accepted in hotels, shops and supermarkets. Many apartments are asking for cash money. Costs of living: Food prices are higher than in Europe. Tipping and Taxes: Airport Departure Tax is US$ 34.25. There is a Government tax of 5%. In restaurants, the "tax" on your bill is usually the tax plus a 10%-15% service charge. Be careful not to over tip by thinking this is really all tax! Hotel bills will be similar with less service charge added in. Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela. Geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W. Highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m. Entry Requirements: Citizens of the E.C., U.S.A and Canada are allowed to visit Aruba as a tourist for up to 180 days. Extension of stay: at the Departamento di Integracion, Maneho
y Admision di Stranhero (DIMAS), Wilhelminastraat 31-33,
Airport: Reina Beatrix, Aruba International Airport, close to town. Public buses to town are leaving in front of the airport. Flight Times: Amsterdam 10 hours, New York's JFK 4 1/2 hours, Puerto Rico 1 1/2 hours. Ports and harbors: Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas. Electricity: 110-120 volts AC on 60 cycles. Telephone: modern fully automatic telecommunications system. country code is 297. Government type: parliamentary democracy. Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence. Ethnic groups: mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%. Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10%. Literacy: 97.3 % of the total population (male: 97.5%, female: 97.1%). Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining. Agriculture-products: aloes; livestock; fish. Natural resources: petroleum. GDP - per capita: $21,800 (2004 est.). Unemployment rate: 6.9 % (2005 est.).
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