Overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. Additionally, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and less than 1% unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate: 5% (1993 est.)
National product per capita: $17,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 0.6% (1992)
Budget:
revenues: $145 million
expenditures: $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42
million (1988)
Exports: $1.3 billion (including oil re-exports) (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: mostly refined petroleum products partners: US 64%, EC
Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products, crude oil for refining and re-export partners: US 8%, EC
External debt: $81 million (1987)