Alonzo de Ojeda discovered Aruba in 1499, claiming the island for Spain. However, the Spaniards did not consider the island worth colonising and left the original Arawak Indian inhabitants to live in virtual peace. The Spaniards' lack of interest resulted in the island becoming a haven for pirates and buccaneers. Spanish hegemony continued unchallenged, however, until 1634, by which time the war with Holland was well into its seventh decade. Dutch war interests then switched to the Caribbean and the Dutch fleet took over the neglected territory with little opposition. In 1643, the Dutch appointed a governor to take charge of Aruba and the rest of the Netherlands Antilles.
Except for a brief period in the early 19th century, when the British took possession, Aruba has remained under peaceful Dutch jurisdiction ever since.
On 1 January 1986, Aruba achieved internal autonomy, separating it administratively from the rest of the Netherlands Antilles, although it remains an integral part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This was originally conceived as the first step towards independence, for which a 10-year transitional period was planned. In March 1994, however, after consultation with the Dutch government, this plan was shelved. Independence at some later date has not been completely ruled out but it will now require the consent of two-thirds of the population in a referendum.
The reluctance to move towards independence seems to have come from the Arubans themselves, especially the leading political party, the Arubaanse Volkspartij (AVP). The AVP, under the leadership of Jan Hendrik Eman, won both two successive elections in 1993 and 1997, although suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of its major rival the centre-left Movimiento Electoral di Pueblo (MEP) at the most recent poll in September 2001. Nelson Oduber took over as Premier. Michiel Godfried assumed office in 2009.
82% of the population are Roman Catholic. There are also Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian and Jewish communities present.
Social conventions:Much of the social activity takes place in hotels where the atmosphere will be informal, often American in feel. The islanders do not wear shorts in town though it is acceptable for visitors to do so. Bathing suits are strictly for beach or poolside. In the evenings people tend to dress up, especially when visiting the casinos. Jackets are not required for men, except for official government functions.
The official language is Dutch. English and Spanish are also spoken. The islanders also speak Papiamento, which is a combination of Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, English and Indian languages.
