Aruba
Aruba: History and Political System
Brief historical overview
The first residents of the island were Caquetio Indians from the Arawak
tribe, who immigrated from South America. Remains of their oldest settlements
date back to 1000 BC. back. The rock drawings still preserved in the limestone
caves near Fontein Ayo also date from around this time.
The first European settlers came to Aruba in the 15th and 16th centuries - it is
believed that the Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda landed here in 1499. Under
the Spaniards, the Indians who lived here were deported to Santo Domingo in
the Dominican Republic, where they had to toil in the local copper mines under
the most deplorable conditions. Around 1636 - during the 80 Years War
between Spain and Holland- the Dutch took over the dominance of Aruba, which
they held for almost 200 years. In 1805 - during the Napoleonic Wars - Aruba
came under the control of Great Britain, but the Dutch took power again in 1816.
Political system
Since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on October 10, 2010, the
island of Aruba forms the Kingdom of the Netherlands together with "Sint
Maarten", "Curaçao" and the "Netherlands in Europe". The "Netherlands in Europe"
also includes the islands of Bonaire, Sint Estatius and Saba in
the Caribbean - as so-called "special municipalities".
Since 2010 Aruba has been an "Autonomous Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
According to Digopaul.com,
the head of state is the Queen or King of the Netherlands.
National anthem
According to
Countryaah.com, the national anthem of Aruba is as follows:
1st stanza
Aruba patria aprecia
nos cuna venera
Chikito y simple bo por ta
pero si respeta.
Refrain
O, Aruba, dushi tera
nos baranca tan stima
Nos amor p'abo t'asina grandi
cu n'tin nada pa kibr'e, cu'n tin nada pa kibr'e.
2nd stanza
Bo playanan tan admira
cu palma tur dorna
Bo escudo y bandera ta
orguyo di nos tur!
(Refrain)
3rd stanza
Grandeza di bo pueblo ta
su gran cordialidad
Cu Dios por guia y conserva
su amor pa libertad!
National flag
Based on flag descriptions by
Countryaah.com, the national flag of Aruba has a blue background with a four-pointed,
white-framed red star on the top left. In the lower part there are two yellow
horizontal stripes of equal width.
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