This is a demography of the population of Aruba, including population density, ethnicity, nationality language use, education level, age, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Having poor soil and aridity, Aruba was largely detached from plantation economics and the slave trade. In 1515, the Spanish transported the entire population to Hispaniola to work in the copper mines; most were allowed to return when the mines were tapped out. The Dutch, who took control a century later, left the Arawaks to graze livestock, using the island as a source of meat for other Dutch possessions in the Caribbean. Arawak heritage is stronger on Aruba than on most Caribbean islands.

The population is estimated to be 75% mixed European/Amerindian/African, 15% Black and 10% other ethnicities. Although no full-blooded Aboriginals remain, the features of many islanders clearly indicate their genetic Arawak heritage. The population is primarily descended from the Caquetío Indians, Dutch and Spanish settlers, and enslaved Africans, and to a lesser extent from later migrants from South America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

Aruba's population is very ethnically diverse, multiracial, international and multicultural, descending from a mix of various people groups and being home to over 140+ nationalities. The population of the island has grown significantly in the last 50 years, primarily due to immigration, with an estimated 38.7% of the population being foreign-born as of 2024. In recent decades, there has been substantial immigration to the island from neighboring South-American and Caribbean nations, possibly attracted by higher paying jobs, namely in the tourism industry. In 2007, new immigration laws were introduced and passed to help control the growth of the population by restricting foreign workers to a maximum of three years residency on the island.

There is a significant Latin-American population and presence on the island. Many of Aruba's families are partially or fully descended from Venezuelan immigrants. Due to Aruba's close proximity to Colombia, many Colombians and their descendants live in Aruba as well. Communities of Dominicans, Ecuadorians and Peruvians can also be found on the island. A sizable minority of the population is descended from various Caribbean nations and territories, mainly from the former British West-Indies. There has also been recent immigration from Europe and North-America to the island, namely from the Netherlands and to a lesser extent the United States. Many Asians and their descendants live in Aruba as well, most notably those of Chinese, Filipino, Indian and Javanese descent. Chinese Arubans are approximately 1% of the population.

Most people on Aruba are multilingual, being able to speak three to four (or more) languages. The two official languages of Aruba are Dutch and the pre-dominant, national language Papiamento. Papiamento is a Portuguese-based creole, formed primarily from 16th century Portuguese with influences from Spanish, Dutch, and several other languages. Spanish and English are also widely known and spoken due to proximity to Latin-America and North-American tourism. There are also smaller communities of speakers of other languages on the island, such as Portuguese, French and Chinese. Children in Aruba are known to start school by the age of four and are commonly known to be multilingual by this time. Although the official languages of Aruba are Papiamento and Dutch, English and Spanish is taught through education when reaching the sixth grade. French is also taught as an optional subject in higher levels of education.

Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion, practiced by around 75% of the population. Various Protestant denominations are also present on the island. Various other religions and denominations are also practiced on the island by small communities.

Population

The estimated population as of is , per . Most of the population is of mixed ancestry, including Europeans, Caquetío Indians and Africans (in some cases, Asians also). Between 1985 and 1987, the population declined due to emigration, but in 1990 this trend was reversed due to the development of the oil and tourism industries.

Structure of the population

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 50 117 55 859 105 976 100 0–4 3 061 3 016 6 077 5.73 5–9 3 619 3 387 7 006 6.61 10–14 3 733 3 711 7 445 7.03 15–19 3 872 3 744 7 616 7.19 20–24 3 145 2 941 6 086 5.74 25–29 2 775 2 994 5 769 5.44 30–34 3 011 3 578 6 589 6.22 35–39 3 249 3 860 7 109 6.71 40–44 3 906 4 551 8 456 7.98 45–49 4 072 4 798 8 871 8.37 50–54 4 275 4 873 9 148 8.63 55–59 3 526 4 176 7 702 7.27 60–64 2 805 3 228 6 033 5.69 65–69 1 942 2 456 4 397 4.15 70–74 1 413 1 735 3 148 2.97 75–79 886 1 368 2 254 2.13 80–84 554 842 1 396 1.32 85–89 195 370 566 0.53 90–94 65 160 225 0.21 95–99 10 55 66 0.06 100+ 4 16 20 0.02Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 10 413 10 114 20 527 19.37 15–64 34 635 38 743 73 378 69.24 65+ 5 069 7 002 12 071 11.39

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 50 795 56 900 107 695 100 0–4 2 652 2 455 5 107 4.74 5–9 3 174 3 045 6 219 5.77 10–14 3 415 3 379 6 793 6.31 15–19 3 551 3 301 6 852 6.36 20–24 2 786 2 592 5 377 4.99 25–29 2 945 3 048 5 994 5.57 30–34 3 177 3 456 6 633 6.16 35–39 3 206 3 716 6 922 6.43 40–44 3 284 3 993 7 277 6.76 45–49 3 400 4 059 7 459 6.93 50–54 3 800 4 596 8 396 7.80 55–59 4 018 4 720 8 738 8.11 60–64 3 683 4 464 8 147 7.56 65–69 2 954 3 576 6 530 6.06 70–74 2 112 2 573 4 685 4.35 75–79 1 322 1 781 3 102 2.88 80–84 817 1 169 1 986 1.84 85–89 347 677 1 024 0.95 90–94 122 229 351 0.33 95+ 30 72 102 0.09Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 9 241 8 879 18 120 16.83 15–64 33 850 37 944 71 794 66.66 65+ 7 704 10 077 17 781 16.51

Vital statistics

Average population (x 1000)Live birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)TFR 1952 381,958 2491,70950.26.443.9 1953 402,0021721,83049.94.345.6 1954 422,015 2051,81048.24.943.3 1955 441,916 2361,68043.85.438.4 1956 461,918 2281,69041.85.036.8 1957 482,017 2331,78441.84.837.0 1958 511,968 2321,73639.04.634.4 1959 531,836 2481,58834.94.730.2 1960 541,916 2541,66235.34.730.7 1961 551,838 2171,62133.23.929.2 1962 561,787 2151,57231.83.828.0 1963 571,657 2081,44929.23.725.6 1964 571,556 2241,33227.33.923.4 1965 571,420 2251,19524.83.920.8 1966 581,230 2191,01121.33.817.5 1967 581,151 226 92519.83.915.9 1968 581,143 258 88519.64.415.2 1969 581,188 318 870 20.55.515.0 1970 581,234 289 94521.35.016.3 1971 581,232 292 94021.25.016.2 1972 58.0471,201 275 92620.14.615.5 1973 58.2991,003 287 71617.24.912.3 1974 58.349 962 298 66416.55.111.4 1975 58.295 968 286 68216.64.911.7 1976 58.368 941 300 64116.15.111.0 1977 58.580 993 320 67317.05.511.5 1978 58.7761 058 284 77418.04.813.2 1979 59.1911 065 318 74718.05.412.6 1980 59.9091 125 288 83718.84.814.0 1981 60.5631 051 317 73417.45.212.1 1982 61.2761 036 313 72316.95.111.8 1983 62.2281 133 339 79418.25.412.8 1984 62.9011 169 323 84618.65.113.4 1985 61.7281 109 334 77518.05.412.6 1986 59.9311 014 377 63716.96.310.6 1987 59.159 992 370 62216.86.310.5 1988 59.331 949 335 61416.05.610.3 1989 60.4431,141 372 76918.96.212.7 1990 62.7531,140 419 72118.26.711.5 1991 65.8961,157 429 72817.66.511.0 1992 69.0051,292 424 86818.76.112.62.214 1993 73.6851,337 402 93518.15.512.72.052 1994 77.5951,315 431 88416.95.611.42.036 1995 79.8051,419 504 91517.86.311.52.137 1996 83.0211,452 469 98317.55.611.82.088 1997 86.3011,457 497 96016.95.811.12.038 1998 88.4511,315 505 81014.95.79.21.821 1999 89.6591,251 561 69014.06.37.71.716 2000 90.5881,294 531 76314.35.98.41.896 2001 91.4391,263 435 82813.84.89.11.866 2002 92.0741,228 492 73613.35.38.01.874 2003 93.1281,244 501 74313.45.48.01.883 2004 95.1381,193 502 69112.55.37.31.787 2005 97.6351,263 482 78112.94.98.01.834 2006 99.4051,359 539 82013.75.48.22.035 2007 100.1501,339 533 80613.45.38.02.041 2008 100.9171,319 554 76513.15.57.62.024 2009 101.6041,254 629 62512.36.26.11.961 2010 101.8381,216 619 59711.96.15.91.923 2011 102.5911,249 642 60712.26.35.91.938 2012 104.1101,311 609 70212.65.96.82.019 2013 105.6751,326 573 75312.65.47.12.010 2014 106.8071,374 653 72112.96.16.82.081 2015 107.9061,247 687 56011.66.45.21.859 2016 108.7271,264 789 47511.67.34.41.899 2017 108.7351,248 717 53111.56.64.91.894 2018 108.9081,177 730 44710.86.74.11.779 2019 109.2031,184 671 51310.86.14.71.816 2020 108.5871 052 743 3099.76.82.91.638 2021 107.7001 019964 559.59.00.51.619 2022 107.310 915 879 36 8.58.20.31.463 2023 107.359 856 814 42 8.07.60.41.382 2024 108.016 860 840 20 8.0 7.8 0.2 1.387 2025 109.545824 833 -9 7.5 7.6 -0.1 1.287

Ethnic groups

The population is estimated to be 75% mixed European/Amerindian/African, 15% Black and 10% other ethnicities.

In 2019, recently arrived Venezuelan refugees were estimated to number around 17,000, accounting for some 15% of the island's population.

Languages

Religions

References