Although the Spanish were in control of Aruba for many years, the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Netherlands soon gave the Dutch the upper hand. Finally in 1636 the Spanish handed over the island to the Dutch. Years later, the English took over Aruba for a brief period, but it quickly returned under Dutch rule in 1816 and remained that way until 1985, when Aruba became a separate entity within the kingdom of the Netherlands.
The people and culture of Aruba has many different backgrounds. One can go from the Indians, to the Spanish, and more recently, the Dutch. Yet, through the years Aruba has become the home for many different people. Especially since the 20th century when industry has blossomed and people from all corners of the world call this island home. It can easily be said that Aruba is now made up of at least 40 different nationalities all living peacefully together.
Nowadays, the nearly 88,000 inhabitants of Aruba reflect its greatly changing history. Through local foods, architecture, celebrations, and languages one can immediately see the different influences the past settlers had on the island. Yet, the Dutch, up to this day continue to be the most influential people on Aruban society since the Dutch language is the official tongue of the Aruban people and Aruba continues to have close ties to the Netherlands.
Taxis, buses, and personal automobiles are the most common ways to travel in Aruba. The majority of the roads are paved, but toward the interior of the island the roads are less commonly paved. Coastal areas most often feature paved roads. With a total of 800km of road, 287km are unpaved.Arubus is the government-owned bus company with some 29 buses in service. Mini-buses are also common. The main Arubus station is located in downtown Oranjestad.
Despite Aruba's location near Venezuela and the other islands of the Netherlands Antilles, boat crossings are not generally available. Private boaters can make the journey, but there is no public transport via the sea. Travelers may choose to take short plane flights from the the International Airport.
There are three ports or harbors on the island: Barcadera, Oranjestad, and San Nicolas. The Aruba Ports Authority operates the ports in Barcadera and Oranjestad, while the Coastal Aruba Refining Company operates the third port. Barcadera and San Nicolaas are mainly industrial and oil ports.
When you arrive at the international airport, most of the major rental cars companies are across the driveway, including Hertz, Avis and Alamo. Local rental car companies are also available. Arubans drive on the right side of the road, so that an American tourist will have little problem adjusting to the driving pattern.
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