Aruba History

Aruba history begins with the Caquetios Indians from the Arawak tribe who fled to the island from Venezuela to escape hostile neighboring tribes. They settled on Aruba's shores centuries before being discovered by Europeans. They left behind cave paintings as well as pottery artifacts on display at The Museum of Archaeology in Oranjestad.

In 1499, Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda arrived and claimed Aruba for Queen Isabella. The Spanish found little use for the mostly barren island whose terrain was not suitable for plantations. Instead they transported the entire population to Hispaniola as slaves. However, most were allowed to return to Aruba where they were mostly left alone. Over the years pirates often used the island as a shelter and a staging point for attacks against ships heading home to Europe.

Aruba history changed when the Dutch took possession of the island in 1636. Spain gave up its claim to the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) as the Eighty Years War ended. Other than a brief period under English rule during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800's, Aruba has remained under the Dutch flag.

Aruba History - Industry and Tourism

Gold was discovered in 1824, and Aruba's first industry was born. But before long the gold mines dried up and operations ceased in 1916.

But it wasn't long before an even more profitable industry made Aruba its home. The history of Aruba changed again when two oil refineries were built on the island in 1924. The refineries helped create a booming economy that provided one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean.

Although the refineries closed in 1986 and put much of Aruba's population out of work, a new refinery opened in 1991 and remains operational today. However, it is now secondary to Aruba's economy.

The economic history of Aruba shows a reliance on industry, but the island's future rely's on tourism. For several decades, Aruba has worked hard to become a desirable place for tourists to vacation. It's laid back style, welcoming atmosphere, and beautiful beaches make Aruba the ideal vacation for millions of people.

If you are interested in learning more, check out the Aruba books page for some informative books about Aruba History.