Legal System of Aruba
Aruba is located in Central America N Caribbean. It is geographically situated in caribbean, island in the caribbean sea, north of venezuela. The country achieved independence on none (part of the kingdom of the netherlands). The capital is Oranjestad.
Government Overview
Government Type: parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Chief of State: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Alfonso BOEKHOUDT (since 1 January 2017) Head of Government: Prime Minister Mike EMAN (since 28 March 2025) Cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten) National Holiday: National Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legal System
The legal system of Aruba is described as civil law system based on the Dutch civil code
Constitutional Framework
The constitution has the following history: previous 1947, 1955; latest drafted and approved August 1985, enacted 1 January 1986 (regulates governance of Aruba but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); in 1986, Aruba became a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Judicial Branch
Highest Court(s): Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or “Joint Court of Justice” (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands Judge Selection: Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarch Subordinate Courts: Court in First Instance
Legislative Branch
The legislative structure consists of unicameral
Citizenship and Suffrage
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Historical Background
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. Three main industries have since dominated the island’s economy: gold mining, oil refining, and tourism. A 19th-century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening of an oil refinery in 1924. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, semi-autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
This article provides a summary of the legal system and governmental structure of Aruba based on the CIA World Factbook. The Factbook is a public domain publication of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.