Aruba, Caribbean island nation in Lesser Antilles, southern Caribbean Sea.
Aruba is an island nation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the southern Caribbean Sea and stretches across an arid landscape featuring white sand beaches along the southwestern coast. The exposed northern side displays rugged limestone cliffs and windswept rock formations shaped by the constant trade winds.
Spanish sailors reached the territory in 1499, but the Dutch took control in 1636 and established a maritime outpost. The territory received separate status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1986, after previously forming part of the Netherlands Antilles administrative framework.
Papiamento is the main language and blends Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and African influences into a melodic form of expression heard in shops, markets and residential neighborhoods. This creole language accompanies daily life in a community inhabited by families of different backgrounds, where multilingual conversations are part of the everyday routine.
Peak travel season runs from December through March, while intermediate months offer lower prices and fewer visitors. Direct flights connect the international airport with North American and European cities, with trips from the United States taking around four to five hours on average.
Arikok National Park covers nearly one fifth of the land area and holds pre-Columbian cave paintings by Caquetío peoples along with conglomerate formations that create natural bridges between exposed limestone outcrops. Hiking trails lead through this dry wilderness where rare lizards and divi-divi trees with wind-bent crowns grow.
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