Friday, March 16, 2007

Geography of Aruba

Aruba is an island in the Caribbean Sea, just a short distance north of the Venezuelan Paraguaná Peninsula, and it forms a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, it has a dry climate and an arid, cactus-strewn landscape. This climate has helped tourism, however, as visitors to the island can consistently expect warm, sunny weather
Aruba is a generally flat, riverless island famous for its white sand beaches. Most of these are situated on the western and southern coasts of the island, which are comparatively sheltered from fierce ocean currents. The northern and eastern coasts, absence of this protection, are significantly more battered by the sea and have been left largely untouched by humans. The center of the island features some rolling hills, the better two of which are called Hooiberg at 165 m (541 ft) and Mount Jamanota, which is the uppermost on the island, at 188 m (617 ft) above sea level.
As a separate part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the island has no administrative subdivisions. On the east are Curaçao and Bonaire, which form the southwest part of the Netherlands Antilles; the three islands are well-known collectively as the ABC islands.
The local climate is a pleasant tropical marine clime. Little seasonal temperature difference exists, which helps Aruba to attract tourists all year round. Temperatures are almost constant at about 28 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit), moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean. Yearly precipitation barely reaches 500 mm (20 inches), the majority of it falling in late autumn.

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