The Island of Aruba

Introduction Paragraph-

The island of Aruba is 21 miles long. The island has a surface area of about 75 miles long.Aruba is a volcanic island. This is because it was formed as a result of volcanic activity. The volcano is at the center of the island. This volcano is now dormant, but long ago formed the island we know today called Aruba. Aruba's island surface is relatively flat , but when you look at the island you'll see the volcano called Hooiberg.

Brief History Paragraph- Aruba's history as an island is an interesting one. The island's earliest inhabitants were the Arawaka indians. These indians left behind red cave drawings and clay pottery and stone tools. After Aruba was claimed by Spain in 1499, it became a centre of piracy and smuggling. In 1636 it was taken by the Dutch and occupied by the Dutch West Indian Company. Explorer Alonso de Ojeda discovered Aruba in 1499, he claimed it for Spain, naming it "la isla de los gigantes," or "the island of giants" after our tall inhabitants. Belief links Aruba's name with the Spanish phrase "oro huba" which means "there was gold". Interesting fact, the Spanish did not find any gold, and said that Aruba was "valueless". Another possibility is that Aruba's name comes from an Indian word "oruba" which translates to "well placed ". Yet another possible derivation of the name is from two Caribbean Indian words "ora" meaning "shell", and "oubao" meaning "island". This could have been the way the island of Aruba got its name.

Colonial History- The Caquetio Indians of the Arawak tribe from the South American mainland were Aruba's first inhabitants. These people were the first fisherman, hunters and gathers on this island who depended on the sea for survival. They lived in small family groups along Aruba's coast. Aruba’s location caught the eye of the Dutch who occupied the island in 1636 to protect their salt supply from the mainland and establish a naval base during their 80-year war with the people of Spain. The development of the island continued through the Dutch West India Company which is located on the neighboring island of Curaçao. Aruba continued to remained in the hand of the Dutch. Except for a brief hiatus under English rule from 1805-1816.

Cool and Interesting Paragraph-

Did you Aruba was declared a useless island. This is because of its absence of natural resources, including precious metals. In Arubas history there was a period of time, 108 years to be exact. This was between 1816 and 1924, the population increased from 1,732 to 9,021. People from more than 90 nationalities can be found in Aruba. Did you know that 18 percent of Arubas land area lies within Arikok National Park. Finally did you know that most Arubans are multilingual, and are able to communicate in English and Spanish, as well. On the license plate from Aruba it says one happy island.

Citations- Use proper MLA format

Hoetink, Harmannus. "Aruba." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 04 Jan. 2017. Web. 16 Feb. 2017.

"File:Aruba Travel Map.png." File:Aruba Travel Map.png. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

"Arubablog.net." Arubablognet The Hooiberg Arubas Volcano Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.

"The Amerindians." Aruba: Best Island Vacation & Getaway Destination - Aruba.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.

Staff, TheFactFile. "36 Interesting Facts About Aruba." The Fact File. N.p., 19 June 2016. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.