Aruba boasts a long and colorful history - one of the longest histories in the Western Hemisphere.  Aruba's first inhabitants were the Caquetios Indians who migrated there from Venezuela before 1000 AD.  It took until 1499 for Europeans to find the island when Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda established a colony.

The Spanish believed there was gold on Aruba but after fruitless attempts to locate it, they abandoned the island other than to house horses and goats.  In 1636, with very little resistance,  the Dutch seized Aruba along with Curacao, and Bonaire and created Netherlands Antilles.  Except for a short period from 1805 to 1815 when the island fell to the British during the Napoleonic Wars, Aruba has remained under Dutch control ever since.

In 1824 gold was discovered in Bushiribana.  From 1824 to 1916 the Aruban economy was based on gold.  Luckily for Aruba black gold - oil, was discovered in 1924 and Aruba became the home to one of the world's largest oil refineries.  This refinery put Aruba in the cross hairs during World War II as Adolf Hitler unsuccessfully attempted to torpedo the refinery.

Oil was a large part of the Aruban economy until Aloe plants overtook oil as the largest export item.  Aloe is still a part of the island but now Aruba's greatest economic investment is in themselves - tourism.  As you explore the island you will find pieces of all of this heritage, a strong and vibrant heritage that matches the island and it's people.