Geography and climate

Aruba is an island that is located in the southern part of the Caribbean sea 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of the coast of Venezuela and 68 kilometers (42 miles) northwest of Curacao. Aruba belongs to the Leeward Antilles, together with Bonaire and Curacao the three islands form the ABC-Islands.

Aruba is a generally flat island with an area of approximately 70 miles²/180 kilometers² (20 miles long, 5 miles wide). Aruba is widely known for its white sandy beaches on the western and southern coasts of the island, relatively sheltered from fierce ocean currents.

Aruba, as part of the Leeward Antilles, is characterized by its tropical climate. The dry season runs from February through June, whereas the rainy season starts in October and ends in January. The average annual precipitation is 400 millimeters (16 inches). The average and almost constant temperature is 28° C (82.4 °F). Aruba lies outside the hurricane belt, but is still occasionally affected by hurricanes.