Aruba is a Caribbean island 15 miles north of the coast of Venezuela, an autonomous dependency of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is 30 km (19.6 miles) long and 9 km (6 miles) across at its widest point giving it an area of approximately 70 mi² (184 km²). This flat island with no rivers is renowned for its white sand beaches and tropical climate moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean. The temperature is almost constant at about 27°C (81°F) and the yearly rainfall usually does not exceed 20 inches. Aruba lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt.
Aruba is divided into the north east and south west coasts. The south west has the white sand beaches, turquoise seas, and warm waters. The north east coast, exposed to the Atlantic, has a few white sand beaches, cacti, rough seas with treacherous currents, and a rocky coastline. The time in Aruba is Atlantic standard time; it is the same as Eastern Daylight Savings time all year round.
