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parliamentary
democracy - full autonomy in internal affairs
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Elements of History :
Discovered
and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch
in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three
main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by
prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery.
The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism
industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986
and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of
the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted
at Aruba's request in 1990.
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