Caribbean - Armed Forces Pest Management Board

2. Climate. Aruba’s climate is tropical, moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic. It lies outside the
usual Caribbean hurricane belt. Temperatures do not vary much daily or seasonally. It is seldom higher than 32 o C
during the day or lower than 24 o C at night. Rainfall averages only about 56 cm per year.
3. Population and Culture. The population of Aruba was estimated in July 2000 to be 69,539 persons, or slightly
more than 360 persons per sq km, and is 80% mixed white and Carib Amerindian and 20% other origins. Religious
preferences are 82% Roman Catholic, 8% protestant, and 10% others, including Hindus, Muslims, Confucianists,
and Jews. The literacy rate is 97%, and the average life expectancy at birth is about 78.4 years. The bulk of the
population is employed in tourism-related industries, offshore financial services, or oil refining.
4. Sanitation and Living Conditions. The standard of living for most Arubans is good, with an economy ranked
among the top 25% in the world, and modern communications and transportation systems. Medical care is available
throughout the country and potable water is generally available. Some serious food-borne and water-borne diseases,
including hepatitis A, are common in addition to periodic outbreaks of ciguatera poisoning. Roads are not clearly
marked but are maintained fairly well. Traffic safety is a concern, and police enforcement is lax.
D. The Bahamas.
1. Geography. The Bahamas is a chain of about 700 islands and 2,400 cays (low islands or reefs of sand or coral,
30 of which are inhabited) in the Atlantic Ocean, about 320 km southeast of Florida. This British Commonwealth
country has a total land area of 10,070 sq km, slightly smaller than Connecticut. The islands are mainly low, flat coral
formations, with some low rounded hills. The highest point in the country is 63 m at Mount Alvernia on Cat Island.
Land use is 1% arable, 32% forests and woodlands, and 67% other. Natural resources include salt, argonite, and
timber. The Bahamas is a developed nation in the top 25% of the world's economies. Tourist facilities are widely
available. Private medical care is available in Nassau and Freeport, but it is not up to the standards of most
industrialized countries. Medical care is substandard outside Freeport and Nassau. The two main industries are
tourism and offshore financial services. All electricity is produced from fossil fuel. The country has 2,693 km of
roads, of which 1,546 are paved, and 62 airports, 33 of which have paved runways. Road maintenance and travel
are limited except for areas in or near Freeport or Nassau. The Bahamas, as a flag-of-convenience registry nation,
has one of the largest registered merchant marine fleets in the world, including 1,075 ships from 49 countries.
Hurricanes and other tropical storms frequently cause extensive flood and wind damage from June through
November. Destruction of coral reefs and solid waste disposal are major environmental concerns. The Bahamas is
strategically located near the U.S. and Cuba. Drug traffic to the U.S. and Europe and related money laundering have
been major criminal concerns in the Bahamas since the 1980s.
2. Climate. The climate of the Bahamas is tropical marine, moderated by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream.
Daytime temperatures typically range between 15°C and 24°C, and winters are mild. Hurricanes and other tropical
storms can cause extensive flood and wind damage from June through November.
Nassau (elevation 4 m)
57