Aruba is a small island located in the southern Caribbean Sea. It lies about 18 miles (29 kilometers) north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná and approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Curaçao. Aruba is part of the Lesser Antilles and the Leeward Antilles island group, which includes nearby islands such as Curaçao and Bonaire, as well as some Venezuelan islands
. Geographically, Aruba is situated southwest of the main arc of the Lesser Antilles and is considered part of the Caribbean region, though it is very close to the South American continent. Politically, it is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
. The island is known for its flat, arid landscape with white sandy beaches primarily on the southern and western coasts, while the northeast coast features rocky terrain and rough seas
. Its capital and main port is Oranjestad
. In summary, Aruba is a Caribbean island just north of Venezuela, part of the Dutch Caribbean, located in the southern Caribbean Sea within the Lesser Antilles and Leeward Antilles island groups
