ARUBA

Aruba is an island and a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the southern Caribbean Sea, located about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) west of the main part of the Lesser Antilles and 29 kilometres (18 mi) north of the coast of Venezuela. It measures 32 kilometres (20 mi) long from its northwestern to its southeastern end and 10 kilometres (6 mi) across at its widest point. Together with Bonaire and Curaçao, Aruba forms a group referred to as the ABC islands. Collectively, Aruba and the other Dutch islands in the Caribbean are often called the Dutch Caribbean.

Aruba is one of the four countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with the Netherlands, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten; the citizens of these countries are all Dutch nationals. Aruba has no administrative subdivisions, but, for census purposes, is divided into eight regions. Its capital is Oranjestad. Aruba is a generally flat, riverless island in the Leeward Antilles island arc of the Lesser Antilles in the southern part of the Caribbean. It lies 77 km (48 mi) west of Curaçao and 29 km (18 mi) north of Venezuela's Paraguaná Peninsula. Aruba has white sandy beaches on the western and southern coasts of the island, relatively sheltered from fierce ocean currents. This is where the bulk of the population live and where most tourist development has occurred. The northern and eastern coasts, lacking this protection, are considerably more battered by the sea and have been left largely untouched.

The hinterland of the island features some rolling hills, such as Hooiberg at 165 meters (541 ft) and Mount Jamanota, the highest on the island at 188 meters (617 ft) above sea level. Oranjestad, the capital. The Natural Bridge was a large, naturally formed limestone bridge on the island's north shore. It was a popular tourist destination until its collapse in 2005.

The first mail delivered to Aruba came on boats originating from Venezuela or Curaçao. Mail arrived at the island's main port in Oranjestad from where it was collected by the inhabitants. n 1892 the Governor of Aruba was given the title of Director of Post and tasked with the responsibility of delivering the mail. The first official post office was in Plaza Daniel Leo but moved to J.E. Irausquin plein # 9 in 1958. The first issue was to celebrate the New Constitution and included a 25 cent stamp displaying Aruba's position on a map of the Caribbean. The stamp printing for Aruba is done primarily by Enschedé of the Netherlands.

Post Aruba N.V. is the post office of Aruba, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Post Aruba was privatised on 1 September 2005, having previously been in public ownership. Post Aruba is responsible for the Aruba stamp issuing programme and Aruba has had its own stamps since obtaining internal autonomy in 1986. Commemorative and definitive stamps are issued as well as a range of revenue stamps for use on official documents.

These two  registered airmail covers sent from Oranjested, the capital city of Aruba. The covers posted on Jul 27, 2016 and I received them on August 09, 2016. Aruba Post has a  best philatelic service and issues thematic stamps every year.

This is my first cover I received from Aruba sent by Emily from Oranjested.