Editing Aruba (section)

===20th and 21st centuries===
[[File:Prinses Beatrix op bezoek op Aruba Aankomst bij bestuurskantoor voor aubade, Bestanddeelnr 909-3484.jpg|thumb|[[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Princess Beatrix]] in Aruba, 1958]]

The first oil refinery, [[Lago Oil and Transport Company]], in [[San Nicolaas|San Nicolas]] was built in 1924 and a subsidiary of [[Standard Oil]]. The refinery on Aruba grew to become one of the largest in the world.<ref name="historiadiaruba1" /> In 1927, the [[Arend Petroleum Company]] was established to the west of Oranjestad. The refineries processed crude oil from the vast Venezuelan oil fields, bringing greater prosperity to the island.<ref>Albert Gastmann, "Suriname and the Dutch in the Caribbean" in ''Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture'', vol. 5, p. 189. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1996.</ref>

During World War II, the Netherlands was [[German occupation of the Netherlands|occupied by Nazi Germany]]. In 1940, the oil facilities in Aruba came under the administration of the [[Dutch government-in-exile]] in London, causing them to be [[attack on Aruba|attacked by the German navy]] in 1942.<ref name="historiadiaruba1"/><ref>''Central American and Caribbean Air Forces'', Daniel Hagedorn, Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., Tonbridge, 1993, p.135, {{ISBN|0 85130 210 6}}</ref>

In August 1947, Aruba formulated its first ''staatsreglement'' (constitution) for Aruba's ''[[Independence|status aparte]]'' as an autonomous state within the [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]], prompted by the efforts of [[Henny Eman (AVP founder)|Henny Eman]], a noted Aruban politician. By 1954, the [[Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands]] was established, providing a framework for relations between Aruba and the rest of the kingdom.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Robbers|first=Gerhard|title=Encyclopedia of World Constitutions|publisher=Facts on File, Inc.|volume=1|year=2007|location=New York City|page=649|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M3A-xgf1yM4C&pg=PA649|isbn=978-0-8160-6078-8|access-date=23 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423233225/https://books.google.com/books?id=M3A-xgf1yM4C&lpg=PA649|archive-date=23 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> That created the [[Netherlands Antilles]], which united all of the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean into one administrative structure.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11511355 |title=Status change means Dutch Antilles no longer exists |date=10 October 2010 |work=[[BBC News]] |publisher=BBC |access-date=11 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101011042955/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11511355 |archive-date=11 October 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Many Arubans were unhappy with the arrangement, however, as the policy was perceived as being dominated by Curaçao.<ref name="Britannica"/>

[[File:Betico Croes 1982cr.jpg|thumb|right|175px|[[Betico Croes]], a pivotal figure in Aruba's drive for greater autonomy in the 1970s–80s]]

In 1972, at a conference in [[Suriname]], Aruban politician [[Betico Croes]] proposed the creation of a Dutch Commonwealth of four states: Aruba, the Netherlands, Suriname, and the [[Netherlands Antilles]], each to have its own nationality. Backed by his newly created party, the [[People's Electoral Movement (Aruba)|Movimiento Electoral di Pueblo]], Croes sought greater autonomy for Aruba, with the long-term goal of independence, adopting the trappings of an independent state in 1976 with the creation of a flag and national anthem.<ref name="historiadiaruba1"/> In March 1977, a [[1977 Aruban independence referendum|referendum was held]] with the support of the United Nations. 82% of the participants voted for complete independence from the Netherlands.<ref name="historiadiaruba1"/><ref name="BBC Aruba Profile">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20211986 |title=BBC News&nbsp;— Aruba profile&nbsp;— Timeline |publisher=BBC |date=5 November 2013 |access-date=15 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140830102036/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20211986 |archive-date=30 August 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Tensions mounted as Croes stepped up the pressure on the Dutch government by organising [[1977 Aruba general strike|a general strike in 1977]].<ref name="historiadiaruba1"/> Croes later met with Dutch Prime Minister [[Joop den Uyl]], with the two sides agreeing to assign the Institute of Social Studies in [[The Hague]] to prepare a study for independence, entitled ''Aruba en Onafhankelijkheid, achtergronden, modaliteiten, en mogelijkheden; een rapport in eerste aanleg'' (Aruba and independence, backgrounds, modalities, and opportunities; a preliminary report) (1978).<ref name="historiadiaruba1"/>