Tourism, offshore financial services, shipping and oil refining are the
primary Aruban and Antillean economic
sectors. Petroleum processing continues to be central. Having survived
the industry's slowdown during the oil
glut
of the 1980s, its future looks relatively secure. For growth, however,
the Netherlands Antilles are obliged to look to tourism, and other
service sectors like finance and banking. Industry accounts for 15
percent of the GDP and 13 percent of the Antillean workforce, and
services for 84 percent of the GDP and 86 percent of the workforce (with
three-quarters of these working for the government). The same
constellation of sectors predominate in Aruba.
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