1000s
- (1000) Aruba's first settlers, the Arawak Indians, arrived from Venezuela
1400s
- (1499) Spanish explorer, Alonso de Ojeda, discovered the island; claimed Aruba for Spain
1500s
- (1508) Alonso de Ojeda of Spain, appointed first governor of Aruba
- (1515) Arawak Indian tribe transported to Hispaniola to work as slaves in copper mines
- (1527) Spain began to formally colonize Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao; Governor Juan de Ampues asked King Charles V of Spain to return the Arawak Indians to the island, request granted
1600s
- (1636) Aruba colonized by the Dutch, formed part of the Dutch West India Company
- (1648-1664) Aruba under Dutch West India Company administration as "New Netherlands and Curacao"
1700s
- (1799-1802) British occupied Aruba
1800s
- (1805- 1816) British occupied Aruba
- (1816) Aruba returned to Dutch control
- (1824) Gold discovered
- (1845) Aruba officially part of Netherlands Antilles
- (1850) Aloe introduced to the island
- (1874) The use of Guano (manure) as fertilizer was discovered, Aruba became major supplier of calcium phosphate
1900s
- (1916) Gold mining ceased due to dwindling supply
- (1928) Oil refinery built at San Nicolaas
- (1935) First airport constructed in Aruba
- (1940-1942) Aruba was British protectorate
- (1942) German submarine attacked oil processing refinery
- (1942-1945) Aruba was US protectorate
- (1954) Aruba became part of the autonomous federation of the Netherlands Antilles
- (1959) Aruba's first hotel opened, Aruba Caribbean Hotel
- (1971) People's Electoral Movement party (MEP) founded, began campaign for independence and separation from the Netherlands Antilles federation
1900s continued
- (1977) Majority of voters supported independence and withdrawal from the Antillean federation
- (1983) Dutch and Netherlands Antilles governments agreed that Aruba should receive separate status
- (1985) Oil refinery closed; Aruba economy devastated
- (1986) Island obtained autonomous status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Henny Eman became prime minister
- (1989) Nelson Oduber became prime minister
- (1991) Oil refining resumed; Aruba's tourism economy exploded
- (1994) Henny Eman became prime minister
- (1996) Aruba placed on US list of major drug-producing countries
2000s
- (2000) Aruba named one of 35 non-cooperative tax havens by OECD
- (2001) Nelson Oduber became prime minister
- (2003) Aruba, US agreed to exchange tax data to help combat money laundering
- (2005) Natural Bridge collapsed (one of Aruba's most popular attractions)
- (2009) Mike Eman became prime minister
