After Aruba was claimed by Spain in 1499, it became a centre of piracy and smuggling. In 1636 it was taken by the Dutch and occupied by the Dutch West India Company. As part of the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba came briefly under British rule during the Napoleonic Wars but was returned to the Netherlands in 1816.

Aruba is not strictly "owned" by the Netherlands in a colonial sense but is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The historical connection began in 1636 when the Dutch took the island from Spain during the Eighty Years' War to secure a strategic base and salt supplies. While many Caribbean islands moved toward full independence in the 20th century, Aruba opted for a unique path. In 1986, it separated from the Netherlands Antilles to become an autonomous country with its own government and currency, while remaining under the Dutch Crown. This arrangement allows Aruba to manage its internal affairs entirely, while the Kingdom of the Netherlands remains responsible for its foreign policy and national defense. Arubans hold Dutch citizenship, and the island benefits from the economic and political stability provided by its association with a major European power.