Bonaire is an island in the Caribbean Sea's Leeward Antilles. Kralendijk, on the island's lee side, serves as its capital. The ABC islands are located 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast of Venezuela. Unlike most of the Caribbean, the ABC islands are not located in Hurricane Alley. The islands' dry environment draws travelers looking for bright, sunny weather all year. Because of its many shore diving spots and easy access to the island's bordering reefs, Bonaire is a popular snorkeling and scuba diving destination.
The island's permanent population was at 20,104 as of January 1, 2019, an increase of around 1,200 from 2015. The island has a total land area of 288 square kilometers (111 square miles); it is 38.6 kilometers (24.0 miles) long from north to south and 4.8–8 kilometers (3.0–5.0 miles) broad from east to west. Klein Bonaire, an uninhabited islet 800 meters (0.50 km) west of Bonaire across the sea, with a total land area of 6 km2 (2.3 sq mi). Klein Bonaire contains low-growing flora such as cactus (Papiamento: kadushi) and scarce palm trees near the ocean, as well as white sandy beaches and a bordering reef. The reefs, beaches, and on-island reserves of Bonaire and Klein Bonaire are protected by the Bonaire National Marine Park, which is maintained by the Stichting Nationale Parken Bonaire (STINAPA).
Bonaire was a part of the Netherlands Antilles until its breakup in 2010 when it became a special municipality (formally, a "Caribbean public body") inside the Netherlands. It is one of three Caribbean special municipalities, the others being Sint Eustatius and Saba. Bonaire's population is made up of 80 percent Dutch nationals, with roughly 60 percent born in the former Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.
