Everything about Bonaire totally explained
The
island area of Bonaire (
Dutch:
Eilandgebied Bonaire,
Papiamento:
Teritorio Insular di Boneiru) is one of five
island areas (
Eilandgebieden) of the
Netherlands Antilles, consisting of the main island of
Bonaire and, nestled in its western crescent, the uninhabited islet of
Klein Bonaire. Together with
Aruba and
Curaçao it forms a group referred to as the
ABC islands of the
Leeward Antilles, the southern island chain of the
Lesser Antilles.
As part of the Netherlands Antilles, Bonaire is accordingly a part of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands. The structure of the relationship between Bonaire, the Netherlands Antilles and the Kingdom is being considered for change under
proposed legislation.
History
Original Inhabitants
Bonaire's first inhabitants were the
Caquetios Indians, a branch of the
Arawak who, around 1000 AD, sailed from what is now Venezuela. Traces of Caquetio culture are at a number of archaeological sites, including those at Lac Bay and northeast of Kralendijk. Rock paintings and
petroglyphs have survived at the caves at Spelonk, Onima, Ceru Pungi, and Ceru Crita-Cabai. The Caquetios were apparently a very tall people, for the Spanish dubbed the Leeward Islands 'las Islas de los Gigantes' (the islands of the giants).
Control
Bonaire was claimed for the Spanish by
Amerigo Vespucci and
Alonso de Ojeda in 1499. Under Spanish occupation, the natives were enslaved and transported to Hispaniola, but the island's physical resources were largely ignored. By 1526, the island was depopulated. That year, Juan de Ampues, regional governor, turned it into a cattle plantation and repopulated it with Indians.
In 1633, the Dutch, having lost the island of St. Maarten to the Spanish, retaliated by capturing Curaçao, Bonaire, and Aruba. While Curaçao emerged as a center of the
slave trade, Bonaire became a plantation of the Dutch West India Company. A small number of African slaves were put to work alongside Indians and convicts, cultivating dyewood and maize and harvesting solar
salt around Blue Pan. Slave quarters, rising no higher than a man's waist and built entirely of stone, still stand in the area around Rincon and along the saltpans as a grim reminder of Bonaire's repressive past.
The Netherlands lost control of the island twice, from 1800-1803 and 1807-1815. During these intervals, the British had control over the neighboring island of
Curaçao, and, by extension, Bonaire. During the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II, Bonaire was a protectorate of Britain and the United States.
Geography
Bonaire lies outside the
hurricane belt, and is served by
Flamingo International Airport.
Bonaire is world renowned for its excellent
scuba diving and is consistently rated among the top shore diving and Caribbean diving locations in the world. Bonaire's license plates carry the logo
Diver's Paradise (in English). The island is ringed by a coral reef which is easily accessible from the shore along the Western and Southern sides. Furthermore, the entire coastline of the island has been declared a
marine sanctuary, preserving local fish life. Bonaire is also consistently recognised as one of the best destinations for
snorkeling.
The
coral reef around uninhabited
Klein Bonaire is particularly well conserved, and it draws divers, snorkelers, and boaters.
Bonaire also has several coral reefs where seahorses are common.
Bonaire is also famed for its
flamingo populations and its
donkey sanctuary. Flamingos are drawn to the brackish water, which harbours shrimp they feed on. Starting in the 1500s, the Dutch raised
sheep,
goats,
pigs,
horses and donkeys on Bonaire, and the descendants of the goats and donkeys roam the island today.
Washington Slagbaai National Park, located at the north side of the island, is an ecological preserve. The highest point of Bonaire, Brandaris, located within this preserve has a complete view of the island.
Lac Bay, (also known as Lac Cai or Lac Cay) on the eastern side of the island, is a
windsurfer's paradise. Locals Taty and Tonky Frans in 2004 were ranked in the top five of the world's freestyle windsurfing professionals.
Finally, Atlantis Beach, on the western part of the island, is the local
kitesurfing spot.
Cities/Towns
The only generally recognized towns on the island are
Kralendijk and
Rincon.
Kralendijk has many suburbs/neighbourhoods (on an island with such a small population, the distinction isn't always clearcut). Kralendijk's suburbs/neighbourhoods include:
Other smaller settlements include
Boven Bolivia
Fontein
Lagoen
Sorobon
Spelonk
Wanapa
Several smaller towns had existed in the national park, but are now abandoned. They were: Labra, Ishiri, Kokorobi, Jan Doran, Vlijt, Rigot, Porto Spano, and Kunchi.
Languages
While Papiamentu, Spanish, and English are commonly spoken, the official language is Dutch.
Gallery
Image:6846_aquaimages.jpg|Homestead with a cactus fence.
Image:6849_aquaimages.jpg|A cactus fence.
Image:6840_aquaimages.jpg|Iguana.
Image:7104_aquaimages.jpg|The clear water of Bonaire.
Image:6581_aquaimages.jpg|Divers and a large orange sponge.
Image:6451 aquaimages.jpg|Leopard shark
Image:6591_aquaimages.jpg|French Angelfish with dive boat in background.
Image:6742_aquaimages.jpg|Two Caribbean Reef Squid.
Image:6774_aquaimages.jpg|Divers and a large orange sponge.
Image:6798_aquaimages.jpg|Christmas tree worms in a brain coral.
Image:6804_aquaimages.jpg|Pederson's Shrimp.
Image:Carcharhinus-amblyrynchos.jpg|Grey reef shark
Image:6903_aquaimages.jpg|Close-up of a Long-lure Frogfish.
Image:6943_aquaimages.jpg|Diver on the wreck of the Hilma Hooker.
Image:6983_aquaimages.jpg|Oscellated Frogfish.
Image:7008_aquaimages.jpg|Diver under the Salt Pier.
Image:7042_aquaimages.jpg|Sponges and Cup Corals at night on the Town Pier.
Image:Bonaire 048.jpg|Freshly caught Wahoo by local fisherman.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Bonaire'.
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