Bonaire

Coordinates: 12°11′N 68°15′W / 12.183°N 68.250°W / 12.183; -68.250

Bonaire (pronounced /bɔːˈnɛər/ or /bɒnˈɛər/;Dutch: Bonaire, Papiamentu: Boneiru) is an island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Together with Aruba and Curaçao, it forms the group known as the ABC islands, located off the north coast of South America near the western part of Venezuela. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, the ABCs lie outside the hurricane belt and have an arid climate. This helps tourism as visitors to the islands can reliably expect warm, sunny weather. Bonaire is a popular destination for scuba divers, well known for easy access to its reef from the shore.

Bonaire's capital is Kralendijk. The island has a permanent population of 17,408 and an area of 294 km² (together with nearby uninhabited Klein Bonaire). Bonaire was part of the Netherlands Antilles until the country's dissolution in 2010, when the island became a special municipality within the country of the Netherlands. It is one of the three BES islands located in the Caribbean, the other two being Sint Eustatius and Saba.

Bonaire (disambiguation)

Bonaire may refer to:

See also