the Reef Smart team
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ABOUT BONAIRE
Location and formation
Bonaire is located to the west of the Caribbean island chain known as the Lesser Antilles. It is 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Curaçao and 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of the coast of Venezuela, this small, remote island has established a reputation as an international dive destination. Bonaire is considered by many divers to have the best shore diving in the Caribbean, and possibly even the world, with something for everyone mere steps from the beach.
The island is flat, rocky and dry. Its highest point tops out at just 784 feet (241 meters) above sea level, and it has a total area of 113 square miles (290 square kilometers). It measures 17 miles (27 kilometers) from north to south and varies in width from 3 to 7 miles (5 and 11 kilometers) with a shape that vaguely resembles a boot with its toes pointing south. Bonaire’s rocks are volcanic in origin, dating back to the Cretaceous period that
ended more than 65 million years ago. This mass of rock, known as the Washikemba formation, was pushed up toward the surface of the water after shifts in the underlying tectonic plates raised the surrounding continental shelf shortly after the Eocene epoch, a period that ended more than 33 million years ago.
Marine sediment settled on the volcanic rocks eventually covering it in layers of limestone. Coral reefs formed during various parts of the Pleistocene era, which dates from 2.6 million years ago to just 11,700 years ago. As sea levels rose and fell during this time, the limestone and reef covering the island eroded away. Evidence of this process is visible today in the terraces (Lower, Middle and Higher Terraces) that appear around the island, most notably in the northeastern regions of the national park. The original volcanic rock lies exposed in some parts of the island, while others still have their limestone covering. The corals shifted along with the changing sea level and are now restricted to the waters surrounding the island.
Paulo Miguel Costa/Shutterstock©
About Bonaire
BONAIRE
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ABOUT BONAIRE
BONAIRE
The history of Bonaire
Bonaire’s recorded history began with the arrival of the Spanish in 1499, led by Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda and his Italian counterpart, Amerigo Vespucci. But the island’s history began well before that year.
Early history
The first human presence on Bonaire dates back to 2,500 BC with the presence of the Arkaiko Indians. Later, the Caquetios Indians, a branch of the Arawak Indians who settled across much of the southern Caribbean, arrived in Bonaire between 800 AD and 1,000 AD, traveling by canoe from the coast of what is now Venezuela. They left their mark in the form of petroglyphs and cave paintings at many sites around the island. When the Spanish conquered the three islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, they captured and enslaved the local indigenous population, and sent them to work the plantations and mines of Hispaniola.
Originally deemed useless by the Spaniards, Bonaire eventually became a cattle plantation, with the arrival of repatriated Caquetio Indians and domesticated animals. The few Spanish who remained on the island lived in the interior, in the village of Rincón. The island was eventually ceded to the Dutch in 1636 and was later resettled with African slaves.
Bonaire changed ownership multiple times due to the shifting European politics of the 18th century. In 1816, the island returned to Dutch control once and for all, and quickly developed into a major production center for salt. The economic growth did not last long, however, since the end of the slave trade just a few decades later shut the industry down for nearly a century.
Recent history
Bonaire’s economy began to find its legs after the island’s government built its first ship’s pier in the harbor at the turn of the century. The new pier allowed cruise liners to discharge passengers directly to shore and it ushered in a new commercial era for the island, along with making it easier to bring in supplies to the island’s permanent residents. Construction of hotels and a modern airport helped establish Bonaire as a tourist destination in the years following the Second World War.
Salt production resumed in the 1960s and the tourism industry has gradually increased, particularly since the rise in popularity of recreational SCUBA diving and snorkeling.
Until recently, Bonaire has been part of the constituent country of the Netherlands Antilles. As of 2010, however, and after a referendum and a great many constitutional discussions, the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved. Bonaire, along with St. Eustabius and Saba, is now a municipality
Middle terrace I
Higher terrace
Washikemba formation
Modern sea level
Lower
terrace
Diagram of the geology of Bonaire
Middle terrace II
Historic
sea level
Reef
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ABOUT BONAIRE
of the Netherlands. This means Bonaire residents have the same rights (and follow the same laws) as Dutch citizens living in continental Europe. By comparison, Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten opted to become autonomous countries within the kingdom of the Netherlands, with their own separate governments.
Bonaire today
Population
Bonaire has a population of nearly 20,000 people, which is experiencing a modest growth rate. The island’s economy is largely dependent on tourism (thanks mainly to its mild, dry climate and stunning coral reefs). As a result, residents are outnumbered by the island’s more than 350,000 annual visitors. The island’s other major economic sectors include oil transference and salt production.
The basics
The official language of Bonaire is Dutch, although residents also speak their own local language of Papiamentou, which is a mix
