Map of Bonaire

Bonaire is an island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital is Kralendijk, located near the ocean on the lee side of the island. Bonaire, together with Aruba and Curaçao, form the ABC islands which are located less than one hundred miles northwest of Venezuela. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, the ABC islands lie outside Hurricane Alley. The islands have an arid climate, which attracts visitors seeking warm, sunny weather year-round. Bonaire is a popular snorkeling and scuba diving destination because of its multiple shore diving sites and easy access to the island's fringing reefs. As of 1 January 2016, the island's population totaled approximately 19,408 permanent residents, an increase of 500 from 2015. The island's total land area is 288 square kilometers (111 sq mi). Bonaire was part of the Netherlands Antilles until the country's dissolution in 2010, when the island became a special municipality (officially “public body”) within the country of the Netherlands.