Geography
Bonaire is the second biggest of the Netherlands Windward Islands
(288 km2). Its capital is Kralendijk. West of Bonaire lies the
islet of Klein Bonaire (‘Little Bonaire’).
Map of Bonaire, click for a large version.
History
Around 1000
Bonaire was inhabited by members of an Arawak Indian tribe called
the Caiquetio who had crossed over from Venezuela. In 1499 Alonso
de Ojeda and Amerigo Vespucci claimed the island for Spain.In
late March or early April 1636 the island was captured from the
Spaniards by the WIC (Dutch West Indies Company).
The island was
important to the Company mainly for salt production, dyewood
and agriculture (maize). The entire island was a Company plantation.
One of the consequences was that the WIC did not admit private
entrepreneurs.
In 1804 and 1805 the island was temporarily
in English
hands. From 1807-1816 Bonaire was again governed by the British,
who leased the island to private tenants in 1810. From 1816
onwards the island was under Dutch rule again. It became a government
plantation where no private entrepreneurs were admitted. This
situation
remained
in place until 1868.
On 15 December 1954 it was laid down
in the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands that from then
on the Netherlands,
the Netherlands
Antilles and Surinam would
jointly constitute the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as equal administrative
units. Surinam became independent in 1975. For other developments
see under Aruba.
Information about the other islands
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