BONAIRE

second largest island of the Netherlands Antilles, the westernmost group of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. It is 111 square miles (288 square km) in area and lies 50 miles (80 km) north of the Venezuelan coast and 20 miles east of Curaao. The northern part is hilly, with a peak, Mount Brandaris, 787 feet (240 m) high, while the southern part is flat with desert-like vegetation. The adjacent island, Little Bonaire (3 square miles), is uninhabited, but its sandy white beaches are popular with skin divers. The temperature averages 82 F (28 C); the fresh and dry easterly trade winds bring less than 20 inches (500 mm) of rain a year. Bonaire served in colonial times as a slave market, supplying slaves to the plantation economy of Curaao. Most of the population is descended from black slaves, while the remainder are various admixtures of native American Indian, Spanish, and Dutch. The vast majority are Roman Catholic. The island has control of local matters through an Island Council, an Executive Council, and a lieutenant governor. The island is represented in the Netherlands Antilles legislature (Staten) in the national capital of Willemstad on Curaao. Farming on the arid island provides food only for local consumption; the only export crop, aloes, does not require irrigation. Drinking water is provided by the government desalination plant. Tons of salt from the extensive salt flats are exported annually from the deepwater port at Kralendijk. The tourist trade is of increasing importance. The colourful flocks of birds that congregate over the salt flats are one of the island's many attractions. The brilliant pink flamingos, a protected species, are the pride of the island and inspired the name of the local airport (Flamingo Airport). Some 70 percent of the island's surface is coral limestone, from which the capital, Kralendijk, meaning coral dike, derives its name; Kralendijk is a small, quiet town with some fine examples of Dutch colonial architecture. Pop. (1994 est.) 11,378.