THE ISLAND
Semi-arid, the main vegetation is cactus, divi divi trees and mangroves.  Rainfall is about 22 inches a year.  Trade winds blow all year round, averaging 20-25 knots from January to August and 15-20 knots from September  to December.   The air temperature is generally around 82° F (28° C) and the water 80° F (27° C). 

Bonaire is an enchanting island with fantastic diving opportunities, windsurfing, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking, bird watching, sailing and deep sea fishing.

The island has a population of 11,000.  The official language is Dutch, but the local tongue is Papiamentu, and English and Spanish are widely spoken.  Arawak Indians were the first to inhabit Bonaire.  The first Europeans came to the island in 1499 when Alonso de Ojeda and Amerigo Vespucci arrived and claimed it for Spain.  In 1633 the Dutch captured Curacao, Bonaire and Aruba.  The Dutch struggled to keep possession of the colony between 1800 and 1815, and twice during this period the British captured Curacao and took control of Bonaire.  The islands were returned to the Dutch in 1816.  The salt pans have played an important part in the island's history.  It was a valuable commodity until the middle of the 19th century when profitability was sharply reduced with the abolition of slavery and increased international competition.  In 1870 the island's nine salt pans were bought from the government, and today they are operated by the Antilles International Salt Company.  Using solar energy the salt pans are one of the most environment-conscious plants in the world.