During the 1950s, Bonaire began a gradual climb out of chronic economic
depression, aided by investment in tourism and the revival of a
long-dormant salt industry. The economy gained a further boost in the
mid-1970s when the Bonaire Petroleum Corporation (Bopec) set up an oil
transfer depot with a deep-water port with facilities for transferring
oil from ocean-going to coastal tankers. However, plans to build a
refinery in Bonaire have been indefinitely shelved. Other economic
activities on Bonaire include rice processing and shipping. There is
also some agriculture: Bonaire grows a variety of fruit and vegetables;
in particular, it is a major producer and exporter of aloes. Bonaire
has benefited from the offshore financial industry which has built up
among the island group, although most of the companies engaged in the
sector are located on Curaçao and St Maarten. As part of the Kingdom of
the Netherlands, Bonaire is an overseas territory in association with
the EU; it also holds observer status at the regional CARICOM trading
bloc.
Bonaire is a constituent island of the Netherlands Antilles; the others
being Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten. The Netherlands
Antilles, Aruba and The Netherlands each have equal status within the
Kingdom of The Netherlands as regions autonomous in internal affairs.
The monarch is represented locally by a Governor, while the Netherlands
Antilles is represented in the Government of the Kingdom by a Minister
Plenipotentiary. Foreign policy and defence matters are decided by a
Council of Ministers of the Kingdom (including the Plenipotentiary) and
executed under the authority of the Governor. The internal affairs of
the Netherlands Antilles are administered by the central government of
the Netherlands Antilles, based in Willemstad, Curaçao, which is
responsible to the Staten or legislative assembly. Bonaire may elect,
by non-compulsory adult suffrage based on proportional representation,
three out of 22 members of the Staten. Routine local affairs on each
island group (Bonaire, Curaçao and the Windward Islands) are managed by
an elected nine-member Island Council, presided over by a Lieutenant
Governor.
Culture of Bonaire
The ethnicity of the people of Bonaire is diverse. Therefore, the culture of Bonaire is influenced from the culture of the neighboring regions and amalgamates the best of all the ethnic roots.
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History of Bonaire
The first inhabitants of Bonaire were the Caiquetios, a branch of the Arawak Indian tribe who came to this place from Venezuela in 1000 AD.
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Calendar of Events- Bonaire
Check out what's on in Bonaire, the calendar will give you full information on the latest updates on events and festivals in the island.
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Embassies & Consulates of Bonaire
To know more about the entry permits and visa regulations, check out the list of embassies and consulates of Bonaire in some of the major countires of the world.
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Lodging in Bonaire
All the hotels in Bonaire are equipped with on site dive shops and dive packages. Moreover, there are also lots of apartments and condos for rent.
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Restaurants in Bonaire
Bonaire abounds in restaurants representing diverse cultural and culinary traditions. The local dishes like stoba (stews) and sopi (soups) as well as hasa (fried) accompaniments can be had from waysid
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Where to enjoy diving in Bonaire ??
Bonaire has ideal diving conditions & waters to suit every kind of diver...
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Snorkelling in Bonaire
Snorkelling is great entertainment for all member of the family no matter what the age. Night snorkelling is another experience that should not be missed. All that is needed is a flashlight and some p
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Shopping in Bonaire
Interesting shops stocked with unique merchandise at resaonable price, is one of the great tourist attraction of Bonaire.
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Visa requirements - Bonaire
The visa rules and regulations for entering Bonaire are simple and hassle-free.
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