Bonaire (pronounced or ; , ; Papiamentu: "Boneiru") is an island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Together with Aruba and Curaçao, it forms the group known as the ABC islands, less than a hundred miles off the north coast of South America near the western part of Venezuela. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, the ABCs lie outside the hurricane belt. The islands have an arid climate, which helps tourism, as visitors to the islands can reliably expect warm, sunny weather. Bonaire is a popular destination for scuba diving, and easy access from shore to its fringing reefs. 

Bonaire's capital is Kralendijk. The island has a permanent population of 18,905 (as of 1 January 2015) and an area of 294 km (together with nearby uninhabited Klein Bonaire). 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. It is one of the three BES islands in the Caribbean, along with Sint Eustatius and Saba. 

The name 'Bonaire' is thought to have originally come from the Caquetio word 'Bonay', a name that meant low country. The early Spanish and Dutch modified its spelling to Bojnaj and also Bonaire. The French influence, while present at various times, was never strong enough to make the assumption that the name means 'good air'.
When?
dissolution in 2010