Short answer: yes, Bonaire is Dutch. Since 10 October 2010 the island has been a special municipality of the Netherlands — officially a "public body". But the constitutional situation is a little more nuanced than an ordinary Dutch municipality. Below we explain exactly what Bonaire's status is, how it relates to Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, and what this means for the EU, the currency and the island's history.
Bonaire as a special municipality of the Netherlands
On 10 October 2010 (often abbreviated "10-10-10") the Netherlands Antilles were dissolved. From that moment Bonaire — together with Sint Eustatius and Saba — became a special municipality of the Netherlands. These three islands have since fallen directly under Dutch administration and are together called the Caribbean Netherlands or the BES islands.
A special municipality differs on a few points from an ordinary Dutch municipality. Because of the great distance from European Netherlands and the Caribbean character of the islands, adapted legislation applies in areas such as tax, social security and currency. On Bonaire, for instance, you pay with the US dollar rather than the euro.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands: four countries, three special municipalities
It's important to keep two levels apart:
- The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four autonomous countries: the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten.
- The country of the Netherlands consists of the European part and three Caribbean special municipalities: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.
So Bonaire is not a separate country within the Kingdom, but a part of the country of the Netherlands itself. That is the crucial difference with Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten.
What does this mean if you travel to Bonaire?
For Dutch travellers the special status makes Bonaire especially accessible. You need no visa, your Dutch driving licence is valid, and Dutch is an official language (alongside Papiamentu and English). Do bear in mind that you pay in US dollars, and that some Dutch arrangements — around healthcare and tax, for example — work a little differently on Bonaire than in European Netherlands.
You'll find more practical information in our guides on renting a car on Bonaire and the best time to visit Bonaire.