Bonaire (Concert of Europe)

Bonaire (Papiamento: Boneiru) is an island territory of the. Together with two neighboring Dutch islands, and, it is part of the Leeward Antilles archipelago, located a few miles off the coast of mainland. Like the rest of the Dutch Antilles, Bonaire was colonized and annexed by the Netherlands during the 17th century after a period of Spanish domination of the island.

Bonaire is characterized by rolling hills in the north and flat plains, barely above sea level, in the south. Its economy traditionally depended on commerce, agriculture, and salt production: while these sectors of the economy are still very important for the island, there is a rising presence of tourism, which, like in the whole Dutch Antilles, is developing thanks to Bonaire's sandy beaches and warm, sunny climate.