Bonaire (pop. 12,000) is an island in the Netherlands Antilles. Together with Aruba and Curaçao it forms a group referred to as the ABC islands. While English, Papiamento and Spanish are commonly spoken, the official language is Dutch.
Exploiting its natural topography, Bonaire has been a major supplier of salt to the USA for many years, and continues to do so through the flooding of flat-lands with sea water. It is also famed for its flamingo populations and its donkey sanctuary. Bonaire is world renowned for its excellent scuba diving. The island is ringed by a coral reef that is easily accessible from the shore along the Western and Southern sides.
Bonaire Washington Park, located at the north side of the island, is a ecological preserve. The highest point of Bonaire, Brandaris, located within this preserve has a complete view of the island.
Lac Bay on the eastern side of the island is a windsurfer's paradise. Locals Taty and Tonky Frans in 2004 were ranked in the top five of the world's freestyle windsurfing professionals.
Klein Bonaire is a small, uninhabited islet just off the coast of the main island, within the rough crescent formed by the main island.
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Mapquest zoom level 7 only has the Kralendijk region; this region is also available in zoom level 8, 9, and 10
Bonaire is also a place in the state of Georgia. See Bonaire, Georgia.
In addition, with a somewhat different spelling there is Bon Air, Virginia.
