Photo description: People looking at house advertisements at the shop window of a broker agency

How many people settled on Bonaire between 2019 and 2021?

A total of 2,165 people settled on Bonaire between 2019 and 2021. Over a quarter of these people were born in the European Netherlands, while just under a quarter were born elsewhere in the Caribbean Netherlands. Another quarter were born in South America, mainly Venezuela, Colombia and Peru.

Between 2019 and 2021, net migration on Bonaire of persons born in the European Netherlands (immigration minus emigration) was 602. This was higher than in previous years. Relatively more people in their late twenties and thirties arrived on Bonaire in 2021 than previous years; it appears that more recent graduates made their way to the island during the COVID-19 crisis. People in their forties and fifties who were born in the European Netherlands were less likely to settle on Bonaire.

Net migration on Bonaire, persons born in the European Netherlands
Age 2021 2020 2019
0-14 yrs 46 42 51
15-19 yrs -1 -2 -16
20-24 yrs 20 23 5
25-29 yrs 45 35 17
30-34 yrs 33 16 25
35-39 yrs 17 7 21
40-49 yrs 19 21 43
50-59 yrs 22 26 35
60-69 yrs 14 11 19
70 yrs and over 2 3 3

More Dutch tourists in 2021

In 2021, Bonaire once again received tourists with Dutch citizenship for short and long stays. Over 44 thousand tourists stayed on the island for at least one night. This is comparable to 2019 and almost twice as many as in 2020 (24 thousand). These were tourists who came to Bonaire for no more than two months. The 627 tourists staying on Bonaire between two and six months were primarily young visitors.

22,573 residents on 1 January 2022 Buitenvorm Binnenvorm

Fewer people from the Caribbean Netherlands region

In 2021, 134 people born in the Caribbean Netherlands settled on Bonaire. This is higher than in 2019 (101), but clearly lower than in 2020 (254). Compared to 2019, more people in their twenties and fewer people in their thirties came to Bonaire. Young people (children and people in their twenties and thirties) who came to Bonaire in 2020 were mostly born in the Caribbean Netherlands. It appears that students and young families who were temporarily living elsewhere for study or work purposes returned to their island of birth during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, or certainly to one of the islands in the former Netherlands Antilles.

Net migration on Bonaire, persons born in the Dutch Caribbean area
Age 2021 2020 2019
0-14 yrs 18 48 11
15-19 yrs -16 -15 -33
20-24 yrs 15 22 1
25-29 yrs 36 50 31
30-34 yrs 20 36 37
35-39 yrs 5 28 13
40-49 yrs 21 31 22
50-59 yrs 24 37 33
60-69 yrs 4 13 -8
70 yrs and over 7 4 -6
This infographic shows a contour of the island of Bonaire, showing the number of residents, percentage of main language spoken and the goods imports. 22 , 573 63 % USD 292 residents * * 1 January 2022 ** 2021

More information on population

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Explanation of symbols

Empty cell figure not applicable
. figure is unknown, insufficiently reliable or confidential
* provisional figure
** revised provisional figure
(between two numbers) inclusive
0 (0.0) less than half of unit concerned
2016–2017 2016 to 2017 inclusive
2016/2017 average for the years 2016 up to and including 2017
2016/’17 crop year, financial year, school year etc., beginning in 2016 and ending in 2017
2004/’05–2016/’17 crop year etc. 2004/’05 up to and including 2016/’17

Due to rounding, some totals may not correspond to the sum of the separate figures.

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CBS in the Caribbean Netherlands

Statistics Netherlands opened an office on Bonaire in 2010. The Bonaire office is responsible for all statistics referring to the three islands of the Caribbean Netherlands: Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, compiling statistics about prices, population, labour, income, the economy, tourism and trade.

Publications can be found in the dossier Caribbean Netherlands.

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