Between 1 January 2011 and 1 January 2017, the population of Bonaire increased by more than 3 thousand residents. This is largely attributable to positive net migration and far less the result of natural growth (births). Between 1 January 2016 and 1 January 2017, the population of Bonaire declined to 19,179 residents, mainly because more people left Bonaire than settled on the island. In January 2017, 60 percent of the residents were born in the former Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The relative majority of this group (39 percent) were born on Bonaire, while Curacao is also frequently listed as country of birth (18 percent). Another 14 percent were born in the European part of the Netherlands. Altogether 82 percent of residents are Dutch nationals. Between 1 January 2011 and 1 January 2017, 34 Bonaire residents migrated to St Eustatius or Saba. During the same period, 108 residents of St Eustatius or Saba moved to Bonaire.
