ABC Islands

The ABC Islands are Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, three southern Caribbean islands off Venezuela’s coast. They are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Aruba: Aruba is a Caribbean island and constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located north of Venezuela. It is the westernmost ABC island and has its own constituent-country status.
Dutch Caribbean: The Dutch Caribbean comprises Caribbean territories and countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The ABC Islands are its southernmost members.
Caribbean tourism: Caribbean tourism is travel to the region for beaches, culture, recreation, and nature. Tourism is a major economic sector across the ABC Islands.
Windward Islands: The Windward Islands are a group of eastern Caribbean islands in the Lesser Antilles. Unlike the ABC Islands, they lie farther east in the Atlantic-facing island arc.
Bonaire: Bonaire is a Caribbean island that is a special municipality of the Netherlands. It is the easternmost ABC island and is governed directly as part of the Netherlands.
Dutch colonization of the Americas: Dutch colonization of the Americas was the establishment of Dutch settlements and possessions across the Atlantic world. Dutch rule shaped the islands’ political and cultural histories.
Scuba diving: Scuba diving is underwater diving using a self-contained supply of breathing gas. The islands’ reefs and clear waters make diving a prominent visitor activity.
Lesser Antilles: The Lesser Antilles are an arc of islands separating the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. The ABC Islands sit south of the arc rather than within its main chain.
Curaçao: Curaçao is a Caribbean island and constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is the largest ABC island and has its own constituent-country status.
Dutch West India Company: The Dutch West India Company was a chartered company that directed Dutch trade, colonization, and warfare in the Atlantic. Its colonial activity helped establish Dutch control in the Caribbean.

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