3. Population
This chapter covers the population in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. First, we consider the number of inhabitants, along with changes to that number over the past fifteen years. We then discuss the composition of the population, as well as the languages spoken and the religion practised on the islands. Where there has been a clear development in the fifteen years since the constitutional reform, the figures for 2010 or 2011 are also shown, if available.
3.1 Population size
In 2025, there were approximately 340 thousand people living in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Chart 3.1.1). That is slightly less than the population of the city of Utrecht. Of the CAS countries, Curaçao has the highest number of inhabitants – a little over 156 thousand in 2025. The population of Aruba is slightly more than two-thirds that of Curaçao, at over 108 thousand. St Maarten (specifically, the Dutch part of the island) had slightly fewer than 43 thousand inhabitants in 2023. That is more than the total population of the Caribbean Netherlands.
Of the BES islands, Bonaire has the highest number of inhabitants. On 1 January 2025, it was home to more than 26 thousand people. At the start of 2025, there were more than 3 thousand people living on St Eustatius and just over 2 thousand on Saba. The fact that the three islands with the most inhabitants also have the most autonomy is not coincidental: population size played a role in the constitutional reform. The number of inhabitants on St Maarten is not available after 2023, which is why the population of 2023 is given as the most recent figure.
| 2025 (x 1,000 residents) | |
|---|---|
| Aruba | 108.4 |
| Bonaire | 26.6 |
| Curaçao | 156.1 |
| Saba | 2.2 |
| St Eustatius | 3.3 |
| St Maarten (2023) | 42.9 |
| 1)The figures for Aruba relate to the number of residents at the end of the previous year | |
Changes in population size
Chart 3.1.2 shows that the populations of most of the islands have increased slightly over the past fifteen years; only St Eustatius has slightly fewer inhabitants today than in 2011. That decrease is related to an administrative clean-up. At this juncture, it is impossible to know whether the population contracted or actually grew. Bonaire represents an exception in a different sense: the population of this island grew relatively quickly in this period. In 2011, it was home to slightly more than 15 thousand people, while by 2025 that number had risen to 26.6 thousand, an increase of nearly 70%. The growth is seen in all age categories, but it is notable that the population groups aged 60 and over have more than doubled in size compared to 2011. See also Chart 3.2.2. The increase in the population of Bonaire is largely attributable to the fact that more people have moved to the island than have left (CBS, 2025a).
| Aruba (x 1,000 residents) | Bonaire (x 1,000 residents) | Curaçao (x 1,000 residents) | Saba (x 1,000 residents) | St Eustatius (x 1,000 residents) | St Maarten (x 1,000 residents) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 101.9 | 15.7 | 150.3 | 1.8 | 3.6 | |
| 2012 | 103.3 | 16.5 | 151.4 | 2 | 3.8 | |
| 2013 | 104.9 | 17.4 | 152.8 | 2 | 3.9 | 36.1 |
| 2014 | 106.4 | 18.4 | 154.8 | 1.8 | 4 | 37.1 |
| 2015 | 107.2 | 18.9 | 157 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 38.2 |
| 2016 | 108.6 | 19.4 | 159 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 39.4 |
| 2017 | 108.8 | 19.2 | 160.3 | 2 | 3.3 | 40.5 |
| 2018 | 108.7 | 19.5 | 160 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 40.6 |
| 2019 | 109.2 | 20.1 | 158.7 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 41.2 |
| 2020 | 109.2 | 20.9 | 156.2 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 42 |
| 2021 | 107.9 | 21.7 | 154.7 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 42.6 |
| 2022 | 107.5 | 22.6 | 153.2 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 42.8 |
| 2023 | 107.2 | 24.1 | 153.5 | 2 | 3.3 | 42.9 |
| 2024 | 107.6 | 25.1 | 155.8 | 2.1 | 3.2 | |
| 2025 | 108.4 | 26.6 | 156.1 | 2.2 | 3.3 | |
| 1)The figures for Aruba relate to the number of residents at the end of the previous year | ||||||
The total population of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has grown by slightly less than 10% over the past fifteen years, from approximately 317 thousand in 2011 to 340 thousand in 2025.
3.2 Population composition
Gender
Chart 3.2.1 reveals that the ratio of men to women is precisely equal on St Eustatius and Saba in 2025. There are slightly more women than men on Curaçao, St Maarten and Aruba (55% versus 52%), while the situation on Bonaire is reversed. This picture has changed little over the past fifteen years. In 2011, the share of men was a single percentage point higher for the BES than in 2025.
| Men (%) | Women (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Aruba (30 June 2025) | 48 | 52 |
| Bonaire (2025) | 52 | 48 |
| Curaçao (2025) | 45 | 55 |
| Saba (2025) | 50 | 50 |
| St Eustatius (2025) | 50 | 50 |
| St Maarten (2022) | 46 | 54 |
Age
Curaçao (and to a lesser extent Aruba) has a relatively large proportion of older inhabitants. Chart 3.2.2 shows that a quarter of residents there are aged 65 or over. By contrast, the share of older people is much lower for the BES islands: there, around 15% of the population are aged 65 or over. There has been significant ageing of the populations of all the islands over the past ten to fifteen years. The process has been particularly rapid on Curaçao. In 2011, only 13.8% of the population there were aged sixty-five or over; as stated, by 2025 that share had grown to slightly over a quarter. In 2011, only approximately 10% of the population of the BES islands were older than 65. The role of migration in the changing age profile of the population has not been investigated.
| 0-14 yrs (%) | 15-29 yrs (%) | 30-44 yrs (%) | 45-64 yrs (%) | 15-64 yrs (%) | 65 yrs and older (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aruba (30 June 2025) | 14.5 | 16.1 | 20.3 | 30.3 | 0 | 18.8 |
| Aruba (2015) | 18.9 | 18.1 | 20 | 30.5 | 0 | 12.5 |
| Bonaire (2025) | 15.5 | 16.4 | 25.2 | 28.5 | 0 | 14.4 |
| Bonaire (2011) | 18.9 | 18.4 | 22.6 | 30.6 | 0 | 9.6 |
| Curaçao (2025) | 14 | 14.2 | 17.1 | 29.5 | 0 | 25.3 |
| Curaçao (2011) | 19.5 | 18.1 | 19.3 | 29.4 | 0 | 13.8 |
| Saba (2025) | 13.7 | 17.2 | 27.2 | 26.4 | 0 | 15.5 |
| Saba (2011) | 15.5 | 31.9 | 19.8 | 22.5 | 0 | 10.2 |
| St Eustatius (2025) | 17.9 | 14.7 | 23.3 | 29.4 | 0 | 14.7 |
| St Eustatius (2011) | 18.7 | 18.4 | 24.9 | 29.4 | 0 | 8.6 |
| St Maarten (2022) | 15.5 | 15.7 | 21.9 | 33.4 | 13.6 | |
| St Maarten (2011) | 22.1 | 72.6 | 5.3 |
Country of birth
There are major differences between the six islands in terms of the country of birth of their inhabitants (see Chart 3.2.3). The classification used is not the same for all sources. For example, in the source for St Maarten (2022), no distinction is drawn between North and South America. For this reason, they both fall under the ‘other’ category. Conversely, in 2011, the only distinction made was between ‘the former Netherlands Antilles and Aruba’ and ‘other’. For Aruba, countries with fewer than 250 people born in that country fell under the ‘other’ category in the source. As a result, the percentage given for Aruban inhabitants born in one of the BES islands may be understated. No figures were available for 2011.
For Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, in 2024 (the most recent reporting year), only approximately one-third of inhabitants were actually born within the BES area. A quarter originated from other parts of South and Central America, and another quarter from one of the CAS countries. For Aruba and Curaçao, on the other hand, it is notable that the majority of the population were born in the CAS countries. Of the population of Bonaire, 17% were born in the European Netherlands. This percentage is significantly higher than for the other islands.
If we compare the composition of the population in 2024 with that in 2011, we note that on Bonaire and Saba, the percentage of inhabitants born in the Caribbean Netherlands has fallen: from 41.7% to 31.9% and from 31.7% to 23.7%, respectively. For Bonaire, both the share of persons born in the European Netherlands and the share of persons born in Central and South America have risen; for Saba, the change is primarily due to an increase in the latter group. By contrast, on St Eustatius, the share of inhabitants born in the Caribbean Netherlands has actually increased slightly (by 3.2%) relative to 2011.
| Caribbean Netherlands (%) | European Netherlands (%) | Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten (%) | Rest of Central & South America (%) | North America (%) | Other (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aruba (2025) | 0.3 | 4.6 | 62 | 20.1 | 0.9 | 12.1 |
| Aruba (2011) | ||||||
| Bonaire (2024) | 31.9 | 16.5 | 19.6 | 24.6 | 2.7 | 4.7 |
| Bonaire (2011) | 41.7 | 11.3 | 21.7 | 19.1 | 2.1 | 4.2 |
| Curaçao (2011) | 1.5 | 6.0 | 77.2 | 11.9 | 0.3 | 3.1 |
| Curaçao (2023) | 0.8 | 5.8 | 76.5 | 14.2 | 0.2 | 2.4 |
| Saba (2024) | 23.7 | 4.8 | 21 | 26.6 | 11.7 | 12.2 |
| Saba (2011) | 31.7 | 2.7 | 17.9 | 18.4 | 15.7 | 13.6 |
| St Eustatius (2024) | 34.1 | 5.1 | 23.7 | 29.6 | 2.2 | 5.3 |
| St Eustatius (2011) | 30.9 | 4.4 | 15.6 | 30.7 | 11 | 7.3 |
| St Maarten (2022) | 0.7 | 2 | 41.6 | 55.7 | ||
| St Maarten (2011) | 39 | 61 |
Marital status
The marital status of inhabitants is defined by four categories; married, unmarried, divorced and widowed. Where the source included a category of ‘registered partner’, the relevant numbers have been added to the ‘married’ category. Chart 3.2.4 shows that, although the percentages of both married and divorced inhabitants are slightly higher on Curaçao and Aruba than on the BES islands, overall, the distribution in 2025 is comparable for the six islands. The share of married inhabitants has fallen over time on the BES islands, whereas on Curaçao it has actually increased slightly. However, for all islands, an increase is visible in the share of divorced inhabitants.
| Single (never married) (%) | Married (%) | Widowed (%) | Divorced (%) | Unkown (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aruba (30 June 2025) | 52.4 | 31.3 | 3.9 | 12.3 | |
| Aruba (2010) | 51 | 34.8 | 4.1 | 10 | |
| Bonaire (2025) | 59.8 | 28.3 | 2.7 | 9.2 | |
| Bonaire (2011) | 58.4 | 31.3 | 2.7 | 7.6 | |
| Curaçao (2023) | 49.5 | 36.2 | 6.7 | 7.6 | |
| Curaçao (2011) | 60.1 | 29.1 | 4.7 | 6.1 | |
| Saba (2025) | 62.8 | 24.3 | 2.7 | 10.3 | |
| Saba (2011) | 61.8 | 30.1 | 2.1 | 6 | |
| St Eustatius (2025) | 59.1 | 29.1 | 2.6 | 9.1 | |
| St Eustatius (2011) | 57.2 | 32 | 2.8 | 8 | |
| St Maarten (2022) | 47.1 | 39.2 | 3.8 | 6.9 | 3 |
| St Maarten (2011) | 52.1 | 39.2 | 2.8 | 5.9 |
3.3 Languages
Multiple languages are spoken in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The official languages and the most commonly spoken languages differ from island to island. Broadly speaking, the language spoken on three windward islands is English and on the three leeward islands it is Papiamento/Papiamentu. The latter language has two main variants: the one spoken on Aruba is known as Papiamento, the one spoken on Bonaire and Curaçao is known as Papiamentu. Papiamento has an etymologically-based spelling, whereas Papiamentu is spelled phonetically. Papiamento/Papiamentu is a unique language originating from a mixture of different languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English and various African languages.
Official languages and commonly spoken languages
On Curaçao, the official languages are English, Dutch and Papiamentu. On Aruba, Dutch and Papiamento are the official languages, while on St Maarten they are English and Dutch. On the BES islands, Dutch is the official language. Alongside Dutch, Papiamentu and English are recognised as official languages. This means that these languages may be used in education, contacts with the authorities and law.
The diversity of languages is also revealed when we look at the languages actually spoken on the islands. In the Omnibus survey of 2021 (CBS, 2021), CBS asked people on the BES islands which language or languages they speak. Multiple answers were possible (Papiamento/Papiamentu, English, Dutch, Spanish and Other). If the respondent spoke more than one language, they were asked which one they used most. Because these figures are based on a sample survey, they contain a margin of error. The results of the survey are shown in Chart 3.3.1.
| Papiamento (%) | English (%) | Dutch (%) | Spanish (%) | Other (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aruba | |||||
| Bonaire (2021) | 62.4 | 5.6 | 15 | 15.4 | 1.7 |
| Curaçao (2023) | 78 | 3.8 | 7.9 | 8.4 | 0 |
| Saba (2021) | 83.3 | 4.1 | 9.9 | 2.5 | |
| St Eustatius (2021) | 1.3 | 81.2 | 3.6 | 12.8 | 1.2 |
| St Maarten (2022) | 1.1 | 70.6 | 3 | 13.2 | 12.1 |
On St Eustatius, Saba and St Maarten, English is the main language spoken. On St Maarten, it is the primary language for approximately 70% of the respondents; on St Eustatius and Saba, the equivalent figure is over 80%. On Curaçao, Papiamentu is the main language spoken by nearly 80% of the population (CBS Curaçao, 2023a); on Bonaire slightly over 60% of the inhabitants use it as their main language. On Bonaire, the most common language is the least dominant.
Correlation between locations of islands and languages spoken
The islands of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands were traditionally divided into ‘Leeward islands’ and ‘Windward islands’. The Leeward islands, also known as the ABC islands, are Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. The Windward islands, also known as the SSS islands, are St Maarten, St Eustatius and Saba. The terms refer to their location in relation to the trade winds. The Leeward islands lie off the coast of the South American country of Venezuela. The Windward islands are located more than 800 kilometres further north in the Caribbean Sea. The figures in Chart 3.3.1 display a clear correlation between the languages spoken and the locations of the islands. On the leeward islands (Bonaire and Curaçao), Papiamentu is a dominant language, while on the windward islands (St Maarten, St Eustatius and Saba) it is English.
Multiple languages
Alongside the most commonly used languages, information is also available about which other languages the inhabitants of the islands speak. On Bonaire, more than 90% of the residents speak more than one language. The survey results show that, although Papiamentu is the main language spoken, more than three-quarters of people on Bonaire also speak English and Dutch. On St Eustatius and Saba, more than half the population speak more than one language (CBS, 2022a). Here, Papiamento/Papiamentu is less commonly spoken, but approximately a third of the population speak Dutch and Spanish (CBS, 2022b).
3.4 Religion
The majority of the population of the Caribbean Netherlands, Curaçao and Aruba consider themselves to be religious. Residents are most likely to say they do not adhere to any religion on St Eustatius and Saba (22.1% and 20.4%, respectively). Catholicism is by far the biggest religion on all the islands. On the larger islands, the share of Roman Catholics is over 60%. There do not appear to have been any major shifts since 2011, except that on all the islands (for which the information is available), a larger share of the population indicated that they did not adhere to any religion in 2025.
| No religion (%) | Roman Catholic (%) | Pentecostal (%) | Protestant (%) | Adventist (%) | Methodist (%) | Evangelical (%) | Anglican (%) | Muslim (%) | Jehova's witness (%) | Hindu (%) | Other or unknown (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aruba (2019) | 0.1 | 63 | 36.9 | |||||||||
| Bonaire (2021) | 15.2 | 60.3 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 2 | 6 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 5.8 | |||
| Curaçao (2023) | 8.7 | 68.2 | 5.5 | 2.6 | 3 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 2 | 0.8 | 6.3 |
| Saba (2021) | 20.4 | 50.1 | 6.7 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 8.9 | 6.1 | |||||
| St Eustatius (2021) | 22.1 | 23.3 | 3.2 | 18.9 | 24.8 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.9 | |||
| St Maarten (2022) | 18.9 | 26.3 | 13.0 | 1.6 | 6.2 | 8.0 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 5.1 | 15.8 |
| 1)For Aruba, the source only includes Roman Catholic/Others or Unknown/No religion | ||||||||||||