Antriol

Antriol is a neighbourhood of Kralendijk on the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean Netherlands. It used to be a separate village which merged with four other villages-Nikiboko, Noord Saliña, Playa, and Tera Kora to form Kralendijk. Situated just inland from the central business district, it had 3,811 residents, home to around 15% of the island’s population.

History

Antriol was founded in 1626 by Spanish and Portuguese prisoners who had been deported from Aruba and Curaçao by the Dutch colonists. It was originally named Al Interior which was corrupted to Antriol or Entrejol. The people of Antriol were mainly employed in the salt mines and lived in self-made houses. It was not until the 1930s that concrete buildings started to be built.

Geography

Antriol neighbourhood of Kralendijk is situated on Bonaire's southwest coast, inland from the commercial and historic center of Playa. The terrain is largely flat and consists of coastal limestone rock typical of Bonaire, with salt ponds and fringing reefs. It used to be a separate village which merged with four other villages-Nikiboko, Noord Saliña, Playa, and Tera Kora to form Kralendijk.

Demographics

As of 2017, Antriol had about 3,811 residents, making it the second-largest settlement on Bonaire after Kralendijk central. It represents about 15% of Bonaire’s population, projected at approximately 24,720.

Infrastructure

Antriol is part of Bonaire’s public road network, connecting it directly to central Playa, Kralendijk boulevard. It is located close to the Flamingo International Airport. Our Lady of Coromoto Church is a major place of worship located in Antriol.