Bonaire’s relationship with the Netherlands has evolved through several historical stages, but it officially became a "Special Municipality" (Bijzondere Gemeente) of the Netherlands on October 10, 2010. This date, often referred to as "10-10-10," marked the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. Before this, Bonaire was part of the Netherlands Antilles, a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands that was established in 1954. Historically, the Dutch first took control of the island from the Spanish in 1636. Today, as a special municipality, Bonaire is technically part of the country of the Netherlands (unlike Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten, which are separate countries within the Kingdom). This means residents are Dutch citizens and vote in European and Dutch national elections, though the island uses the U.S. Dollar rather than the Euro. The 2010 transition brought the island under direct Dutch administrative and legal systems, significantly changing its local governance and social welfare structures.