Religious Affiliation in Caribbean Netherlands: Trends and Demographics

A significant majority of the population aged 15 and above in the Caribbean Netherlands identify with a religious group. Statistics from 2021 revealed that 85 percent of Bonaire’s population, 78 percent of St Eustatius, and 80 percent of Saba belonged to a denomination or ideological group. Interestingly, on St Eustatius, this percentage experienced a decline from 2017, whereas the other two islands remained consistent.

Catholicism dominates on Bonaire and Saba, representing 60 and 50 percent respectively. On St Eustatius, three religious groups hold nearly equal shares: Methodists (25 percent), Roman Catholics (23 percent), and Seventh-Day Adventists (19 percent).

Notably, St Eustatius witnessed a decrease in religious affiliation from 85 percent in 2017 to 78 percent in 2021, unlike Bonaire and Saba where no significant changes occurred. There was, however, a rise in Evangelists on Bonaire, growing from 3 to 6 percent between 2017 and 2021. Conversely, the percentage of Pentecostals decreased on St Eustatius from 7 percent in 2017 to 3 percent in 2021.

Furthermore, the data suggests that on Bonaire and Saba, individuals with lower education levels are more likely to be religious compared to those with higher education. In Saba, 92 percent of the less educated population are religious, while this percentage falls to 72 percent for those with medium or high education. Additionally, on St Eustatius, a higher percentage of women (88 percent) identify as religious compared to men (68 percent).

In contrast, the European Netherlands demonstrates a considerably lower proportion of the population affiliating with a religious denomination or ideological group, accounting for only 43 percent in 2022.

Source: StatLine: Caribbean Netherlands; Religious Denomination, Personal Characteristics https://opendata.cbs.nl/statline/#/CBS/en/dataset/82868ENG/table?dl=9BFE5

Relevant Link: Publication – The Caribbean Netherlands in Numbers 2023 https://longreads.cbs.nl/the-caribbean-netherlands-in-numbers-2023/

News Release – Almost 6 in 10 Dutch People Do Not Have a Religious Affiliation https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2022/51/almost-6-in-10-dutch-people-do-not-have-a-religious-affiliation“