Saba (island)

Saba is a beautiful Caribbean island and the smallest special municipality of the Netherlands. It is part of the Caribbean Netherlands, along with Bonaire and Sint Eustatius. Saba is southeast of the Virgin Islands in the Leeward Islands of the West Indies.

The island is mostly made up of Mount Scenery, a dormant volcano. Mount Scenery is the highest point in the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands, standing at 870 meters tall. Saba covers a land area of 13 square kilometers and had a population of 2,158 in January 2025. Its main towns are The Bottom, the capital, Windwardside, Zion's Hill, and St. Johns.

Etymology

People have many ideas about where the name "Saba" comes from. Some think it might come from a word meaning "rock." Others think it could be related to words meaning "Sabbath" or a place named Sheba. People started calling the island Saba in 1595. Before that, Christopher Columbus called it "St. Christopher."

History

Precolonial

Main article: Precolonial Saba

People lived on Saba about 3,300 years ago. The island is very isolated and rocky, so the first people were good sailors, probably coming from South America. More than 20 places where people lived before Columbus have been found on Saba. Between 400 and 1450, the people of Saba grew crops and used the sea for food. They made pots and tools from stone, shells, bones, and coral.

Colonial

Christopher Columbus saw Saba on November 13, 1493, but did not land because the shores were too rocky. In 1632, some shipwrecked Englishmen arrived on Saba. In the 1640s, Dutch families came to live there for the Dutch West India Company. In 1664, these Dutch settlers had to leave because of Jamaican governors and pirates, including Edward, Thomas, and Henry Morgan. The Netherlands fully controlled the island by 1816.

18th and 19th centuries

In the past, Saba’s main work was growing sugar, indigo, and making rum. Some Jamaican pirates used Saba as a hiding place. In 1857, Venezuela and the Netherlands argued over a faraway island called Isla de Aves. In 1865, Spain decided the island belonged to Venezuela, but the Netherlands should be paid.

Later, the women of Saba made special lace clothes, a skill brought by a nun from Venezuela. This lace work became very important for the island’s money, especially when many men were away at sea. Because of this, Saba was called “The Island of Women.”

20th and 21st centuries

In 1943, a local engineer named Joseph “Lambee” Hassell built the first road on Saba, helping people travel. An airport opened in 1963, and a bigger pier for tourist boats was built in 1972. Tourism grew and became a big part of the island’s economy.

In 2004, most people on Saba voted to connect more closely with the Netherlands. In October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles broke apart, and Saba became a special part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Geography and ecology

Saba is a small, round island that covers 13 square kilometers (5 square miles). It is located northwest of Sint Eustatius and southwest of Saint Barthélemy and Sint Maarten. The island is mostly mountainous, with its highest point being Mount Scenery, standing 870 meters (2,850 feet) tall. This makes it the highest point in the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands. Nearby, off the north coast, is a much smaller island called Green Island.

Saba is home to several special plants and animals found only there, like the Saban black iguana and the Lesser Antillean funnel-eared bat. Some new species, such as certain snakes and iguanas, have also arrived on cargo ships from Sint Maarten.

Because of its varied heights, Saba gets more rain than nearby islands. Its climate shares similarities with South America, having dry, intermediate, and wet seasons. Temperatures at sea level stay around 25°C (77°F).

Near the top of Mount Scenery is a special area called the "Elfin Forest Reserve," a cloud forest filled with moss and mist. The main tree there is the Mountain Mahogany, with many ferns and orchids growing around it. Wild raspberries and plantain trees also grow here. This area is important for several special birds.

Below the cloud forest are different types of trees and plants, including redwood, fuchsia trees, and cacti. On the lower slopes, there are grassy areas and shrubs. Saba National Land Park covers parts of the north coast and includes many different heights and plant zones.

Saba's coastline is rocky with steep cliffs and few sandy beaches. There are eight small bays around the island, such as Cove Bay and Fort Bay, where the island's only port is located. At Flat Point, there are interesting tide pools filled with colorful saltwater and many small sea creatures.

The coastline is important for birds, especially for the Red-billed tropicbird, which has its largest breeding colony here. Other birds include the Common Ground Dove and the Yellow-billed Tropicbird. Nearby, the Saba Bank is a large underwater area rich with sea life and a good place for fishing.

Government

Saba is a special part of the Netherlands. It became its own special area on October 10, 2010, after the Netherlands Antilles ended. People from Saba can vote in Dutch elections and have their own local leaders.

The leader of Saba is called the island governor. The Dutch monarch chooses the governor for six years. The governor helps lead meetings and keeps the island running well. Saba also has an Island Council with five members who help make important choices for the island.

Demographics

Saba has a small population of 2,158 people as of January 1, 2025. Because the island is tiny, many families share the same last names, with Hassell, Johnson, and Every being the most common.

Most people on Saba have ancestors from Europe, including the Dutch, English, Scottish, Irish, and enslaved Africans. Today, many new residents from other countries live there too.

Both English and Dutch are official languages on Saba, but English is used by most people. Many Sabans can speak more than one language, including Spanish and Papiamento.

The island is mostly Christian, with many people belonging to Catholic, Non-denominational, Anglican, Evangelical, and Pentecostal groups. There is also a small Muslim community.

The main healthcare center is the A.M. Edwards Medical Center, which provides medical care and has a pharmacy. Saba also has a hyperbaric chamber for scuba divers.

Main article: LGBTQ rights in Saba

Economy

Main article: Economy of Saba

Since 2011, the U.S. dollar has been the official currency, replacing the Netherlands Antillean guilder.

Agriculture on Saba focuses on raising animals and growing vegetables, especially potatoes. The island also makes a special kind of lace called Saba lace or "Spanish work," which is a type of drawn thread work still made today.

Tourism is now the biggest part of Saba’s economy. About 15,000 visitors come each year. Saba has inns, hotels, cottages, and restaurants. It is called the “Unspoiled Queen” of the Caribbean and is famous for its ecotourism. People love to scuba dive, climb, and hike here.

The Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport has flights to nearby islands. There are also ferry boats that travel to Saba several times a week. Saba’s waters have many fish species and special dive spots. These waters became the Saba National Marine Park in 1987 to protect the coral reefs and marine life.

There is one main road called “The Road”. It was built starting in 1938 and finished in 1958. Driving is on the right side, with speed limits of 20 kilometers per hour (12 mph) in towns and 40 kilometers per hour (25 mph) outside towns.

Saba gets most of its electricity from a diesel power plant, but in 2019, solar parks began operating in Hell's Gate and The Bottom. These solar parks can power the whole island for up to 10 hours a day using solar energy and battery storage. The island aims to use 100% sustainable energy in the future.

There is poverty on Saba, but people often try to hide it. Rent and everyday costs are high, and many residents struggle to afford them. The island depends on imported food, with grocery day happening each Wednesday when food arrives from Miami. Local efforts to help include a Farmer’s Market truck and programs to grow local food.

Education

Saba has a primary school called Sacred Heart Primary School in St. John's. The island has one secondary and vocational school, the Saba Comprehensive School, located in St. John's.

There is a medical school called Saba University School of Medicine in The Bottom, the capital of Saba. This school was started by people from America working with the government of the Netherlands. When classes are happening, the school brings in over 400 students, making it an important educational center on the island.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Saba

Life on Saba is calm and slow, with not many places for nighttime fun, even though more people are coming to visit the island to enjoy nature. The people of Saba are proud of protecting their environment, and they call their island "The Unspoiled Queen".

Women on Saba make two special things: Saba Lace and Saba Spice. Saba Lace is pretty lace made by hand that the women began creating in the late 1800s. They even sold it to people in the United States! Saba Spice is a tasty rum drink mixed with different spices.

Like other Caribbean places, Saba has a big celebration called Carnival. It happens in the last week of July and includes colorful parades, music from steel bands, fun competitions, and lots of food.

Another special day is "Saba Day," the island's national holiday. On this day, all offices, schools, and stores close. The island shows off its culture with many activities and parades. In the capital, The Bottom, there is a concert where local and other Caribbean musicians perform. There is also a fishing competition for catching wahoo, and boats from nearby islands like St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, and St. Barths come to join in.

Media

There is one radio station on Saba called "Saba Radio." It broadcasts on 93.9 FM and 1410 AM.

There is also one online newspaper in Saba called Saba News. It shares local news and stories from the rest of the Dutch Caribbean.

Museums

The Harry L. Johnson Museum in Windwardside has many interesting things from the 1800s and early 1900s. You can see old photographs of Dutch royalty, antique furniture, a 100-year-old organ harmonium, and a stone hearth. It also has objects from places where the first people who lived on Saba used to live.

In The Bottom, there is the Major Osman Ralph Simmons Museum. It was started by Major Osmar Ralph Simmons, who worked as a police officer on the island for over 40 years. The museum shows objects he found on Saba.

Sports

The most popular sports on Saba are football, futsal, softball, basketball, and volleyball. The Saba Volleyball Association is part of two bigger groups called ECVA and NORCECA.

People

Saba is home to many interesting people. Cornelia Jones (1907–1979) was an innkeeper and politician. Barbara Kassab-Every (1945–2016) was a landscape painter from Saba. Esmeralda Johnson, born in 1998, is also a politician from Saba.

Locations

Saba has several special places. The main village is The Bottom, and another important village is Windwardside. Zion's Hill is the highest village in the whole Netherlands. St. Johns is a village where children go to school.

Other places include The Road, the main road, and Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, which has the shortest runway in the world. Mount Scenery, also called The Mountain, is a quiet volcano. There are also spots like Fort Bay, where boats dock, and Well's Bay, a nice beach. Other spots are Cove Bay for fun activities and Ladder Bay with a famous trail.

There are special water areas such as the Flat Point Tide Pools, Saba Bank, which is a type of coral reef called an atoll, a small island called Green Island, and the Saba National Marine Park. There are also lighthouses around Saba, listed under Lighthouses in Saba.