Guide to Doing Business
in Saba
General information
| Kingdom | Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Country | the Netherlands |
| Public entity | Saba |
| Capital | The Bottom |
| Official language | Dutch and English |
| Population | 1,930 |
| Area | 13 km²/ 5 miles² |
| Time zone | UTC -4 |
| Calling code | +599 |
| Currency | US Dollar (USD) |
Geography and climate
Saba, also referred to as the Unspoiled Queen, is an island located in the north part of the Caribbean Sea, 30 kilometers south west of St. Maarten and about 160 kilometers east of Puerto Rico.
Saba consists largely of a dormant volcano, Mount Scenery. The slopes descend steeply to the sea and the coast is rocky. Mount Scenery with its 877 meters (feet) is the highest point of Saba and also the highest point of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The island has a land area of approximately 5 miles²/13 kilometers and the capital is The Bottom.
Saba, as part of the Leeward Islands, is characterized by its tropical climate with warm weather all year around. The mean annual temperatures range from 24°C (77°F) to 29°C (85°F). From July till November, Saba can be subject to hurricanes. There is a rainy season from October till January.
Population
Saba has about 1,930 inhabitants, which includes the 300-400 medical students attending the Saba School of Medicine. Most inhabitants of Saba have the Dutch nationality, but there are also many other nationalities represented. There are residents from the USA, Canada, Colombia and from other islands in the Caribbean, such as St. Vincent, Dominica, Anguilla, the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Languages
The official languages of Saba are English and Dutch. However, English is the most widely spoken language on the island. Besides English a number of people on the island speak Dutch and/or Spanish.
Religion
The majority of the people in Saba is Roman Catholic by faith. However, there are also other religious denominations like Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist and Muslims.
Currency
As of 1 January 2011, the US Dollar became the official currency of Saba and as a result of that the Netherlands Antillean Guilder is no longer accepted as payment for any transaction. The monetary system of the island is regulated by the Central Bank of the Netherlands (de Nederlandsche Bank).