

Saba
Territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Out Score 67, grade B, Progressing
Legal breakdown by identity
Learn about Saba
Beyond the scoreLearn about Saba.Official names, languages, local time and practical context for understanding Saba beyond its legal score.
Destination overview
About Saba.
Saba is a small special municipality of the Netherlands in the northern Leeward Islands, rising steeply from the Caribbean Sea. The island is dominated by Mount Scenery, cloud forest and narrow volcanic ridges, with The Bottom as its capital and Windwardside as the main visitor village. Beaches are limited, so Saba’s appeal is centred on terrain, community and the surrounding sea.
Read more about Saba
Hiking trails climb through rainforest and cloud forest, pass historic paths and reach viewpoints above the island. The Saba Marine Park protects reefs, pinnacles and deeper dive sites, while villages contain cottages, small restaurants, craft traditions and gardens adapted to steep ground. The island’s scale makes walking and guided outdoor activities central to most visits.
Saba’s history includes Indigenous Caribbean presence, European settlement, African heritage, seafaring, migration and a long period of practical self-reliance. English is widely used in everyday life and Dutch is the official language of the public body. Local architecture, Saba lace, food, church communities and oral histories help explain how a small island society developed within the wider Dutch Caribbean.
Saba is reached mainly by short regional flights from Sint Maarten and by sea connections that depend on weather and operating schedules. There are few roads, no large resort zone and a limited range of accommodation, so visitors benefit from arranging transport, stays and activities ahead of time. The island rewards a slower itinerary built around hiking, diving, village life and changing mountain weather.
Official names
- Saba (Dutch)
- Saba (English)
Region
- Caribbean
Continent
- North America
Total population
2,270
2026 data
Capital
- The Bottom
Currency
- United States Dollar (USD · US$)
Driving side
- right side of the road
Electricity
Languages
Dutch
Official by law · ISO 639-3: nld
English
Official by law · Official in practice · ISO 639-3: eng
Current time and time zone
Atlantic Standard TimeAST
America/Kralendijk
Largest cities
- The Bottom · 795 urban area
2025 data
- Windwardside · 693 urban area
2025 data
- Zion's Hill · 449 urban area
2025 data
- St John's · 219 urban area
2025 data
Busiest airport
- Juancho E. Yrausquin AirportSAB · 32,400 annual passenger movements
2025 data
Information reviewed 23 August 2026
The Kingdom of the Netherlands Out Scores
Foundational
Progressing

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Territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

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Territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

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