mobile View, to the German Version tap the flag

Saba

• Special Municipality of the Netherlands
• Possession of the Netherlands
• until 2010 part of the Netherlands Antilles

Contents

• Flag

• Historical Flags

• Meaning/Origin of the Flag

• Coat of Arms

• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

• Map

• Numbers and Facts

• History

• Origin of the Country's Name

Flag

Flag of Saba,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World

Historical Flags

1493–1640,
The island belongs to the Spanish sphere of influence,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)





1640–1660,
Flag of the Dutch West India Company,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)





1660–1791,
Flag of the Dutch West India Company,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)





1640–1816,
The island temporarily belongs, additionally and repeatedly,
to Spain, England, United Kingdom, France,
Source, by: Wikipedia (DE)



1816–1959,
Flag of the Netherlands,
Source, by: Die Welt der Flaggen





1959–1986,
Flag of the Netherlands Antilles,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Wikipedia (DE)





1986–2010,
Flag of the Netherlands Antilles,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Wikipedia (DE)

Meaning/Origin of the Flag

The flag of Saba was adoped on the 6th of December in 1985. It shows the colours red and blue interrupted by a whiten to the border of the flag reaching rhombus – so the colours of the Netherlands Antilles and also of the Netherlands. In the white field in the middle a yellow star. The star stands for the island and for the hope for a golden future. The red stands for unity and courage, the blue for the ocean and for the heaven, the white for peace and unity.

Source: Flaggen Enzyklopädie

Coat of Arms

Coat of arms of Saba,
Source, by: sabagov.com

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of Saba is the central part of the seal. It depicts a white shield with a green mountain in the centre shrouded in clouds, the silhouette of the volcano Mount Scenery. On the left and right above a fish and a sailing ship and below a sweet potato. This represents the economy of the island: Fishing, seafaring and agriculture. The cabbage leaves on the left and right of the shield are also part of this. The head of a scaled shearwater appears above the shield. The motto of the island is "Remis Velisque", which translates as "With oars and sails".

Source: Wikipedia (DE)

Map

Click to enlarge, Source: Free Maps www.mapcruzin.com

Numbers and Facts

Area: 5 sq.mi.

Inhabitants: 1.918 (2021)

Religions: 44% Roman Catholic, 8% Anglikan, 12% other, 35% Non-Religious

Density of Population: 382 inh./sq.mi.

Capital: Bottom, 685 inh. (2017)

official Languages: Dutch, English

other Languages: Spanish, Papiamento

Currency, since 1st of January 2011: 1 US-Dollar (USD, $) = 100 Cent

Currency, to 31st of December 2010: 1 Netherlands Antilles Florin (NAFl.) = 100 Cent

Time Zone: GMT – 4 h

Source: Wikipedia (D)

History

to 2010: look Netherlands Antilles

10th of October 2010 · Netherlands Antilles become dissolved administratively → Saba becomes a special municipality of the Netherlands, but belongs not to any province

Source: Wikipedia (D)

Origin of the Country's Name

The origin of the name "Saba" is unclear, but it was already mentioned in 1595 in a travel report by John Hawkins. One theory says that the name comes from the Arawak word "Siba", which means "rock". When Kulumbus discovered the island in 1493, he named it "San Cristóbal" (St. Christopher, Christophorus).

Source: Wikipedia (EN)