List of
Banks in the Caribbean
The economy of Saba, smallest island of
the Netherlands Antilles, has always been limited by its small land mass
(five square miles) and low population (currently about 1500 people).
Because Saba is a dormant volcano with rocky shores and only one beach,
tourism was slow to develop. However, the island has become known for
its eco-tourist opportunities, such as scuba diving, rock climbing, and
hiking. The tourism industry now contributes more to the island's
economy than any other sector.
List of Banks in Saba
Antilles Banking Corp. St. Maarten
Address: Windwardside
Phone: (599) 416-2631 / (599) 416-2453
Fax: (599) 416-2452
Barclay's Bank PLC
Address: Windwardside
Phone: (599) 416-2216
Fax: (599) 416-2475
First Caribbean International Bank Ltd.
Address: Windward Side
Phone: (599) 542-3616
RBTT Bank
Address: Windwardside
Phone: (599) 416-2454
Fax: (599) 416-2452
Windward Island bank
Address: Windwardside
Phone: (599) 416-2274
Get your own Bank account with ATM card
(Maestro/Mastercard debit card) for withdrawals with a Bank in the Caribe
Tourism has been steadily increasing in
recent years. According to Saba's official tourist bureau, in the first
quarter of 2005 tourist arrivals to Saba totaled 7358. The largest
number of tourists come from the United States, but more and more Dutch
and other European travelers are making Saba a destination.
Agriculture still contributes to the economy, primarily livestock and
vegetables, especially potatoes. Saba Lace continues to be sold at shops
on the island. The Saba University School of Medicine has grown in
importance as it has expanded, contributing about 200 jobs (directly and
indirectly) and $4.8 million (US) to the GDP.
Saba's culture bears the influence of its
early settlers, among them the English, Scottish, Africans, and Dutch.
Because Saba measures only five square miles and has a treacherous
coastline (making invasion difficult), its population has always been
small. Today its population numbers about 1500 people, with
approximately 250 being expatriates. Many of the non-Sabans teach at or
attend the Saba University School of Medicine.
Although archaeologists have found evidence of early Amerindian presence,
a group of shipwrecked Englishmen in 1632 found the island uninhabited.
During the colonial period, Saba's ownership changed hands many times
between the Spanish, English, Dutch, and French. Now part of the
Netherlands Antilles, Saba's official language is Dutch. However, the
majority of Sabans actually speak English as their first language.
English has been added to Saba's school curriculum by the Dutch
government as a result.
Most Sabans are descended from a handful of families. Hassell, Simmons,
and Johnson are common surnames. Early settlers relied on farming,
fishing, sailing, and shipbuilding for their livings; pirates sought
haven there, too. They passed down a hardy nature necessary to survive
the island's conditions.
Because of its difficult terrain (the island is a dormant volcano rising
out of the sea), modern conveniences were slow in coming to Saba. In
1938, construction began to connect its four villages with a road – a
feat which engineers had said was impossible due to the island's
perilous landscape. Full-time electricity only became available in the
1970s. Its houses have a quaint, cottage look with red roofs. The
lifestyle is still slow and old-fashioned with little nightlife, even
with the emergence of an ecotourism industry in the last few decades.
Sabans are proud of their history of environmental conservation, calling
Saba “The Unspoiled Queen.”
Saban women continue to make two traditional island products, Saba Lace
and Saba Spice. Saba Lace is handstitched lace, which the island's women
began making in the late 1800s and built into a thriving mail-order
business with the United States. Saba Spice is a rum drink, brewed with
a combination of spices.
As in other Caribbean locations, Sabans throw an annual Carnival. Saba's
Carnival takes place the last week in July and includes parades, steel
bands, competitions, and food.
Catholicism is Saba's predominant religion. Other faiths practiced on
the island include the Anglican Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church,
Wesleyan Holiness, Islam and Judaism.
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