Saba
 

1635 - 1810, From 1816

15 Dec 1959 - 6 Dec 1985

Adopted 6 Dec 1985

Map of Saba	Hear National Anthem "Wilhelmous van Nassouwe" (William of Nassau)	Hear Local Anthem "Saba Lied" (Saba  Song) Adopted 6 Dec 1985	Constitution (1815, 17 Feb 1983)
Capital: The Bottom (Leverock Town 1868-1875; Fort Bay 1640-1651)	Currency: US Dollar (USD); Netherlands Antillean Guilder (ANG)(1952-1 Jan 2011)	National Holiday: 27 Apr (1967) King's Day (Koningsdag) ------------------------------------- Local Holiday: 6 Dec (1985) Saba Day (Saba Dag)	Population: 2,270 (2026)
GDP: $30 million (2023)	Exports: $1 million (2023) Imports: $113 million (2023)	Ethnic groups: Dutch 58%, American/Canadian 21%, Latin American 15%, others 7% (2017)
Total Police Force: 9 (2020) Defense is the Responsibility of The Netherlands Merchant marine: None (2023)		Religions: Roman Catholic 43.7%, Anglican 7.8%, Muslim 6%, Evangelical 2%, Hindu 1.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.6%, other 13.5%, no religion 18.2% (2018)
International Organizations/Treaties: ACS (associate), AOSIS (observer), DLU, UPU

Saba	Chronology 13/14 Nov 1493             Christopher Columbus is the first European to sail                              past the island, though the Spaniards do not                              settle it.  5 Nov 1595                The first mention of Saba, in the account of the                              travels of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins. 28 Sep 1624                Earliest mention of Saba from a Dutch source when                              Pieter Schouten passes by the island. 1632                       Some shipwrecked Englishmen succeed in reaching Saba                              in a small boat, probably becoming the first                              Europeans to set foot on the island. Nov 1636                   Pierre Belain, sieur d'Esnambuc takes possession of                              Saba for France, but the French soon leave, Apr 1640                   Dutch colony (Saba)(subordinated to St. Eustatius                              to 17 Jan 1803). 1651                       A landslide destroys the coastal settlement and                              people settle in The Bottom.  5 Aug 1665 -  7 Oct 1667  English occupation.  4 Jul 1672 - Apr 1681     English occupation. 1683 -  1 Jan 1792         Under Dutch West India Company administration (with                              interruptions). Apr 1689                   Failed French invasion under Captain Pinel. 1703 - 1802                Part of the Dutch Windward Islands colony                              (Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, and Saba).  4 Feb 1781 - 25 Nov 1781  British occupation. 25 Nov 1781 -  7 Feb 1784  French occupation. 15? Apr 1795 - 21 Apr 1801 French occupation. 21 Apr 1801 - 17 Jan 1803  British occupation. 17 Jan 1803 - 15 Jan 1821  Saba a dependency of Sint Maarten.  9 Jul 1810                Annexed along with Holland by France (not effected). 22 Feb 1810 - 21 Feb 1816  British occupation. 21 Feb 1816 - 15 Jan 1821  Saba, Sint Maarten subordinated to Sint Eustatius. 21 Feb 1816 - 1828         Part of the Dutch Windward Islands colony (restored)                              (Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, and Saba). 31 Mar 1816 - 26 Apr 1816  South American liberator Simón Bolívar's Republican                              Squadron anchors at Saba. 15 Jan 1821 - 20 Nov 1833  Saba subordinated to Sint Eustatius.  1 Aug 1828 - 16 Jul 1845  United with other Dutch territories (Sint Eustatius,                              Sint Maarten, Saba, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and                              Dutch Guiana as the Dutch West Indies (see                              under Suriname). 27 Jan 1848 - 10 Oct 2010  Dutch islands united under the name of Curaçao and                              Dependencies (from 20 Sep 1948, renamed                              Netherlands Antilles)(see under Curaçao).  1 Jul 1863                Slavery abolished by law in the Caribbean islands. 30 Jun 1865                Arbitration by Queen Isabella II of Spain assigns                              the small island of Aves, an uninhabitable rock                              over 200 km south of Saba (not same as Las Aves                              off the coast of Venezuela), to Venezuela                              (accepted by Netherlands).  3 Aug 1920 - 31 Mar 1983  Saba subordinated to Sint Maarten; part of the                              Netherlands Windward Islands Territory                              (Eilandgebied de Bovenwindse Eilanden)(see                              under Sint Maarten)(within Netherlands Antilles). 20 Sep 1948                Saba becomes part of the Netherlands Antilles                              federation. 29 Dec 1954                Charter of 19 Dec 1954 gives the federation of six                              islands full autonomy in domestic affairs.  1 Apr 1983                Saba made its own island territory (eilandgebied)                              again. 14 Oct 1994                Saba votes in a referendum to remain within the                              Netherlands Antilles federation by 86.3%, with                              opting for separate status 9.6%, and for closer                              ties to the Netherlands 3.6%.  5 Nov 2004                Saba referendum supports closer ties by becoming                               a separate part of The Netherlands by 86.05% 12 Oct 2006                Agreement with The Netherlands on becoming a                               municipality of The Netherlands. 10 Oct 2010                Saba a special municipality (openbaar lichaam) of                              The Netherlands.

Vice-commanders
1640 - 1665                .... [unknown]
Commander (of Saint Eustatius and Saba)
1665  - 1666               Thomas Edward Morgan               (b. c.1610 - d. 1665)
Vice-commanders
1667 - 1672                .... [unknown]
Commander
 4 Jul 1672 - 1672         William Burt
Vice-commanders
1672 - 1679                Andruson
1680 - 1681?               Peter Batterie (Battery)
                             (English commander)
1682 - 15 Oct 1687         Jan Zeegers (Sagers)
15 Oct 1687 - 1689         Engel van Beverhoudt                (d. 1690)
                             (commander from 16 Apr 1689)
1689 - 20 Jun 1696         Lucas Schorer (1st time)            (b. 1657 - d. 1707?)
1696 - 1698                Adriaan Runnels, Jr.
1698 - 1700                James Hassell
1700 - 1701                Lucas Schorer (2nd time)            (s.a.)
1701 - 170.                Jacob Leverock
                             (acting to 1702)
1705 - 1720                Jacob Simmons
20 Feb 1720 - 22 Jun 1743  Charles Simmons                     (d. 1743)
1743 - 1778                Peter Simmons
1778 -  4 Feb 1781         Thomas Dinzey (1st time)            (b. 17.. - d. 1825)
1781 - 25 Nov 1781         Sir James Cockburn                  (b. 1729 - d. 1804)
                             (British commander)
25 Nov 1781 - 1781         Thomas de Fitz-Maurice              (b. 1725 - d. af.1789)
                             (French military governor)
1781 - 1801                Thomas Dinzey (2nd time)            (s.a.)
Commander
1801 - 1803                Thomas Dinzey                       (s.a.)
Vice-governors
1803 - 1810                Thomas Dinzey                       (s.a.)
1810 - 1816                Edward Beaks, Sr.
Vice-commanders
1816 - 1825                Edward Beaks, Sr. (acting to 1818)
1825 - 20 Jan 1829         Edward Beaks, Jr. (acting to 1828)  (b. c.1750 - d. 1863)
20 Jan 1829 -  5 May 1830  Richard Johnson (acting)            (b. 1747 - d. 1830)
 5 May 1830 - 20 Nov 1833  Thomas Dinzey Winfield              (d. 1836)
Commanders
20 Nov 1833 - 10 Jun 1836  Thomas Dinzey Winfield              (s.a.)
11 Jun 1836 - 27 Jan 1848  Edward Beaks, Jr.                   (s.a.)
                             (acting to Sep 1838)
Administrators (gezaghebbers)
27 Jan 1848 -  7 May 1863  Edward Beaks, Jr.                   (s.a.)
 7 May 1863 - Jul 1863     Edward James Beaks (acting)
Jul 1863 -  1 Aug 1875     Mozes Leverock                      (b. 1814 - d. 1875)
                             (acting to 13 Apr 1865)
 1 Aug 1875 - 15 Oct 1875  .... (acting)
15 Oct 1875 - 20 May 1880  Jan Jacob Beaujon Quast             (b. 1836 - d. 1880)
20 May 1880 - 1880         John William Hassell (1st time)     (b. 1819 - d. 1889)
                             (acting)
1880 - Oct 1881            Johan Hendrik Waters Gravenhorst    (b. 1833 - d. 1909)
Oct 1881 - Apr? 1882       .... (acting)
Apr? 1882 - 25 Mar 1883    Marius Lodewijk Statius van Eps     (b. 1850 - d. 1883)
25 Mar 1883 - 1883         John William Hassell (2nd time)     (s.a.)
                             (acting)
1883 - 13 Nov 1885         Jacques Joseph Jonckheer            (b. 1851 - d. 1921)
13 Nov 1885 - 31 May 1888  Jacob Thielen II                    (b. 1834 - d. 1915)
31 May 1888 - 1895         Abraham Jan Cornelis Brouwer        (b. 1858 - d. 1919)
Nov 1889 - Mar 1891        John George Every Crossley          (b. 1860 - d. 1904)
                             (acting for Brouwer)
Mar 1893 - May 1893        Samuel Augustus Simmons             (b. 1848 - d. 1930)
                             (acting for Brouwer)
1895 - Jul 1897            Johannes Adriaan de Veer            (b. 1853 - d. 1899)
23 Jul 1897 -  2 Nov 1898  Gerard Raven Zeppenfeldt            (b. 1863 - d. 1915)
 2 Nov 1898 - 31 Jan 1899  Thomas Holm (1st time)(acting)      (b. 1850 - d. 1913)
31 Jan 1899 - 15 Feb 1907  Hendrik Johannes Beaujon            (b. 1870 - d. 1956)
30 Jun 1900 -  1 Feb 1903  Hendrik August Willemsen            (b. 1873 - d. 1941)
                             (acting for Beaujon)
15 Feb 1907 -  5 Jun 1908  Jacob Achilles Petrus Thielen       (b. 1871 - d. 1942)
                             (acting)
 5 Jun 1908 - 30 Jun 1908  Thomas Holm (2nd time)(acting)      (s.a.)
30 Jun 1908 - 1918         Pieter Lourens Gorsira              (b. 1877 - d. 1949)
17 Feb 1914 - 22 Sep 1914  Willem Anne Constant Willemsen
                             (1st time)                        (b. 1868 - d. 1932)
                             (acting for Gorsira)
 1 Sep 1915 -  1 Dec 1915  Willem Christiaan Jacobus van       (b. 1865 - d. 1920)
                             Leeuwen
                             (acting for Gorsira)
 5 Sep 1917 - 26 Apr 1918  Antoine Raven Beaujon
                             (acting for Gorsira)
1918 - 12 Aug 1919         Willem Anne Constant Willemsen      (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) (acting)
Deputy Administrators (plaatsvervangende gezaghebbers)
12 Aug 1919 - Jun 1920     Quintus Leopold Rigaud              (b. 1867 - d. 1934)
Jun 1920 - May 1921        Johan Hendrik Peiliker Schrils      (b. 1884 - d. 1951)
May 1921 - 24 Jul 1927     Willem Frederik Meinhardt Lampe     (b. 1896 - d. 1973)
25 Jul 1927 - 27 Mar 1930  Xavier Henri Charles Marie Krugers  (b. 1896 - d. 1986)
                             (1st time)
28 Mar 1930 -  7 Mar 1932  Hendrikus "Henk" Anthonius Hessling (b. 1901 - d. 1966)
 8 Mar 1932 - 29 Dec 1933  Jonkheer Willem de Brauw (1st time) (b. 1890 - d. 1946)
30 Dec 1933 -  5 Apr 1935  Xavier Henri Charles Marie Krugers  (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
 6 Apr 1935 - 23 Aug 1935  Anthony Hendrik Marinus van Weel    (b. 1900 - d. 1987) 
                             (1st time)
24 Aug 1935 - 20 Mar 1936  Jonkheer Willem de Brauw (2nd time) (s.a.)
21 Mar 1936 -  5 Feb 1937  Anthony Hendrik Marinus van Weel    (s.a.)  
                             (2nd time)
Sub-administrators (ondergezaghebbers)
 5 Feb 1937 - 19 Feb 1939  Anthony Hendrik Marinus van Weel    (s.a.) 
19 Feb 1939 - 25 Nov 1943  Xavier Henri Charles Marie Krugers  (s.a.)
 5 Mar 1941 - 14 May 1941  Howard Cyril Tjon Sie Fat           (b. 1911 - d. 1984)
                             (acting for Krugers)
25 Nov 1943 -  5 Dec 1943  P.E. Nassy (acting)
 5 Dec 1943 - 23 May 1950  Maximillian Joseph Huith            (b. 1909 - d. 1993)
29 Nov 1944 - 22 Jan 1945  Johannes Maria J. "Jan" Chocolaad
                             (1st time)(acting for Huith)
11 Mar 1946 - Apr 1946     Johannes Maria J. "Jan" Chocolaad
                             (2nd time)(acting for Huith)
Apr 1946 - 31 Oct 1946     Walter Granville Buncamper          (b. 1908 - d. 1978)
                             (acting for Huith)  
15 Dec 1947 -  5 Mar 1948  Johannes Maria J. "Jan" Chocolaad
                             (3rd time)(acting for Huith)
23 May 1950 - 13 Mar 1951  Pieter Dijkstra                     (b. 1916 - d. 2002)
Administrators (administrateurs)
13 Mar 1951 - 27 Mar 1952  Pieter Dijkstra                     (s.a.)
27 Mar 1952 - 31 Aug 1952  Lijkele de Hoop (acting)            (b. 1900 - d. 1980)
 1 Sep 1952 - 16 May 1955  Ludwig Reginald "Reggie" Carty      (b. 1910 - d. 1986)
16 May 1955 - 30 Jun 1958  Walter Granville Buncamper          (s.a.)
                             (acting to 13 Sep 1955)
 1 Jul 1958 -  5 Apr 1960  Edward Carrol Labega                (b. 1909 - d. 1979)
10 Mar 1960 - 26 Jan 1962  Henry Carlyle Every                 (b. 1933 - d. 1984)
                             (acting to 5 Apr 1960)
26 Jan 1962 -  1 May 1962  Reinier Oswald van Delden           (b. 1928 - d. 2011)
                             (1st time)(acting)
 1 May 1962 - 31 Mar 1964  Louis Meindert Overberg             (b. 1927 - d. 2010)
31 Mar 1964 - 16 Aug 1964  Reinier Oswald van Delden           (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)(acting)
16 Aug 1964 - 1969         Gerardus van der Wal                (b. 1923? - d. 1981)
10 Feb 1969 - 1971         Joseph Emmanuel Richardson          (b. 1945 - d. 2018)
1971                       John Arthur Anslyn (Anslijn)(acting)
1971 - 1973                Eugenius Achilles Johnson (1st time)(b. 1930 - d. 1995)
1973                       Laurens Rosema (acting)             (b. 1923 - d. 2015)
15 Oct 1973 - 1974         Victor R. Abraham
1974 - 1975                John Godfrey Woods (acting)         (b. 1909 - d. 1990)
Mar 1975 - 1977            George Reuben Sleeswijk (1st time)
1977                       William Stanley Johnson (1st time)  (b. 1941)
                             (acting)
1977                       Eugenius Achilles Johnson (2nd time)(s.a.)
                             (acting)
20 Jun 1977 - Mar 1978     William Stanley Johnson (2nd time)  (s.a.)
                             (acting)
Mar 1978 -  1 Apr 1981     Thadeus George Larmonie             (b. 1932 - d. 2021)
 1 Apr 1981 - 10 Jul 1981  George Reuben Sleeswijk (2nd time)
                             (acting)
10 Jul 1981 -  1 Apr 1983  Raphaël A. McKenzie Sorton          (b. 1946)
Administrators (gezaghebbers)
 1 Apr 1983 -  9 Jul 1983  Raphaël A. McKenzie Sorton (acting) (s.a.)
 9 Jul 1983 -  1 Nov 1983  Peter Leicester "Cessie" Granger    (b. 1917 - d. 2012)  SPP
                             (acting)
 1 Nov 1983 -  2 Nov 1989  Wycliffe Sylvester Smith            (b. 1948)
Nov 1998 -  1 May 1999     William Stanley Johnson (acting)    (s.a.)
 2 Nov 1989 - 19 Nov 1998  Sydney Alton Eugene Sorton          (b. 1947)
                             (1st time)
19 Nov 1998 -  1 Apr 2006  Antoine J.M. Solagnier              (b. 1964 - d. 2024)
 1 Apr 2006 -  2 Jul 2008  Sydney Alton Eugene Sorton          (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
 2 Jul 2008 -  2 Jul 2026  Jonathan Guus Ambrose Johnson       (b. 1976)
 9 Jul 2026 -              Jocelyn Roberto Levenstone          (b. 1968?)

Leaders of the government (unofficial post)
1951 - 1983                part of Windward Islands Council
                           [see under Sint Maarten]
1983 - Jul 1991            ....
Jul 1991 - May 1995        William Stanley Johnson (1st time)  (s.a.)               WIPM
May 1995 - 1999            Ulric "Steve" Hassell               (b. 1947 - d. 2022)  SDLM
1999 -  2 Jul 2007         William Stanley Johnson (2nd time)  (s.a.)               WIPM
 2 Jul 2007 - 10 Mar 2011  Christopher "Chris" Johnson         (b. 1978)            WIPM
Deputy Chairmen of the Central Committee of the Island Council
10 Mar 2011 - 2016         Rolando "Rolly" Ricardo Wilson                           WIPM
                             (1st time)
2016 - 28 Mar 2023         Carl A. Buncamper                                        WIPM
29 Mar 2023 -              Rolando "Rolly" Ricardo Wilson                           WIPM
                             (2nd time)