Saba
Population
Fewer international students
| Country | 2011 | 2016 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caribbean Netherlands |
0.57 | 0.56 | 0.52 |
| Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten |
0.32 | 0.38 | 0.41 |
| Other South and Central America |
0.33 | 0.4 | 0.42 |
| North America |
0.28 | 0.25 | 0.24 |
| European Netherlands |
0.05 | 0.11 | 0.11 |
On Saba, the number of inhabitants declined slightly in 2020. Nevertheless, over the past ten years its total population has increased by 136: from 1,797 to 1,918. The number of residents born in the Caribbean Netherlands, almost all of them born on Saba itself, has decreased from 570 to 515 in this time period. At the same time, the number of inhabitants born on St Maarten has gone up. The population growth in the past decade comes mostly from migrants born in South and Central America or in the European Netherlands.
| Population development | 2015/2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live births | 15 | 11 | 12 |
| Deaths | 11 | 13 | 16 |
Natural growth was negative in 2020; there were fewer births and slightly more deaths. Over the past five years, on average 14 children were born on the island while 13 inhabitants died.
| Migration | Country of origin/destination | 2020 | 2019 | 2015/2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immigration, region of origin |
Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten, Immigration, region of origin |
13 | 13 | 21 |
| Immigration, region of origin |
Other South and Central America, Immigration, region of origin |
20 | 41 | 23 |
| Immigration, region of origin |
North America, Immigration, region of origin |
66 | 147 | 203 |
| Immigration, region of origin |
European Netherlands, Immigration, region of origin |
26 | 13 | 28 |
| Emigration, region of destination |
Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten, Emigration, region of destination |
3 | 7 | 14 |
| Emigration, region of destination |
Other South and Central America, Emigration, region of destination |
4 | 8 | 6 |
| Emigration, region of destination |
North America, Emigration, region of destination |
63 | 131 | 177 |
| Emigration, region of destination |
European Netherlands, Emigration, region of destination |
23 | 40 | 24 |
The island saw a significant drop in external migration. Immigration decreased from 175 in 2019 to 79 persons in 2020. Emigration was also down, from 191 to 95 persons. The main reason is that the Saba University School of Medicine only offered online tuition; on balance, significantly lower numbers of students therefore arrived on Saba from the United States and Canada compared to previous years. Emigration to these countries declined as well.
| Number of persons | 2015/2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marrying | 11 | 4 | 7 |
| Divorcing | 10 | 5 | 4 |
7 inhabitants of Saba married in 2020, compared to 4 in 2019. The number of divorces has declined in recent years.
More information about the population of Saba.
Youth
Only 1 in 6 young Saban residents are island-born
In early 2021, Saba had almost 500 young residents (0 to 24 years). Only 1 in 6 of them were born on the island. Half were born on St Maarten; this is partly due to better childbirth facilities on that island. In addition, 12 percent of the young residents were born in Central or South America, 8 percent in North America and 6 percent in the European Netherlands. The majority of young people originating from Central or South America were born in either the Dominican Republic or Colombia. The number of young people born in North America declined relative to early 2020 because fewer medical students came to the island. The number of young people born in the European Netherlands increased in the same period. Compared to five years ago, the number of young residents born on St Maarten increased; nearly all other groups showed a decrease.
| Country of birth | 2021 | 2020 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Maarten | 233 | 231 | 216 |
| Saba | 78 | 81 | 126 |
| Central and South America | 57 | 57 | 69 |
| North America | 39 | 53 | 71 |
| European Netherlands | 29 | 20 | 32 |
| Other | 35 | 42 | 64 |
The number of young people born on Saba is relatively low among the youngest age groups, probably because more children of Saban mothers were born on St Maarten over the past decade. Among the 20 to 24‑year-olds, the number born in North America is relatively high; this is partly due to the presence of a medical school on the island, which attracts students from there.
| Country of birth | St Maarten | Saba | Central and South America | North America | European Netherlands | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 4 yrs | 54 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 13 |
| 5 to 9 yrs | 59 | 7 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| 10 to 14 yrs | 47 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 6 |
| 15 to 19 yrs | 52 | 19 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 20 to 24 yrs | 21 | 21 | 15 | 14 | 4 | 10 |
More information about youth on Saba.
Please also visit also our Youth Monitor with information on the Caribbean Netherlands
Nature
Groupers sighted per dive
As predators, groupers keep fish populations in balance. Groupers are vulnerable to overfishing because they are a commercially important fish species. Since 2012, the chances of seeing a grouper on a dive have increased and it has stabilised over the last five years. For example, in 2020 the chance of seeing a grouper during a dive was 43 percent.
| Year | Average number of groupers sighted per dive |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 0.25 |
| 2013 | 0.40 |
| 2014 | 0.40 |
| 2015 | 0.56 |
| 2016 | 0.49 |
| 2017 | 0.50 |
| 2018 | 0.46 |
| 2019 | 0.49 |
| 2020 | 0.43 |
| Source: Sea Saba and Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database | |
Sharks sighted per dive
Sharks are top predators that prey on large fish, including groupers. Sharks are an indicator species for the ocean’s health. The number of sharks sightings during dives has increased over the years.
| Year | Average number of sharks sighted per dive |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 0.61 |
| 2013 | 0.62 |
| 2014 | 1.00 |
| 2015 | 0.88 |
| 2016 | 0.87 |
| 2017 | 0.91 |
| 2018 | 1.40 |
| 2019 | 1.31 |
| 2020 | 1.23 |
| Source: Sea Saba and Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database | |
Rays sighted per dive
The likelihood of seeing a ray during a guided diving excursion is stable. In 2020 the chance of seeing a ray during a dive was 37 percent.
| Year | Average number of rays sighted per dive |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 0.24 |
| 2013 | 0.28 |
| 2014 | 0.23 |
| 2015 | 0.25 |
| 2016 | 0.27 |
| 2017 | 0.28 |
| 2018 | 0.24 |
| 2019 | 0.24 |
| 2020 | 0.37 |
| Source: Sea Saba and Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database | |
Turtles sighted per dive
Over the years, the chance of seeing a turtle whilst diving on Saba has increased. In 2020 probably all divers saw a turtle as the chance of seeing a turtle during a dive was 99 percent.
| Year | Average number of turtles sighted per dive |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 0.41 |
| 2013 | 0.54 |
| 2014 | 0.56 |
| 2015 | 0.63 |
| 2016 | 0.73 |
| 2017 | 0.87 |
| 2018 | 0.76 |
| 2019 | 0.80 |
| 2020 | 0.99 |
| Source: Sea Saba and Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database | |
More information about the number of groupers, sharks, rays and turtles sighted on dive on Saba.
Energy
| Year | Fossil | Renewable |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 8.1 | . |
| 2008 | 7.7 | . |
| 2009 | 8.3 | . |
| 2010 | 8.9 | . |
| 2011 | 8.8 | . |
| 2012 | 8.9 | . |
| 2013 | 9.2 | . |
| 2014 | 9.3 | . |
| 2015 | 9.4 | . |
| 2016 | 9.6 | 0.1 |
| 2017 | 9.1 | 0.1 |
| 2018 | 7.6 | 1.5 |
| 2019 | 6.9 | 2.4 |
| 2020 | 6.0 | 2.8 |
In 2020, a total of 8.7 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity were produced on Saba. This is 6.5 percent less than in the previous year. Of the electricity produced in 2020, 2.8 million kilowatt hours came from renewable sources. This is 32.2 percent of the total production and represents a significant increase compared to the previous year, when the share of renewable electricity was just 25.7 percent.
Electricity consumption was 6.5 percent lower in 2020 than electricity production. One explanation for the decrease may be that no tourists were able to visit Bonaire during most of 2020 due to the lockdown.
Electricity connections
In 2020 the total number of electricity connections on Saba was almost 1,290. This is an increase of 9.4 percent over a ten-year period. There were almost 1,180 connections in 2011. There are two categories of connections: domestic and non-domestic connections. In 2020 there were 1,050 domestic connections, representing an increase of 10 percent compared to 2011, when there were 943. The number of non-domestic connections has remained almost the same over the years at approximately 234.
| Year | Households | Other |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 943 | 234 |
| 2012 | 951 | 239 |
| 2013 | 971 | 241 |
| 2014 | 1004 | 246 |
| 2015 | . | . |
| 2016 | . | . |
| 2017 | 1009 | 219 |
| 2018 | 1000 | 224 |
| 2019 | 960 | 227 |
| 2020 | 1050 | 238 |
| ¹⁾ No data available for 2015 and 2016 | ||
More information about water and electricity production on Saba.
Tourism and transport
In 2020, the number of visitors (non-residents) arriving by air on Saba reached 2.9 thousand. This represents a decrease of 67 percent on the previous year. The tourism sector in Saba was strongly affected by the COVID-19 measures. As of April 2020, the tourism sector almost came to a standstill. The distribution by nationality of the visitors by air on Saba changed slightly in 2020. The share of visitors from Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten declined from 29 to 21 percent, whereas shares of visitors from the United States and the European part of the Netherlands increased from 25 to 27 percent and from 17 to 19 percent, respectively. In 2020, 3.2 thousand passengers arrived on Saba by yacht or ferry, a decrease of 67 percent on 2019.
| Year | Number of visitors |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 10.2 |
| 2015 | 9.7 |
| 2016 | 9.2 |
| 2017 | 8.2 |
| 2018 | 8.1 |
| 2019 | 8.8 |
| 2020* | 2.9 |
| * Provisional figures | |
| Nationality | 2020* | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch (total) | 40 | 46 | 44 |
| Dutch (Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten) | 21 | 29 | 28 |
| US | 27 | 25 | 24 |
| Dutch (Europe) | 19 | 17 | 16 |
| Other European (excl. Dutch) | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| Other | 20 | 16 | 18 |
| * Provisional figures | |||
| Year | Ferry | Yacht |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 6.8 | 3.7 |
| 2015 | 6.8 | 4.0 |
| 2016 | 7.7 | 4.0 |
| 2017 | 7.0 | 5.1 |
| 2018 | 5.4 | 4.5 |
| 2019 | 8.1 | 3.6 |
| 2020* | 2.0 | 1.2 |
| * Provisional figures | ||
More information about inbound tourism by air on Saba.
Traffic and Transport
In 2020, there were 1.9 thousand aircraft movements to and from Saba, a decline of 47 percent on the previous year. The number of passengers flying to and from Saba’s airport declined by almost 71 percent. The drop in number of flights and passengers to and from Saba was the result of COVID-19 restrictions. Saba’s airport was disrupted for regular air traffic operations for some time. In the first quarter of 2021, 570 flights were operated to and from Saba, versus 760 in the same quarter one year previously.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| 2013 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 2014 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 2015 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| 2018 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| 2019 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| 2020 * | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| 2021 * | 0.6 | . | . | . |
| * Provisional figures | ||||
More information about monthly airport data on Saba.
Labour
In 2020, the size of the working age population (15 to 74 years) on Saba was slightly over 1.5 thousand, with 73.4 percent in employment. The labour force participation rate was higher among men than among women and lower among the young than among the middle-aged and older age groups. Among people with low educational attainment, 70.9 percent were employed, versus 77.5 percent of those with an intermediate education level and 72.0 percent among the highly educated.
Saba’s unemployment rate has been relatively low at just over 3 percent.
370 residents of Saba were not in the local labour force. They were not looking for work or not immediately available; in most cases a combination of both. A third (33 percent) were not prepared or unable to work due to old age or retirement. Another prominent reason for not working was education (26 percent). Other smaller groups not in the labour force included people who were unable to work due to a disability or poor health (14 percent) or because they had to take care of family members (3 percent).
| Net labour participation rate | |
|---|---|
| Total | 73.4 |
| Male | 76.0 |
| Female | 70.9 |
| 15-24 yrs | 41.7 |
| 25-44 yrs | 87.0 |
| 45-74 yrs | 69.8 |
| Low education level | 70.9 |
| Intermediate education level | 77.5 |
| High education level | 72.0 |
| Population not in labour force | |
|---|---|
| Not available or not looking | . |
| Available but not looking for work | 70 |
| Looking but not available for work | 10 |
| Not available and not looking | . |
| Willing to work | 10 |
| Not willing/able to work because of | . |
| Care | 10 |
| Education | 100 |
| Retirement or old age | 120 |
| Illness, disability, poor health | 50 |
| Other reason | 10 |
The average annual wage of employee jobs on Saba was 30.4 thousand US dollars in 2019. This is 5.0 percent more than in 2018. Women’s wages were 14.0 percent lower than men’s. Jobs earning less than 20 thousand US dollars occupied a share of 39.0 percent.
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 32.22 | 24.75 |
| 2012 | 32.17 | 24.61 |
| 2013 | 31.66 | 24.45 |
| 2014 | 30.66 | 25.66 |
| 2015 | 31.72 | 26.6 |
| 2016 | 32.21 | 25.84 |
| 2017 | 32.24 | 26.12 |
| 2018 | 32.31 | 26.99 |
| 2019* | 33.36 | 28.53 |
| * Provisional figures | ||
More information about jobs and wages on Saba.
Income
In 2019, the median disposable household income on Saba stood at 26.8 thousand US dollars. Between 2013 and 2018, it gradually increased to 27.6 thousand US dollars; this was followed by a decline. For households primarily depending on income from work, in 2019 the median disposable income stood at 30.3 thousand US dollars.
| All households | Main income from work | |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 24.7 | 28.8 |
| 2012 | 26.3 | 29.9 |
| 2013 | 25.1 | 27.9 |
| 2014 | 26.0 | 29.9 |
| 2015 | 26.2 | 29.1 |
| 2016 | 27.0 | 30.2 |
| 2017 | 27.5 | 30.8 |
| 2018 | 27.6 | 30.8 |
| 2019* | 26.8 | 30.3 |
| * Provisional figures | ||
More information about the income of households on Saba.
Purchasing power development
Saba recorded positive developments in purchasing power between 2012 and 2017. After facing diminished purchasing power in 2018, the population saw a substantial increase again in 2019. Wages were raised and a structural increase in minimum wages and social benefits added 5.0 percent to the regular indexation. This resulted in 4.9 percent growth in purchasing power for the overall population. Working people saw a 4.2‑percent purchasing power increase.
| All households | Main income from work | |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 4.6 | 5.0 |
| 2013 | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| 2014 | 3.1 | 2.7 |
| 2015 | 3.1 | 4.3 |
| 2016 | 6.1 | 5.4 |
| 2017 | 0.6 | 0.2 |
| 2018 | -0.9 | 0.1 |
| 2019* | 4.9 | 4.2 |
| * Provisional figures | ||
In 2019, purchasing power rose for all types of households on Saba. Due to an increase in child benefit, people in one-parent households were most favourably affected as their buying power went up by 9.4 percent. In 2018, most types of households were negatively affected.
| 2019* | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Single-person households | 5.3 | -1.8 |
| One-parent households | 9.4 | -0.3 |
| Couples, without child(ren) | 2.6 | -1.9 |
| Couples, with child(ren) | 4.2 | -1.8 |
| Multi-person housholds nec | 4.9 | 1.0 |
| * Provisional figures | ||
More information about the purchasing power on Saba.
Income inequality
Since 2012, Saba has had the lowest income inequality in the Caribbean Netherlands. The value of the Gini coefficient was 0.38 in 2019. As for the Gini coefficient, 0 means total equality: every household has the same income, and 1 means total inequality: one household has all the income, the rest has none. In 2011 the Gini coefficient was 0.41. From 2012 to 2019, the Gini value fluctuated between 0.36 and 0.38.
| Gini coefficient | |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 0.41 |
| 2012 | 0.38 |
| 2013 | 0.38 |
| 2014 | 0.36 |
| 2015 | 0.38 |
| 2016 | 0.36 |
| 2017 | 0.36 |
| 2018 | 0.37 |
| 2019* | 0.38 |
| * Provisional figures | |
More information about the income inequality on Saba.
Support for companies
As of March 2020, a package of emergency measures has been in place in the Caribbean Netherlands to tackle the economic consequences of the coronavirus crisis. On Saba, 55 percent of businesses availed of a financial contribution towards their wage costs and/or fixed charges last year, with a total of 1.7 million US dollars being paid out for wage costs and 0.7 million for fixed charges. Of all contributions, 27 percent were intended for the accommodation and food services sector.
| Categories | Total companies | Companies receiving support |
|---|---|---|
| Trade | 30 | 20 |
| Accommodation and food services | 30 | 30 |
| Construction | 20 | 20 |
| Other services | 20 | 10 |
| Transport and storage | 10 | 10 |
| Rental and other business services | 10 | 10 |
Applications were made for wage and living cost allowances related to 210 jobs of both employees and self-employed. Almost one-fifth of these applications were made in the accommodation and food services sector.
More information about companies receiving support via the emergency package on Saba.
Consumer prices
On Saba, in 2020 prices for consumer goods and services decreased by 0.7 percent relative to the previous year, when consumer prices were up by 0.5 percent year-on-year.
| Year | Quarter | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Q1, 2017 | -1.0 |
| 2017 | Q2, 2017 | -1.0 |
| 2017 | Q3, 2017 | -1.3 |
| 2017 | Q4, 2017 | 2.5 |
| 2018 | Q1, 2018 | 2.9 |
| 2018 | Q2, 2018 | 3.2 |
| 2018 | Q3, 2018 | 4.4 |
| 2018 | Q4, 2018 | 0.0 |
| 2019 | Q1, 2019 | 0.6 |
| 2019 | Q2, 2019 | 0.5 |
| 2019 | Q3, 2019 | 0.3 |
| 2019 | Q4, 2019 | 0.8 |
| 2020 | Q1, 2020 | 0.4 |
| 2020 | Q2, 2020 | -0.8 |
| 2020 | Q3, 2020 | -1.6 |
| 2020 | Q4, 2020 | -0.8 |
| 2021 | Q1, 2021 | -1.3 |
| 2021 | Q2, 2021 | 1.0 |
Prices of housing, water and energy dropped by 6.0 percent and communication prices by 6.1 percent. This was mainly caused by government subsidies on electricity, water and internet (relief measures in the context of the coronavirus epidemic).
| Year | Quarter | Food and non-alcoholic beverages | Housing, water and energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Q1, 2017 | 99.4 | 97.7 |
| 2017 | Q2, 2017 | 99.1 | 97.6 |
| 2017 | Q3, 2017 | 98.5 | 99.1 |
| 2017 | Q4, 2017 | 103.0 | 105.6 |
| 2018 | Q1, 2018 | 101.4 | 105.9 |
| 2018 | Q2, 2018 | 100.8 | 107.0 |
| 2018 | Q3, 2018 | 101.4 | 109.3 |
| 2018 | Q4, 2018 | 101.0 | 108.7 |
| 2019 | Q1, 2019 | 103.3 | 108.1 |
| 2019 | Q2, 2019 | 103.1 | 108.3 |
| 2019 | Q3, 2019 | 103.4 | 107.3 |
| 2019 | Q4, 2019 | 102.3 | 107.1 |
| 2020 | Q1, 2020 | 104.0 | 106.5 |
| 2020 | Q2, 2020 | 104.8 | 103.0 |
| 2020 | Q3, 2020 | 105.2 | 97.7 |
| 2020 | Q4, 2020 | 106.0 | 97.9 |
| 2021 | Q1, 2021 | 106.1 | 99.2 |
| 2021 | Q2, 2021 | 106.8 | 100.8 |
Prices of furniture and household equipment increased by 5.3 percent, while those of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 1.9 percent. Prices of clothing and footwear went down by 3.5 percent.
More information about the consumer price index (CPI) for Saba.
Macroeconomics
The gross domestic product (GDP) of Saba was worth 48 million US dollars in 2018.noot1
| Year | GDP |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 43 |
| 2013 | 46 |
| 2014 | 47 |
| 2015 | 47 |
| 2016 | 48 |
| 2017 | 48 |
| 2018 | 48 |
In volume terms, GDP decreased by 2.5 percent. The volume growth of GDP is calculated by adjusting value growth for inflation on the basis of the consumer price index.
| Year | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 5.5 |
| 2014 | -0.2 |
| 2015 | 1.2 |
| 2016 | -0.5 |
| 2017 | -1.4 |
| 2018 | -2.5 |
The contraction was caused by the effects of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Inbound tourism by sea and air dropped in 2018. This diminished the gross value added of the accommodation and food services sector. The education sector shrank as well, due to a declining number of students in 2018 relative to the previous year.
GDP per capita rose slightly from 22.9 thousand US dollars in 2017 to 23.5 thousand US dollars in 2018.
| Year | GDP per capita |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 21.6 |
| 2013 | 23.8 |
| 2014 | 25.4 |
| 2015 | 25.1 |
| 2016 | 24.5 |
| 2017 | 22.9 |
| 2018 | 23.5 |
More information on the Gross Domestic Product of Saba.
Definitions
Gross domestic product (market prices) (GDP):
The final result of productive activities of production units in the Netherlands. It equals the sum of value added in all sectors of industry, and includes some transactions that are not classified by sector of industry.
Volume change:
The weighted average of the changes in the volume and quality of the parts of particular goods or service transactions or the value added.
GDP per capita (as defined by Eurostat):
The indicator is calculated as the ratio of real GDP to the average population of a specific year.
International trade
Since little manufacturing or production takes place on Saba, most goods need to be imported. In 2020, Saba’s trade figures were comparable to those of 2019. Goods imports (21 million US dollars) remained virtually unchanged, while exports increased by 0.2 million US dollars. On balance, Saba’s trade deficit (21 million US dollars) decreased by 1 percent in 2020.
| Import value | Export value | Trade balance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 16.2 | 0.4 | -15.8 |
| 2017 | 17.2 | 0.3 | -17.0 |
| 2018 | 20.9 | 0.5 | -20.4 |
| 2019 | 21.0 | 0.2 | -20.8 |
| 2020 | 21.0 | 0.4 | -20.7 |
There are no indications that Saba’s slightly smaller trade deficit in 2020 is directly related to the coronavirus crisis. Furthermore, in the separate quarters of 2020 there were no significant decreases in the numbers of customs declarations compared to the same quarters in 2019.
Goods imports into Saba reached their highest value (6 million US dollars) in the fourth quarter and their lowest value (4 million US dollars) in the second quarter of 2020.
| Import value | |
|---|---|
| Q1 | 4.9 |
| Q2 | 4.2 |
| Q3 | 5.8 |
| Q4 | 6.1 |
More information about international trade on Saba.
Noten
Statistics Netherlands publishes GDP figures for the Caribbean Netherlands two years following the reporting period. Earlier publication has not been feasible due to data availability.