Overview of The Northern Islands : Discover

Discover: The Northern Islands

Overview of Anguilla

• Location : archipelago of 102 km2, 9 miles (appr. 15 km) north of Saint Maarten.
• Surface area : 91 km2, 26 kilometres long and 5 kilometres wide.
• Highest point : only 70 m.
• Status : Independent territory, though still dependent of the United Kingdom, member of the Commonwealth, conducted by a legislative assembly composed of 11 members, 7 of whom are elected for 5 years. The British crown is represented in Anguilla by a Governor, responsible for foreign affairs, defence and public functions.
  
• Population : approximately 12.500 inhabitants
• Capital : The Valley.
• Language : English.
• Currency : as in all islands of the former British West Indies (with the exception of Barbados), the currency in use is the East Caribbean Dollar, referred to as EC or “biwi” (for British West Indies). The EC$ is thus also the currency of Saint Kitts and Nevis, of Antigua and Barbuda, of Montserrat, of Dominica, of Saint Lucia, of St Vincent and the Grenadines and of Grenada. The value of the Caribbean Dollar is calculated in function of the US Dollar, also accepted on the islands.
• Advisories & Safety : similarly to neighbouring Saint Maarten, Anguilla also bears the reputation of being a centre for drug traffic. Drug consumers are often the ones responsible for thievery while passing through this island.

Overview of Saba

The name Saba refers to the day the island was discovered by Christopher Columbus: sabato, Italian for Saturday. Emerging from the sea, Saba is a volcano which has been extinct for 5000 years. The runway of Saba’s airport is among the shortest ones in the world. The island is a real natural beauty, crude, with no beaches, yet lush with green vegetation.

• Location : North-West of Saint Eustatius, South-West of Saint Barthelemy, 45 kilometres (25 miles) South of Saint Maarten. Surface area : 13 km², nicknamed “the small pebble”
• Highest point : Mount Scenery, 877 m. Status : Part of Leeward Islands Territory, attached to the autonomous colony of the Dutch West Indies.
• Population : 1 600 inhabitants, half of whom are descendants of Dutch and English colonists, with the remaining part descendants of black slaves.
• Capital : The Bottom.
• Language : the official language is Dutch, but English is spoken everywhere
• Currency : As Saba is part of the Netherlands, the official currency is the euro, however practically all prices are based on the US Dollar, the use of which is extremely widespread. Saba is a duty free zone.

Overview of Saint-Kitts & Nevis

• Location : 30 miles (48 km) South of Saint-Barth.
• Currency : East Caribbean Dollar.
• Language : English and Creole.
  

Saint-Kitts

• Surface area : 168 km², 37 km long and 8 km wide.
• Highest point : Mont Liamuiga (Misery), 1131 m.
• Status : Independent state along with Nevis, member of the Commonwealth.
• Population : 34 000 inhabitants.
• Capital : Basseterre.

Nevis

• Surface area : 93 km², 13 km long and 10 km wide
• Highest point : Nevis Peak, 985 m.
• Status : Independent state along with St-Kitts, member of the Commonwealth.
• Population : 9 000 inhabitants.
• Capital : Charlestown.

Overview of Saint Eustatius

• Location : situated among the Leeward Islands between Saba and St Christophe. It takes 20 minutes by plane to reach St Eustatius from St Maarten.
• Surface area : 30 km2.
• Highest point : Mount “The Quill” and Mount Mazinga are 600 metres high
• Status : Saint Eustatius is part of the Dutch Federation
• Population : 2600 inhabitants
• Capital : Oranjestag
• Languages : Children are taught Dutch as an official language, but English, as well as Creole and Spanish are spoken in all families.
• Currency : the Euro, but the US Dollar remains accepted everywhere.
• Advisories & Safety : Practically no risk. Despite a tumultuous past, today’s Saint Eustatius is a harbour of peace.
• Religion : a great diversity of religions: Anglican, Apostolic, Bahai, Baptist, Catholic, Jehova’s Witness, Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist.