Statia has a population of 3183 as per September 2006. Top
Statia is located in the north eastern Caribbean, 150 miles / 240 km east of Puerto Rico (latitude 17.00, longitude 63.04), 90 miles / 144 km east of St. Croix, 38 miles / 60.8 km south of St. Maarten and 17 miles / 27.2 km southeast of Saba.Top
Statia is served five times daily by Windward Island Airways (WINAIR) from St. Maarten. Flight time is approximately 20 minutes from St. Maarten.
This service allows passengers to make connections in St. Maarten (SXM) with regional and international carriers, including Caribbean Airlines, LIAT, KLM, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, US Airways and Air France. Click here for more on information on getting to Statia.Top
St. Eustatius is pronounced "SINT U-STAY-SHUS". Statia is pronounced "STAY-SHA".Top
Statia is an island of 11.8 square miles or approximately 30.6 square kilometres.Top
St. Eustatius is a Municipality of the Netherlands Antilles. Day to day local affairs are managed by an elected Island Council, presided over by a Lieutenant-Governor.Top
Statia remains part of the Netherlands Antilles. The Dutch government assumes responsibility for Statia's foreign affairs, but the island has its own lieutenant-governor and internal autonomy.Top
The Dutch Caribbean, consists of six islands : Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Eustatius, Saba and Sint Maarten. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are often called the ABC islands, while Statia, Saba and St. Maarten the three S's'. Top
English is spoken everywhere on Statia but Dutch is the official language used in government administration and schools. Top
Statia is a part of the Netherlands Antilles. The Netherlands Antilles form two autonomous parts of the Netherlands. The main part consists of all the islands except Aruba which withdrew from the Netherlands Antilles to become an autonomous member of the Netherlands in 1986. The Netherlands Antilles seat of government is in Willemstad, Curaçao. Top
St. Eustatius adopted its flag on 16 November 2004 (Statia Day).
Flag Description : The flag (right) is rectangular with the colors blue, red, white, gold and green. Proportions of width : length = 2:3. The flag is divided in four five-sided blue squares, each fimbriated red. In flag center is a diamond-form white field. In the diamond is the silhouette of the island in green. In the center in the top of the diamond is a five-pointed golden star.
The coat of arms (right) was also adopted on Statia Day, 16 November, 2004.
The design of the coat-of-arms is by Walter Hellebrand and has a motto in Latin: "SUPERBA ET CONFIDENS" meaning Proud and Confident.
On November 16, 1776, the cannons at Fort Oranje fired the first official salute by a foreign nation to the American colours. The island celebrates this event each year by having a national holiday. Click here for more on our history. Top
The government of St. Eustatius is the largest employer. Top
In the course of the 18th century St.Eustatius developed close historical ties with North America due to the various trades of goods. The island played a major role as the trading- centre before and during the American Revolution. The local wealth, as a result of the lucrative trade in slaves and war supplies with the revoluting American colonies, turned Statia into the "Golden Rock of the Caribbean". Not too miss is the ammunition that was sent under disguise to the rebels there fighting for their Independence against Britain. For a time St.Eustatius was the only link between Europe and the fledgling American colonies.
St.Eustatius as a Dutch Colony should have been neutral, and should have had nothing to do with the rebels fighting for their independence, but despite of a warning from Holland, Johannes de Graaff continued to send the ammunition during the American revolution. Among some of the various goods shipped from St.Eustatius were: Armaments, Ceramics, Tobacco, Cocoa, Coffee, Cloth, Cotton, Slaves, Soap, Beef in Barrels, Sugar, Molasses, Gin, Rum, Wines, Hides, Dye Wood, Shoes, etc. The list of Colonies that shipped goods to St.Eustatius were; Portland Maine, Portsmouth New Hampshire, Newbury Mass, Salem Mass, Boston Mass, Providence Rhode Island, Hartford Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Annapolis Maryland, Yorktown Virginia, Hampton Virginia, and Norfolk Virginia.
Trade was at its height. Not yet thirty, and only a few years transplanted from Virginia, Thaddeus Prescott was the most successful trader on St.Eustatius in the neutral Dutch West Indies, as well as the most eligible bachelor. The various goods shipped to St.Eustatius from the Colonies were; Barrel staves, Beans, Beef in Barrels, Flour, Cod Fish, Horses, Indigo, Lignumvitae, Lumber, Potatoes, Rice, Shingles, Shoes, Tea, Tobacco, and Train oil.
St.Eustatius maintained her name as the International Trade Centre of the Western hemisphere having the sway with the triangular trade with Europe, Africa, and North America from whence St.Eustatius begat the name "The Golden Rock". The trade the triangular generated was staggering. St.Eustatius during its hey day accommodated over 3000 ships per year. The Dutch trade through Europe was quite a prosperous trade, the slave trade from Africa was also booming, and the historical ties with St.Eustatius and the fledgling colonies continued to grow and developed until after 1783 the American independence became one of the causes of the economic downfall. The young U.S.A. chose other trade routes than before.
In retaliation for its support of the rebellious colonies, four years after, as a result of the "First Salute recognizing the Independence of the United States of America, Britain declared war on Holland December 12th 1780, and on the 3rd of February1781 the British Admiral, George Bridges Rodney was dispatched to the island from St.Lucia with a fleet of 15 ships, known as the British West Indian Fleet. The admiral was on the Frigate called the Sandwich. Admiral Rodney forced Johannes de Graaff Governor of St.Eustatius by a letter, to surrender the island into his hands and the Governor surrendered the island by a letter.
According to the historian Eleanor Heckert in her book "The Golden Rock", these are the words of Admiral George Bridges Rodney: "This rock, of only six miles / nine kilometres in length and three / five kilometres in breadth, has done England more harm than all the arms of her most potent enemies, and alone supported the infamous rebellion... When I leave the island of St.Eustatius, it will be a barren a rock as the day it erupted from the sea. Instead of one of the greatest emporiums on earth, it will be a mere desert and known only by report."
Today Statia's attraction lies in her peaceful and serene atmosphere.Top
The St. Eustatius telephone company (EU-TEL) provides a on-line telephone directory. Click here to access it. Top
Statia offers visitors great hiking, world class diving and snorkeling, fascinating history, peace and tranquility and the Caribbean's friendliest people.
For those interested in archaelogy, S.E.C.A.R offers the opportunity to to participate in real archaeological excavations when visiting the island.Top
We have three beaches, each very different in character.
Oranje Bay : no strong current, undertow, sea urchins or dangerous fish, but little sand now.
Zeelandia Beach : two miles / more than 3 km long, deserted black and tan sand. Dangerous undertow, Swimming not recommended. Ideal for sunbathing and beach hiking.
Lynch Beach : On the Atlantic side. Small beach with light brown sand. Water is shallow in spots for children during certain times of the year. Stay near shore and watch out for the untertow. None of our beaches have life guards. Top
The Quill, Statia's volcano, is dormant. The Quill is now a protected nature reserve and offers ten hiking trails ranging from easy to difficult. Click here for more on the Quill.Top
Statia Terminals is an oil storage and distribution facility located in the North West of the island. Top
St. Eustatius, an island of 11.8 square miles or approximately 30.6 square kilometres, had 19 fortresses and batteries.
The coat of arms (right) was also adopted on Statia Day, 16 November, 2004.
