|
 Sint
Eustatius,
or Statia. The
name ‘Statia’ comes from St Anastasia, as it was named
by Columbus, but the Dutch later changed it to Sint
Eustatius. The island is dominated by the long-extinct
volcano called ‘The Quill’ at the south end, inside
which is a lush rainforest where the locals hunt land
crabs at night. Visitors are advised, however, to go there
only during the day. The north part of the island is hilly
and uninhabited except for Statia Terminals, a fuel depot;
most people live in the central plain which surrounds the
airport.
Statia
is quiet and friendly and the poorest of the three
Windward Islands, with only 2,100 people living on the
30.6 square kilometers island. A variety of nationalities
are represented, the island having changed hands 22 times
in the past, but the majority are of black African
descent. Everybody speaks English, although Dutch is the
official language and is taught in schools. |
