The Caribbean island of Saba is pulling out of the Netherlands Antilles – a group of five former Dutch colonies.

Saba, the smallest island with a population of just 1,500, is due to be given the same status as an ordinary Dutch local council at the end of next year under a long-awaited reform of the islands’ constitution.
But now the island says the process of constitutional renewal is taking so long that it wants to leave the Antilles now. The talks began in 2005.
In 2004, 86% of the Saba population voted in favour of having direct links with the Netherlands.