Central America and Caribbean :: SAINT MARTIN

  • Introduction :: SAINT MARTIN

  • Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished Saint Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. Friction between the two sides caused the border to frequently fluctuate over the next two centuries, with the French eventually holding the greater portion of the island (about 57%). The cultivation of sugar cane introduced African slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of Saint Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2010, the southern Dutch portion of the island became the independent nation of Sint Maarten within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

  • Geography :: SAINT MARTIN

  • Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; French part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Saint Martin lies east of the US Virgin Islands
    18 05 N, 63 57 W
    Central America and the Caribbean
    total: 54.4 sq km
    land: 54.4 sq km
    water: NEGL
    country comparison to the world: 231
    more than one-third the size of Washington, DC
    total: 16 km
    border countries (1): Sint Maarten 16 km
    58.9 km (for entire island)
    temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celcius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November
    lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
    highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m
    salt
    subject to hurricanes from July to November
    freshwater supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water
    the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

  • People and Society :: SAINT MARTIN

  • Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian
    French (official), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)
    Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Protestant, Hindu
    31,754 (July 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 217
    0-14 years: 26.51% (male 4,192/female 4,225)
    15-24 years: 10.58% (male 1,682/female 1,677)
    25-54 years: 47.05% (male 7,101/female 7,838)
    55-64 years: 8.57% (male 1,267/female 1,455)
    65 years and over: 7.3% (male 1,033/female 1,284) (2015 est.)
    total: 31.8 years
    male: 30.7 years
    female: 32.7 years (2014 est.)
    at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
    0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
    15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
    25-54 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
    55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
    65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
    total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

  • Government :: SAINT MARTIN

  • conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
    conventional short form: Saint Martin
    local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Martin
    local short form: Saint-Martin
    overseas collectivity of France
    name: Marigot
    geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W
    time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
    none (overseas collectivity of France)
    Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)
    4 October 1958 (French Constitution) (2013)
    French civil law
    18 years of age, universal
    chief of state: President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by Deputy Prefect Philippe CHOPIN (since 16 November 2011)
    head of government: President of Territorial Council Aline HANSON (since 17 April 2013)
    cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council
    elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council elected by its members for a 5-year term; election last held on 17 April 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
    election results: Aline HANSON elected president by the Territorial Council
    description: unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members directly elected by absolute majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
    note: Saint Martin elects one member to the French Senate; election last held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; one seat (shared with Saint Barthelemy) was elected to the French National Assembly on 17 June 2012 (next to be held by June 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1
    elections: last held on 18 and 25 March 2012 (next to be held in July 2017)
    election results: percent of seats by party - RRR 34.1%, Team Daniel Gibbs 2012 32%, UPP 13.3%, Saint-Martin pour tous 9.4%, other 11.2%; seats by party - NA; second round, percent of seats by party - RRR 56.9%, Team Daniel Gibbs 43.1%; seats by party - RRR 17, Team Daniel Gibbs 6
    Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]
    Reussir Saint-Martin
    Saint-Martin pour tous [Martha OGOUNDELE]
    Team Daniel Gibbs [Daniel GIBBS]
    Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis-Constant FLEMING]
    NA
    UPU
    none (overseas collectivity of France)
    none (overseas collectivity of France)
    the flag of France is used
    brown pelican
    name: "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land"
    lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS
    note: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides); as a collectivity of France, in addition to the local anthem, "La Marseillaise" remains official on the French side (see France); as a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in addition to the local anthem, "Het Wilhelmus" remains official on the Dutch side (see Netherlands)

  • Economy :: SAINT MARTIN

  • The economy of Saint Martin centers around tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States. Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean.
    $561.5 million (2005 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 212
    $561.5 million (2005 est.)
    $19,300 (2005 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 86
    agriculture: 1%
    industry: 15%
    services: 84% (2000)
    tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry
    17,300 (2008 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 213
    85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry
    crude petroleum, food, manufactured items
    euros (EUR) per US dollar -
    0.7489 (2014 est.)
    0.7634 (2013 est.)
    0.7752 (2012 est.)
    0.7185 (2011 est.)
    0.755 (2010 est.)

  • Communications :: SAINT MARTIN

  • general assessment: fully integrated access
    domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
    international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe (2009)
    1 local TV station; access to about 20 radio stations, including RFO Guadeloupe radio broadcasts via repeater (2008)
    AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2007)
    .mf; note - .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, might also be encountered

  • Transportation :: SAINT MARTIN

  • 1 (2013)
    country comparison to the world: 233
    total: 1
    914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
    nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located on Sint Maarten

  • Military :: SAINT MARTIN

  • males age 16-49: 6,435
    females age 16-49: 6,967 (2010 est.)
    male: 168
    female: 168 (2010 est.)
    defense is the responsibility of France