Introduction
Background
Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 to exploit 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 61%). The cultivation of sugarcane 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. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Saint Martin causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed.
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Geography
Location
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
Geographic coordinates
18 05 N, 63 57 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area - comparative
more than one-third the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 16 km
border countries (1): Sint Maarten 16 km
Coastline
58.9 km (for entire island)
Climate
temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November
Elevation
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
Population distribution
most of the population is found along the coast, with a largest concentrations around the capital Marigot, Orleans, and Grand-Case
Natural hazards
subject to hurricanes from July to November
Geography - note
note 1: the southern border is shared with Sint Maarten, a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; together, these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world shared by two self-governing states
note 2: Simpson Bay Lagoon (aka as Simson Bay Lagoon or The Great Pond) is one of the largest inland lagoons in the West Indies; the border between the French and Dutch halves of the island of Saint Martin runs across the center of the lagoon, which is shared by both of the island's entities
People and Society
Ethnic groups
Creole (Mulatto), Black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asian), White, East Indian, other
Languages
French (official), Dutch, English, Guadeloupian Creole, Haitian Creole, Italian, Martiniquan Creole, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles), Spanish
major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu
Age structure
0-14 years: 25.63% (male 4,148/female 4,197)
15-24 years: 10.28% (male 1,647/female 1,701)
25-54 years: 46.2% (male 7,201/female 7,841)
55-64 years: 8.71% (male 1,328/female 1,508)
65 years and over: 9.17% (male 1,305/female 1,680) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 49.1 N
youth dependency ratio: 33.5
elderly dependency ratio: 15.6
potential support ratio: 6.4 (2021)
Median age
total: 33.3 years
male: 32.5 years
female: 34.1 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
most of the population is found along the coast, with a largest concentrations around the capital Marigot, Orleans, and Grand-Case
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 6.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 80.58 years
male: 77.48 years
female: 83.81 years (2022 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020)
Literacy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Environment
Environment - current issues
excessive population pressure (increasing settlement); waste management; salinity intrusions into the mainland of the island; fresh water supply is dependent on desalination of sea water; over-exploitation of marine resources (reef fisheries, coral and shell); indiscriminate anchoring of boats damages coral reefs, causing underwater pollution and sedimentation
Climate
temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 15,480 tons (2012 est.)
Government
Country name
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
etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours because the 11 November 1493 day of discovery was the saint's feast day
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France
Dependency status
overseas collectivity of France
note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU
Capital
name: Marigot
geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: marigot is a French term referring to a body of water, a watercourse, a side-stream, or a tributary rivulet; the name likely refers to a stream at the site of the city's original founding
Independence
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is Schoelcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848), as well as St. Martin's Day, 11 November (1985), which commemorates the discovery of the island by COLUMBUS on Saint Martin's Day, 11 November 1493; the latter holiday celebrated on both halves of the island
Constitution
history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
amendments: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply
Legal system
French civil law
Citizenship
see France
Suffrage
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Vincent BERTON (since 28 March 2022)
head of government: President of Territorial Council Louis MUSSINGTON (since 3 April 2022); First Vice President Alain RICHARDSON (since 3 April 2022)
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 3 April 2022 (next to be held in 2027)
election results: 2022: Louis MUSSINGTON (RSM) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 23 out of 23 votes
2017: Daniel Gibbs elected president: Territorial Council vote - 18 out of 23 votes
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms); Saint Martin elects 1 member to the French Senate and 1 member (shared with Saint Barthelemy) to the French National Assembly
elections: Territorial Council - first round held on 20 March and second round held on 27 March2022 (next to be held in March 2027) and second round held on 27 March 2022
election results: Territorial Council - percent of vote by party (first round) - RSM 25.4%, UD 24.7%, HOPE 17.5%, Saint Martin with You 13.8%, Alternative 11.2%, Future Saint Martin 7.5%; percent of vote by party (second round) - RSM and Alternative 49.1%, UD 33.3%, HOPE, Saint Martin with You, and Future Saint Martin 17.6%; seats by party - RSM and Alternative 16, UD 5, HOPE, Saint Martin with You, and Future Saint Martin 2; composition - men 13, women 10, percent of women 43.5%
French Senate - last held on 27 September 2020 (next to be held not later than September 2023) French National Assembly - last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held by June 2027) French Senate - 1 seat: UMP 1 French National Assembly - 1 seat: UMP 1
Political parties and leaders
Alternative [Valerie DAMASEAU]
Future Saint Martin (Avenir Saint Martin) [Yawo NYUIADZI]
Generation Hope or HOPE [Jules CHARVILLE]
Rassemblement Saint-Martinois or RSM [Louis MUSSINGTON] (formerly Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP)
Saint Martin with You [James HAMLET]
Union for Democracy or UD [Daniel GIBBS]
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description
the flag of France is used
National symbol(s)
brown pelican
National anthem
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
Economic overview
The economy of Saint Martin centers on 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. The financial sector is also important to Saint Martin’s economy as it facilitates financial mediation for its thriving tourism sector. 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 US. Saint Martin is reported to have one of the highest per capita income in the Caribbean. As with the rest of the Caribbean, Saint Martin’s financial sector is having to deal with losing correspondent banking relationships.
In September 2017, Hurricane Irma destroyed 95% of the French side of Saint Martin. Along the coastline of Marigot, the nerve center of the economy, the storm wiped out restaurants, shops, banks and open-air markets impacting more than 36,000 inhabitants.
GDP (official exchange rate)
$561.5 million (2005 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 1% (2000)
industry: 15% (2000)
services: 84% (2000)
Industries
tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry
Labor force - by occupation
85 directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry
Exports - partners
United States 35%, Netherlands 26%, Antigua and Barbuda 21%, France 10% (2019)
Exports - commodities
gold, special use vessels, furniture, scrap aluminum, rum (2019)
Imports - partners
United States 76%, Netherlands 7%, France 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities
jewelry, diamonds, pearls, recreational boats, cars (2019)
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.885 (2017 est.)
0.903 (2016 est.)
0.9214 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Communications
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 68,840 (2017 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 196 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: fully integrated access; good interisland and international connections; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) and LTE markets; regulatory development; telecom sector contributes greatly to the overall GDP; telecom sector is a growth area (2020)
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems (2018)
international: country code - 590; landing points for the SMPR-1, Southern Caribbean Fiber and the Saba, Statia Cable System submarine cables providing connectivity to numerous Caribbean islands (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media
1 local TV station; access to about 20 radio stations, including RFO Guadeloupe radio broadcasts via repeater
Internet country code
.mf; note - .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, might also be encountered
Internet users
total: 19,300 (March 2022 est.)
percent of population: 48.5% (March 2022 est.)
Transportation
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2021)
Transportation - note
nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located on Sint Maarten
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no armed forces; Saint Martin Police Force (Korps Politie Sint Marteen)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none identified
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, and marijuana destined for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as Europe