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Saint Martin Country Information

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Travel Advice with Country Information from the CIA.

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Saint Martin Map

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 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. 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.

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

total: 50 sq km

land: 50 sq km

water: negligible

country comparison to the world: 231

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

Natural resources

salt

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

Map description

Saint Martin map showing major population centers of this French overseas collectivity in the Caribbean Sea.

People and Society

Population

32,792 (2022 est.)

country comparison to the world: 215

Ethnic groups

Creole (Mulatto), Black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), 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.

French audio sample:

Religions

Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu

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: Louis MUSSINGTON (RSM) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 23 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 1member (shared with Saint Barthelemy) to the French National Assembly

elections: Territorial Council - first round held on 20 March 2022 (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 rate) - 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 15, UD 5, HOPE, Saint Martin with You, and Future Saint Martin 3; composition - men 13, women 10, percent of women 43.5%

French Senate - held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2020) French National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022) 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]

International organization participation

UPU

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.

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$561.5 million (2005 est.)

country comparison to the world: 212

Real GDP per capita

$19,300 (2005 est.)

country comparison to the world: 89

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

17,300 (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 213

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)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 195.54 (2019)

country comparison to the world: 200

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 SSCS 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 downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments