Saint Martin vs. Sint Maarten
Introduction
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and began exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island of Saint Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. The establishment of cotton, tobacco, and sugar plantations dramatically expanded African slavery on the island in the 18th and 19th centuries; the practice was not abolished in the Dutch half until 1863. The island's economy declined until 1939 when it became a free port; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded beginning in the 1950s. In 1954, Sint Maarten and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as the Netherlands Antilles. In a 2000 referendum, the citizens of Sint Maarten voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, effective October 2010. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing. The UN estimated the storm destroyed or damaged 90% of the buildings, and Princess Juliana International Airport was heavily damaged and closed to commercial air traffic for five weeks. |
Geography
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Sint Maarten lies east of the US Virgin Islands |
| Geographic coordinates | 18 05 N, 63 57 W | 18 4 N, 63 4 W |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area | total: 54 sq km land: 54.4 sq km water: negligible | total: 34 sq km land: 34 sq km water: 0 sq km note: Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin |
| Area - comparative | more than one-third the size of Washington, DC | one-fifth the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries | total: 16 km border countries (1): Sint Maarten 16 km | total: 16 km border countries (1): Saint Martin (France) 16 km |
| Coastline | 58.9 km (for entire island) | 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 | tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in moderate temperatures; average rainfall of 150 cm/year; hurricane season stretches from July to November |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m | highest point: Mount Flagstaff 383 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m |
| Natural resources | salt | fish, salt |
| Natural hazards | subject to hurricanes from July to November | subject to hurricanes from July to November |
| Environment - current issues | excessive population pressure (increasing settlement); waste management; salinity intrusions into the main land 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 changes the sediment dynamics of Saint Martin's Island | scarcity of potable water (increasing percentage provided by desalination); inadequate solid waste management; pollution from construction, chemical runoff, and sewage harms reefs |
| Geography - note | 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 | the northern border is shared with the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin; together, these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world shared by two self-governing states |
| Population distribution | most of the population is found along the coast, with a largest concentrations around the capital Marigot, Orleans, and Grand-Case | most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg), followed closely by Cul de Sac |
Demographics
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,680 (July 2021 est.) | 44,564 (July 2021 est.) |
| 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.) | 0-14 years: 18.64% (male 4,242/female 3,932) 15-24 years: 13.26% (male 2,967/female 2,849) 25-54 years: 39.08% (male 8,417/female 8,717) 55-64 years: 17.47% (male 3,638/female 4,020) 65 years and over: 11.55% (male 2,385/female 2,680) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 33.3 years male: 32.5 years female: 34.1 years (2020 est.) | total: 41.1 years male: 39.6 years female: 42.7 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.36% (2021 est.) | 1.28% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 14.2 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 12.75 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 4.56 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -6.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| 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: 0.92 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 8.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 80.36 years male: 77.24 years female: 83.6 years (2021 est.) | total population: 79.03 years male: 76.67 years female: 81.51 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.8 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 2 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | NA | NA |
| Ethnic groups | Creole (Mulatto), Black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), White, East Indian, other | Saint Maarten 29.9%, Dominican Republic 10.2%, Haiti 7.8%, Jamaica 6.6%, Saint Martin 5.9%, Guyana 5%, Dominica 4.4%, Curacao 4.1%, Aruba 3.4%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.8%, India 2.6%, Netherlands 2.2%, US 1.6%, Suriname 1.4%, Saint Lucia 1.3%, Anguilla 1.1%, other 8%, unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | NA | NA |
| Religions | Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu | Protestant 41.9% (Pentecostal 14.7%, Methodist 10.0%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.6%, Baptist 4.7%, Anglican 3.1%, other Protestant 2.8%), Roman Catholic 33.1%, Hindu 5.2%, Christian 4.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, Evangelical 1.4%, Muslim/Jewish 1.1%, other 1.3% (includes Buddhist, Sikh, Rastafarian), none 7.9%, no response 2.4% (2011 est.) |
| Languages | French (official), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | English (official) 67.5%, Spanish 12.9%, Creole 8.2%, Dutch (official) 4.2%, Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 2.2%, French 1.5%, other 3.5% (2001 est.) |
| Education expenditures | NA | NA |
Government
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | conventional long form: Country of Sint Maarten conventional short form: Sint Maarten local long form: Land Sint Maarten (Dutch); Country of Sint Maarten (English) local short form: Sint Maarten (Dutch and English) former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies 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 |
| Dependency status | overseas collectivity of France note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU | constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs |
| Government type | parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France | parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy |
| 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 | name: Philipsburg geographic coordinates: 18 1 N, 63 2 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: founded and named in 1763 by John PHILIPS, a Scottish captain in the Dutch navy |
| Independence | none (overseas collectivity of France) | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| 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 | King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday; local holiday Sint Maarten's Day, 11 November (1985), commemorates the discovery of the island by COLUMBUS on Saint Martin's Day, 11 November 1493; celebrated on both halves of the island |
| Constitution | history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendments: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply | history: previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 21 July 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Sint Maarten but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands) amendments: proposals initiated by the Government or by Parliament; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority of the Parliament membership; passage of amendments relating to fundamental rights, authorities of the governor and of Parliament must include the "views" of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Government prior to ratification by Parliament |
| Legal system | French civil law | based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age, universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Serge GOUTEYRON (since 16 December 2020) head of government: President of Territorial Council Daniel GIBBS (since 2 April 2017); First Vice President Valerie DAMASEAU (since 2 April 2017) 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 26 March 2017 election results: Daniel GIBBS (TDG) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 18 votes, 4 blank, 1 invalid | chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Eugene HOLIDAY (since 10 October 2010) head of government: Interim Prime Minister Silveria JACOBS (since 16 January 2020) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the governor-general elections/appointments: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party usually elected prime minister by Parliament note - on 16 January 2020, Governor Eugene HOLIDAY appoints Silveria JACOBS as formateur of a new government |
| 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 one member (shared with Saint Barthelemy) to the French National Assembly elections: Territorial Council - last held on 18 and 25 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2022) election results: Territorial Council - percent of vote by party (first round) - TDG 49.1%, MJP 13.7%, MVP 12.3%, HOPE 8.7%, Continuons pour Saint-Martin 6.5%, other 9.7%; seats by party - NA; percent of vote by party (second round) - TDG 64.3%, MJP 24.2%, MVP 11.5.5%; seats by party - TDG 18, MJP 4, MVP 1; 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 | description: unicameral Parliament of Sint Maarten (15 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held 9 January 2020 (next to be held in 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - NA 35.2%, UP 24.2%, US Party 13.2%, PFP 10.6%, UD 8.7%, other 8.1%; seats by party - NA 6, UP 4, PFP 2, US Party 2, UD 1 |
| Political parties and leaders | Continuons pour St. Martin [Aline HANSON] En marche vers le progres or MVP [Alain RICHARDSON] Gereration Hope or HOPE [Jules CHARVILLE] Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP [Louis MUSSINGTON] New Direction [Jeanne VANTERPOOL] Rally Responsibility Success (Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON] Team Daniel Gibbs 2017 or TDG [Daniel GIBBS] Union for Progress (Union Pour le Progres or UPP) [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; affiliated with UMP | National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN] Party for Progress or PFP [Melissa GUMBS] Sint Maarten Christian Party or SMCP [Wycliffe SMITH] United Democrats Party or UD [Theodore HEYLIGER] United Peoples Party or UP [NA] United Sint Maarten Party or US Party [Frans RICHARDSON] |
| International organization participation | UPU | Caricom (observer), ILO, Interpol, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France) | embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Sint Maarten; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Sint Maarten |
| Flag description | the flag of France is used | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and blue with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the center of the triangle displays the Sint Maarten coat of arms; the arms consist of an orange-bordered blue shield prominently displaying the white court house in Philipsburg, as well as a bouquet of yellow sage (the national flower) in the upper left, and the silhouette of a Dutch-French friendship monument in the upper right; the shield is surmounted by a yellow rising sun in front of which is a brown pelican in flight; a yellow scroll below the shield bears the motto: SEMPER PROGREDIENS (Always Progressing); the three main colors are identical to those on the Dutch flag note: the flag somewhat resembles that of the Philippines but with the main red and blue bands reversed; the banner more closely evokes the wartime Philippine flag |
| 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) | 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" is 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" is official on the Dutch side (see Netherlands) |
| National symbol(s) | brown pelican | brown pelican, yellow sage (flower); national colors: red, white, blue |
| Citizenship | see France | see the Netherlands |
Economy
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - 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. | The economy of Sint Maarten centers around tourism with nearly four-fifths of the labor force engaged in this sector. Nearly 1.8 million visitors came to the island by cruise ship and roughly 500,000 visitors arrived through Princess Juliana International Airport in 2013. Cruise ships and yachts also call on Sint Maarten's numerous ports and harbors. Limited agriculture and local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported. Sint Maarten had the highest per capita income among the five islands that formerly comprised the Netherlands Antilles. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $561.5 million (2005 est.) | $1.436 billion (2018 est.) $1.538 billion (2017 est.) $365.8 million (2014 est.) note: data are in 2014 US dollars |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $19,300 (2005 est.) | $35,342 (2018 est.) $37,914 (2017 est.) $66,800 (2014 est.) note: data are in 2015 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1% (2000) industry: 15% (2000) services: 84% (2000) | agriculture: 0.4% (2008 est.) industry: 18.3% (2008 est.) services: 81.3% (2008 est.) |
| Labor force | 17,300 (2008 est.) | 23,200 (2008 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | 85 directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry | agriculture: 1.1% industry: 15.2% services: 83.7% (2008 est.) |
| Industries | tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry | tourism, light industry |
| Exports - commodities | gold, special use vessels, furniture, scrap aluminum, rum (2019) | sugar |
| 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.) | Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2017 est.) 1.79 (2016 est.) 1.79 (2015 est.) 1.79 (2014 est.) 1.79 (2013 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $561.5 million (2005 est.) | $304.1 million (2014 est.) |
Telecommunications
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| Internet country code | .mf; note - .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, might also be encountered | .sx; note - IANA has designated .sx for Sint Maarten, but has not yet assigned it to a sponsoring organization |
| 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 | general assessment: generally adequate facilities; growth sectors include mobile telephone and data segments; effective competition; LTE expansion; tourism and telecom sector contribute greatly to the GDP (2018) domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links; 196 per 100 mobile-cellular teledensity (2019) international: country code - 1-721; landing points for SMPR-1 and the ECFS submarine cables providing connectivity to the Caribbean; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (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 |
Transportation
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | total: 1 (2013) | total: 1 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1 (2019) 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | total: 1 (2019) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 note: Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) was severely damaged on 6 September 2017 by hurricane Irma, but resumed commercial operations on 10 October 2017 |
Military
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
Environment
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 15,480 tons (2012 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,326,099 tons (2014 est.) |
Energy
| Saint Martin | Sint Maarten | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Source: CIA Factbook
