| Location | 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 4 N, 63 4 W |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area | total: 34 sq km land: 34 sq km water: 0 sq km note: Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin |
| Area - comparative | one-fifth the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries | total: 16 km border countries (1): Saint Martin (France) 16 km |
| Coastline | 58.9 km (for entire island) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate | 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 |
| Terrain | low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin |
| Elevation extremes | mean elevation: NA elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Flagstaff 383 m |
| Natural resources | fish, salt |
| Population distribution | most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg), followed closely by Cul de Sac |
| Natural hazards | subject to hurricanes from July to November |
| Environment - current issues | 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 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 |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on January 20, 2018
