2020 Edition

Background

In 1493, Christopher COLUMBUS named Saint Barthelemy for his brother Bartolomeo, but the island was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, France sold the island to Sweden, which renamed the largest town Gustavia after the Swedish King GUSTAV III and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1877 and took control the following year, placing it under the administration of Guadeloupe. Saint Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the islanders voted to secede from Guadeloupe, and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2012, it became an overseas territory of the EU, allowing it to exert local control over the permanent and temporary immigration of foreign workers, including non-French European citizens. Hurricane Irma hit the island in 2017 and caused extensive damage.

Area

land

25 sq km

total

25 sq km

water

negligible

Area - comparative

less than one-eighth the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)

Elevation

highest point

Morne du Vitet 286 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates

17 90 N, 62 85 W

Geography - note

a 1,200-hectare (3,000-acre) marine nature reserve, the Reserve Naturelle, is made up of five zones around the island that form a network to protect the island's coral reefs, seagrass, and endangered marine species

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

0% (2022 est.)

forest

8.5% (2022 est.)

other

91.5% (2022 est.)

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean; located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Saint Barthelemy lies east of the US Virgin Islands

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Natural resources

few natural resources; beaches foster tourism

Population distribution

most of the populace is concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island's periphery

Terrain

hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with plentiful beaches

Age structure

0-14 years

13.9% (male 506/female 479)

15-64 years

63.1% (male 2,413/female 2,057)

65 years and over

23% (2024 est.) (male 818/female 813)

Birth rate

9.32 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

9.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

38 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

2.6 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

60.1 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

22 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

French, Portuguese, Caribbean, Afro-Caribbean

Gross reproduction rate

0.79 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

7.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

French (primary), English

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.2 years

male

78 years

total population

81 years (2024 est.)

Median age

female

47.8 years

male

47 years

total

47.7 years (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population

female

3,349

male

3,730

total

7,079 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.08% (2025 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.17 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.01 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.12 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.64 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Capital

etymology

named in honor of King GUSTAV III of Sweden, who was ruler when Sweden bought the island from France in 1784; the name was retained when the island was sold back to France in 1878

geographic coordinates

17 53 N, 62 51 W

name

Gustavia

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see France

Constitution

amendment process

amendment procedures of France's constitution apply

history

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name

abbreviation

Saint-Barth (French)/ St. Barts or St. Barths (English)

conventional long form

Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy

conventional short form

Saint Barthelemy

etymology

explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in honor of his brother Bartolomeo in 1493

local long form

Collectivité d'outre mer de Saint-Barthélemy

local short form

Saint-Barthélemy

Dependency status

overseas collectivity of France

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council elected by the Territorial Council; there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council

chief of state

President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Cyrille LE VELY (since 15 January 2025)

election results

2022: Xavier LEDEE (Saint Barth United) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 13 votes for, 6 blank votes 2017: Bruno MAGRAS (Saint Barth First!) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 14 out of 19 votes

election/appointment process

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 the French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council indirectly elected by its members for a 5-year term

expected date of next election

2027

head of government

President of Territorial Council Xavier LEDEE (since 3 April 2022)

most recent election date

27 March 2022

Flag

the flag of France is used

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France

Independence

none (overseas collectivity of France)

International organization participation

ACS (associate), UPU

Legal system

French civil law

Legislative branch

electoral system

mixed

expected date of next election

2027

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Territorial Council

most recent election date

3/27/2022

number of seats

19 (directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Saint Barth Action-Équilibre and Unis pour Saint Barthelemy (13); SBA (6)

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

official anthem, as a French collectivity

lyrics/music

Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle

title

"La Marseillaise"

National holiday

Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)

National symbol(s)

pelican

Political parties

All for Saint Barth (Tous pour Saint-Barth) Saint Barth Action Equilibre Saint Barth First! (Saint-Barth d'Abord!) or SBA (affiliated with France's Republican party, Les Republicans) Saint Barth United (Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy)

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal

Economic overview

high-income French Caribbean territorial economy; duty-free luxury commerce and tourism industries; import-dependent for food, water, energy, and manufacturing; large Brazilian and Portuguese labor supply; environmentally fragile

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

refined copper, jewelry (2023)

Exports - partners

Spain 57%, Switzerland 24%, France 6%, Ireland 5%, Canada 2% (2023)

Imports - commodities

precious metal watches, base metal watches, jewelry, cars, garments (2023)

Imports - partners

Switzerland 50%, Portugal 14%, Brazil 6%, Japan 5%, Ireland 5% (2023)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Broadcast media

2 local TV broadcasters; 5 FM radio channels (2021)

Internet country code

.bl

Internet users

percent of population

71.3% (2022 est.)

Airports

1 (2025)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Environmental issues

land-based pollution; urbanization; limited freshwater resources; overfishing