2019 Edition

Background

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.

Area

Land

34 sq km

Total

34 sq km

Water

0 sq km

Area Comparative

one-fifth the size of Washington, DC

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

Coastline

58.9 km (for entire island)

Elevation

Highest Point

Mount Flagstaff 383 m

Lowest Point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

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

Geographic Coordinates

18 4 N, 63 4 W

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

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Saint Martin (France) 16 km

Total

16 km

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

Map References

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime Claims

Exclusive Economic Zone

200 nm

Territorial Sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

subject to hurricanes from July to November

Natural Resources

fish, salt

Population Distribution

most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg), followed closely by Cul de Sac

Terrain

low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin

Age Structure

0 14 Years

18.5% (male 4,110 /female 3,785)

15 24 Years

14.19% (male 3,049 /female 3,009)

25 54 Years

40.93% (male 8,539 /female 8,930)

55 64 Years

16.52% (male 3,356 /female 3,694)

65 Years And Over

9.85% (male 2,017 /female 2,188) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

13.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death Rate

5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Ethnic Groups

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.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

7.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

8.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

80.9 years

Male

76.1 years

Total Population

78.5 years (2018 est.)

Major Infectious Diseases

note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

Major Urban Areas Population

1,327 PHILIPSBURG (capital) (2011)

Median Age

Female

42.2 years

Male

39.8 years

Total

41.2 years (2018 est.)

Net Migration Rate

6.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Population

42,677 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.39% (2018 est.)

Religions

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.)

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.09 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.01 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

0.96 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.91 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.92 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.98 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.04 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

1.56% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

100% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

18 1 N, 63 2 W

Name

Philipsburg

Time Difference

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

Citizenship

see the Netherlands

Constitution

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)

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

none

Conventional Short Form

Sint Maarten

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

Former

Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies

Local Long Form

Land Sint Maarten (Dutch); Country of Sint Maarten (English)

Local Short Form

Sint Maarten (Dutch and English)

Dependency Status

constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

the US does not have an embassy in Sint Maarten; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Sint Maarten

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the governor-general

Chief Of State

King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Eugene HOLIDAY (since 10 October 2010)

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

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Leona ROMEO-MARLIN (since 15 January 2018)

Flag Description

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

Government Type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

International Organization Participation

Caricom (observer), ILO, Interpol, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (consists of the presiding judge, other members, and their substitutes); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court (in The Hague, Netherlands); note - prior to 2010, the Joint Court of Justice was the Common Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

Joint Court judges appointed by the monarch serve for life

Subordinate Courts

Courts in First Instance

Legal System

based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral Parliament of Sint Maarten (15 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

Election Results

percent of vote by party - UD 42.4%, NA 30.5%, US Party 13.2%, SMCP 8.7%; seats by party - UD 7, NA 5, US Party 2, SMCP 1; composition - men 13, women 2, percent of women 13.3%

Elections

last held 26 February 2018 (next to be held in 2022)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Gerard KEMPS

Name

O Sweet Saint Martin's Land

National Holiday

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

National Symbol S

brown pelican, yellow sage (flower); national colors: red, white, blue

Political Parties And Leaders

National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN] Sint Maarten Christian Party or SMCP [Wycliffe SMITH] United Democrats Party or UD [Theodore HEYLIGER] United Sint Maarten Party or US Party [Frans RICHARDSON]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

sugar

Economy Overview

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.

Exchange Rates

2013

1.79

2014

1.79

2015

1.79

2016

1.79

2017

1.79

Currency

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -

Exports Commodities

sugar

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

0.4% (2008 est.)

Industry

18.3% (2008 est.)

Services

81.3% (2008 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$304.1 million (2014 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2012

$63,900

2013

$65,500

2014

$66,800

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2012

$339.6 million

2013

$353.5 million

2014

$365.8 million

GDP Real Growth Rate

2012

1.9%

2013

4.1%

2014

3.6%

Industries

tourism, light industry

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2009

0.7%

2012

4%

Labor Force

23,200 (2008 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

1.1%

Industry

15.2%

Services

83.7% (2008 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2008

10.6%

2012

12%

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Production

304.3 million kWh (2008 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

10,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

10,440 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Internet Country Code

.sx; note - IANA has designated .sx for Sint Maarten, but has not yet assigned it to a sponsoring organization

Telephone System

Domestic

extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2018)

General Assessment

generally adequate facilities (2018)

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)

Airports

1 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2017)

Total

1 (2017)

Ports And Terminals

Major Seaport S

Philipsburg

Oil Terminal S

Coles Bay oil terminal

Roadways

53 km

Military And Security Forces

no regular military forces; Police Department for local law enforcement, supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland or KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied or KWCARIB0)) (2019)

Military Note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands