2020 Edition

Background

Christopher COLUMBUS claimed Saint Martin for Spain in 1493, naming it after the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, but it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 to exploit its salt deposits. The Spanish retook Saint Martin in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. The border frequently fluctuated over the next 200 years because of friction between the two countries, with the Dutch eventually holding the smaller portion of the island (about 39%) and adopting the Dutch spelling of the island's name for their territory.  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 in 2010. In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Area

land

34 sq km

total

34 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

one-fifth the size of Washington, D.C.

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

250 m SW of Mount Flagstaff summit, 383 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates

18 4 N, 63 4 W

Geography - note

note 1: 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 that is shared by two self-governing states note 2: Simpson Bay Lagoon (aka, 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

Land boundaries

border countries

Saint Martin (France) 16 km

total

16 km

Land use

agricultural land

0% (2022 est.)

forest

10.9% (2022 est.)

other

89.1% (2022 est.)

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

the most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg) and Cul de Sac

Terrain

low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin

Age structure

0-14 years

18.4% (male 4,409/female 4,114)

15-64 years

66.3% (male 15,158/female 15,496)

65 years and over

15.2% (2024 est.) (male 3,250/female 3,788)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

24.7 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

4.1 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

52.8 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

28.1 (2025 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.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.96 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

6.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

8.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 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

82.2 years

male

77.4 years

total population

79.7 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1,327 PHILIPSBURG (capital) (2011)

Median age

female

42.8 years

male

39 years

total

40.8 years (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

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

Population

female

23,667

male

23,071

total

46,738 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.1% (2025 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

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

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

Total fertility rate

1.96 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est. est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

Capital

etymology

founded and named in 1763 by John PHILIPS, a Scottish captain in the Dutch navy

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

amendment process

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

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)

Country name

conventional long form

Country of Sint Maarten

conventional short form

Sint Maarten

etymology

explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493 after Saint MARTIN of Tours because he visited on 11 November, 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

one of four constituent countries of 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

embassy

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

chief of state

King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor Ajamu G. BALY (since 10 October 2022)

election/appointment process

the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party as prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Luc MERCELINA (since 3 May 2024)

Flag

description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and blue, with a white isosceles triangle based on the left side; the national coat of arms is in the center of the triangle, with an orange-bordered blue shield that displays the white courthouse in Philipsburg, as well as yellow sage (the national flower) in the upper left and the silhouette of a Dutch-French friendship monument in the upper right; over the shield is a yellow rising sun and a brown pelican in flight; a yellow scroll below the shield has the motto SEMPER PROGREDIENS (Always Progressing)

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 court(s)

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

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

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

2028

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Parliament of Sint Maarten

most recent election date

1/11/2024

number of seats

15 (directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

NA (4); UPP (3); URSM (2); DP (2); PFP (2); NOW (2)

percentage of women in chamber

46.7%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1932

lyrics/music

Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown

title

“Het Wilhelmus” (The William)

National color(s)

red, white, blue

National holiday

King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967)

National symbol(s)

brown pelican, yellow sage (flower)

Political parties

Democratic Party or DP National Alliance or NA National Opportunity Wealth or NOW Party for Progress or PFP Sint Maarten Christian Party or SMCP Unified Resilient St Maarten Movement or URSM United People's Party or UPP United Sint Maarten Party or US Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugar

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$311.463 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$56.984 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$116.693 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, tourism-based Dutch autonomous constituent economy; severe hurricane- and COVID-19-related economic recessions; multilateral trust fund helping offset economic downturn; no property taxation; re-exporter to Saint Martin

Exchange rates

Currency

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1.79 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.79 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.79 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.79 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1.79 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$790.938 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$1.375 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$1.504 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

scrap iron, ships, jewelry, flavored water, liquor (2023)

Exports - partners

Antigua & Barbuda 28%, USA 16%, France 12%, Netherlands 8%, Morocco 7% (2023)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

industry

6% (2021 est.)

services

89.3% (2021 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.735 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$1.003 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$1.32 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.489 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

jewelry, refined petroleum, ships, pearl products, diamonds (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 82%, Netherlands 7%, France 4%, Brazil 1%, Switzerland 1% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

0.5% (2021 est.)

Industries

tourism, light industry

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015

0.3% (2015 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

0.1% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

2.2% (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.849 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.919 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.986 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

9.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.8% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.5% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$43,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$44,900 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$45,800 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

3.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

3.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Internet country code

.sx

Internet users

percent of population

89.5% (2022)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

205 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

86,542 (2022 est.)

Airports

1 (2025)

Ports

key ports

Coles Bay Oil Terminal, Philipsburg

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

1

small

2

total ports

2 (2024)

very small

0

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the KPSM is supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB))

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 3 — Sint Maarten does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Sint Maarten remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/sint-maarten/

Environmental issues

scarcity of potable water; inadequate solid waste management; pollution from construction, chemical runoff, and sewage