2023 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

note

note: Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin

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

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 shared by two self-governing statesnote 2: Simpson Bay Lagoon (aka as 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 by both of the island's entities

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

18.52% (male 4,379/female 4,082)

15-64 years

67.18% (male 15,157/female 15,530)

65 years and over

14.29% (2023 est.) (male 3,019/female 3,510)

Birth rate

12.4 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

NA

Death rate

6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

12.3

potential support ratio

8.1 (2021)

total dependency ratio

27.2

youth dependency ratio

14.9

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 95.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 4.9% of population (2017)

Education expenditures

NA

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.)

note

note:  data represent population by country of birth

Gross reproduction rate

0.97 (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

8.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 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 years

male

77.2 years

total population

79.5 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

1,327 PHILIPSBURG (capital) (2011)

Median age

female

42.8 years

male

39.3 years

total

41.1 years (2023 est.)

Net migration rate

5.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Physicians density

NA

Population

45,677 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

1.19% (2023 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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 98.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 1.2% of population (2017)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2014)

male

12 years

total

12 years

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 (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.98 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

note

note: Sint Maarten is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Curacao

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

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

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 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

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)

elections/appointments

the monarch is hereditary; governor 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 Silveria JACOBS (since 28 March 2020)

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

note

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

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); 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 - 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

elections

last held 9 January 2020 (next to be held on 11 January 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Gerard KEMPS

name

O Sweet Saint Martin's Land

note

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 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 [Silveria JACOBS]Party for Progress or PFP [Melissa GUMBS]Sint Maarten Christian Party or SMCP [Garcia ARRINDELL]United Democrats Party or UD [Sarah WESCOT-WILLIAMS]United People's Party or UP [Theodore HEYLIGER]United Sint Maarten Party or US Party [Frans RICHARDSON]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugar

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$165.039 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$290.458 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$294.32 million (2021 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 2017

1.79 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1.79 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1.79 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.79 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.79 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$1.091 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$527.044 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$787.981 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

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.)

Imports

Imports 2019

$1.237 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$760.824 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$992.658 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Industries

tourism, light industry

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2009

0.7% (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

2.19% (2017 est.)

Labor force

23,200 (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

1.1%

industry

15.2%

services

83.7% (2008 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$1.538 billion (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$1.436 billion (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2012

1.9% (2012 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-5.8% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

-6.6% (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2017

$37,914 (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2018

$35,342 (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2008

10.6% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate 2012

12% (2012 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

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

Internet users

percent of population

89.5% (2022)

total

39,089 (2022)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

196 per 100 mobile-cellular teledensity (2012)

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)

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)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

196 (2012 est.)

total subscriptions

68,840 (2012 est.)

Airports

1 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Philipsburg

oil terminal(s)

Coles Bay oil terminal

Roadways

total

53 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

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, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)) (2023)

Disputes - international

non identified

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 was downgraded to Tier 3; officials took some steps to address trafficking, including investigating a potential trafficking case; however, the government did not report prosecuting or convicting any traffickers nor identify any victims for the second consecutive year; Sint Maarten was not equipped to provide services to trafficking victims due to its lack of shelters, funding, and formal arrangements with service providers; the government did not update its national action plan, which expired in 2018, and interagency coordination was severely lacking; officials consistently conflated human trafficking with migrant smuggling (2022)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Sint Maarten; some brothel and dance club owners exploit women and girls from Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Russia in sex trafficking; women from Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela are especially vulnerable to sex trafficking in Sint Maarten; government officials report a significant number of migrant workers are vulnerable to coercive schemes in domestic service, construction, Chinese national-owned markets, retail shops, food service, landscaping, and housekeeping; criminals, including smugglers, subject migrants—specifically Cuban and Brazilian nationals—who transit Sint Maarten en route to the United States and Canada to forced labor or sex trafficking; traffickers may exploit, under false pretenses, Colombian and Venezuelan women traveling to the islands in forced labor or sex trafficking (2022)

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

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

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

100% of total population (2023)