2012 Edition

Background

Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished the island of Saint Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The establishment of cotton, tobacco, and sugar plantations dramatically expanded 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. The change in status became effective in October of 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

Area

34 sq km 34 sq km 0 sq km 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 1500 mm/year; July-November is the hurricane season

Coastline

364 km

Elevation extremes

Caribbean Sea 0 m Mount Flagstaff 386 m

highest point

Mount Flagstaff 386 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

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

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

15 km Saint Martin (France) 15 km

border countries

Saint Martin (France) 15 km

total

15 km

Land use

10% 0% 90%

arable land

10%

other

90%

permanent crops

0%

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

12 nm 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

subject to hurricanes from July to November

Natural resources

fish, salt

Terrain

low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin

Age structure

23.4% (male 4,299/female 4,455) 73% (male 13,053/female 14,259) 3.6% (male 608/female 755) (2012 est.)

0-14 years

23.4% (male 4,299/female 4,455)

15-64 years

73% (male 13,053/female 14,259)

65 years and over

3.6% (male 608/female 755) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

NA

Death rate

3 deaths/1,000 population (2009)

Education expenditures

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

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 census)

Life expectancy at birth

NA 73.1 years 78.2 years (2009)

female

78.2 years (2009)

male

73.1 years

total population

NA

Net migration rate

14.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008)

Population

39,088 (January 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

NA

Religions

Roman Catholic 39%, Protestant 44.8% (Pentecostal 11.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, other Protestant 27%), none 6.7%, other 5.4%, Jewish 3.4%, not reported 0.7% (2001 census)

Sex ratio

0.98 male(s)/female 0.96 male(s)/female 0.92 male(s)/female 0.81 male(s)/female 0.92 male(s)/female (2010)

15-64 years

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.81 male(s)/female

at birth

0.98 male(s)/female

total population

0.92 male(s)/female (2010)

under 15 years

0.96 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.1 children born/woman (2009)

Administrative divisions

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Capital

Philipsburg 18 1 N, 63 2 W UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

18 1 N, 63 2 W

name

Philipsburg

time difference

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

Constitution

Staatsregeling, 10 October 2010; revised Kingdom Charter pending

Country name

Land Sint Maarten Sint Maarten Country of Sint Maarten Sint Maarten Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies

Dutch long form

Land Sint Maarten

Dutch short form

Sint Maarten

English long form

Country of Sint Maarten

English short form

Sint Maarten

former

Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies

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

Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Eugene HOLIDAY (since 10 October 2010) Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS (since 10 October 2010) Cabinet the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the legislature

cabinet

Cabinet

chief of state

Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Eugene HOLIDAY (since 10 October 2010)

elections

the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the legislature

head of government

Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS (since 10 October 2010)

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 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

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 whit

SEMPER PROGREDIENS (Always Progressing); the three main colors are identical to those on the Dutch flag

Government type

parliamentary

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Judicial branch

Common Court of Justice, Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral parliament or Staten (15 seats; members elected by popular vote for four year term) last held 17 September 2010 (next to be held in 2014) percent of vote by party - National Alliance 45.9%, UPP 36.1%, Democratic Party 17.1%; seats by party - National Alliance 7, UPP 6, Democratic Party 2

election results

percent of vote by party - National Alliance 45.9%, UPP 36.1%, Democratic Party 17.1%; seats by party - National Alliance 7, UPP 6, Democratic Party 2

elections

last held 17 September 2010 (next to be held in 2014)

National anthem

"O Sweet Saint Martin's Land" Gerard KEMPS 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)

lyrics/music

Gerard KEMPS

name

"O Sweet Saint Martin's Land"

National holiday

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or DP [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN]; United People's Party or UPP [Theodore HEYLIGER]; Concordia Political Alliance or CPA [Jeffery 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. Over one million visitors come to the island each year - 1.3 million in 2008 - with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport. Cruise ships and yachts also call on Sint Maarten's numerous ports and harbors. No significant agriculture and limited 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

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2010) 1.79 (2009) 1.79 (2009) 1.79 (2008) 1.79 (2007)

Exports - commodities

sugar

GDP - composition by sector

0.4% 18.3% 81.3% (2008 est.)

agriculture

0.4%

industry

18.3%

services

81.3% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$15,400 (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.6% (2008 est.) 4.5% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$794.7 million (2008)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$794.7 million (2008 est.) $748.9 million (2007 est.) $703.2 million (2006 est.) data are in 2008 US dollars

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.7% (2009 est.) 4.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force

23,200 (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

1.1% 15.2% 83.7% (2008 est.)

agriculture

1.1%

industry

15.2%

services

83.7% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate

10.6% (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

304.3 million kWh (2008 est.)

Internet country code

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

Internet hosts

NA

Internet users

NA

Telephone system

generally adequate facilities extensive interisland microwave radio relay links country code - 1-721; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

domestic

extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

general assessment

generally adequate facilities

international

country code - 1-721; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Airports

: 1 country comparison to the world: 234

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2010)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2010)

total

1

Ports and terminals

Philipsburg Coles Bay oil terminal

oil terminals

Coles Bay oil terminal

Roadways

53 km

total

53 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Military branches

no regular military forces (2012)

Military service age and obligation

no conscription (2010)