Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

 
Central Intelligence Agency
The Work of a Nation. The Center of Intelligence
World Factbook Title
navigation arrows
View Text Low Bandwidth Version Download Publication
(part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
page last updated on April 29, 2011
Flag of Sint Maarten
(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
Location of Sint Maarten
Click flag or map to enlarge Opens in New Window
 
Map of Sint Maarten
Click map to enlarge Opens in New Window
Photos of Sint Maarten
 
Navigation Arrow view 5 photos Opens in New Window
of Sint Maarten
Expand All | collapse All
Introduction ::Sint Maarten
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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.
Back to Top
Geography ::Sint Maarten
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
18 4 N, 63 4 W
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 34 sq km
country comparison to the world: 234
land: 34 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
one-fifth the size of Washington, DC
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 15 km
border countries: Saint Martin (France) 15 km
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
364 km
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in moderate temperatures; average rainfall of 1500 mm/year; July-November is the hurricane season
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Flagstaff 386 m
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
fish, salt
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90%
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
subject to hurricanes from July to November
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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
Back to Top
People ::Sint Maarten
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
37,429 (January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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) (2010 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
3 deaths/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 218
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
14.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 6
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
at birth: 0.98 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total population: NA
male: 73.1 years
female: 78.2 years (2009)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
1.7 children born/woman (2009)
country comparison to the world: 168
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Roman Catholic 39%, Protestant 27%, Pentecostal 11.6%, none 6.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.2%, other 5.4%, Jewish 3.4%, not reported 0.7% (2001 census)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Back to Top
Government ::Sint Maarten
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
parliamentary
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
name: Philipsburg
geographic coordinates: 18 1 N, 63 2 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Staatsregeling, 10 October 2010; revised Kingdom Charter pending
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
18 years of age; universal
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Eugene HOLIDAY (since 10 October 2010)
head of government: Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS (since 10 October 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet
(For more information visit the World Leaders website Opens in New Window)
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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
unicameral parliament or Staten (15 seats; members elected by popular vote for four year term)
elections: last held 17 September 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Common Court of Justice, Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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]
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
the US does not have an embassy in Sint Maarten; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Sint Maarten
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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: 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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
name: "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land"
lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS
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)
Back to Top
Economy ::Sint Maarten
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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.
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$794.7 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
$748.9 million (2007 est.)
$703.2 million (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$794.7 million (2008)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
1.6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
4.5% (2007 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$15,400 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 18.3%
services: 81.3% (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
23,200 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
agriculture: 1.1%
industry: 15.2%
services: 83.7% (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
10.6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0.7% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
4.6% (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
sugar
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
tourism, light industry, and manufacturing
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
304.3 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
sugar
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
China 23.49%, US 10.91%, Japan 5.92% (2009)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
China 17.35%, Japan 14.79%, US 8.96%, Saudi Arabia 6.89% (2009)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -
1.79 (2010)
1.79 (2009)
1.79 (2008)
1.79 (2007)
1.79 (2006)
Back to Top
Communications ::Sint Maarten
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
5,153 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 210
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
general assessment: generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 599 (country code changes to 1-721 effective 30 September 2011); 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)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
.sx
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Back to Top
Transportation ::Sint Maarten
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
1
country comparison to the world: 232
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 53 km
country comparison to the world: 216
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Philipsburg
Back to Top
Military ::Sint Maarten
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
the Royal Netherlands Navy maintains a permanent and active presence in the region from its main operating base on Curacao and through a detachment on Sint Maarten; other local security forces include a coast guard, paramilitary National Guard (Vrijwilligers Korps Sint Maarten), and Police Force (KPSM) (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
no conscription (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Back to Top
Expand All | collapse All
  The online Factbook is updated weekly. ISSN 1553-8133
For additional information on government leaders in selected foreign countries, go to World Leaders.