Map of Saint-Barthélemy | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: In 1493, Christopher COLUMBUS named Saint-Barthélemy for his brother Bartolomeo, but the island was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, France sold the island to Sweden, which renamed the largest town Gustavia after the Swedish King GUSTAV III and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1877 and took control the following year, placing it under the administration of Guadeloupe. Saint-Barthélemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the islanders voted to secede from Guadeloupe, and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2012, it became an overseas territory of the EU, allowing it to exert local control over the permanent and temporary immigration of foreign workers, including non-French European citizens. Hurricane Irma hit the island in 2017 and caused extensive damage.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 25 km²
Land: 25 km²
Water: negligible
Comparative: less than one-eighth the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline

Maritime claims

Climate: tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)

Terrain: hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with plentiful beaches

Elevation
Highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)
Forest: 8.5% (2022 est.)
Other: 91.5% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: a 1,200-hectare (3,000-acre) marine nature reserve, the Reserve Naturelle, is made up of five zones around the island that form a network to protect the island's coral reefs, seagrass, and endangered marine species


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Population
Total: 7,086 (2024 est.)
Male: 3,737
Female: 3,349
Distribution: most of the populace is concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island's periphery
Growth rate: -0.11% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: French (primary), English
Major-language sample(s): ; The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witnesses

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 13.9% (male 506/female 479)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 2,413/female 2,057)
65 years and over: 23% (2024 est.) (male 818/female 813)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 58.5 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 22 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 36.5 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 2.7 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 47.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 47 years
Female: 47.8 years

Population growth rate: -0.11% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 9.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

Population distribution: most of the populace is concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island's periphery

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 81 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78 years
Female: 84.2 years

Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type

Capital
Name: Gustavia
Geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: named in honor of King GUSTAV III of Sweden, who was ruler when Sweden bought the island from France in 1784; the name was retained when the island was sold back to France in 1878

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: French civil law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Cyrille LE VELY (since 15 January 2025)
Head of government: President of Territorial Council Xavier LEDEE (since 3 April 2022)
Cabinet: Executive Council elected by the Territorial Council; there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council
Election/appointment process: French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council indirectly elected by its members for a 5-year term
Most recent election date: 27 March 2022
2022: Xavier LEDEE (Saint Barth United) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 13 votes for, 6 blank votes
2017: Bruno MAGRAS (Saint Barth First!) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 14 out of 19 votes
Expected date of next election: 2,027

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Territorial Council
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 19 (directly elected)
Electoral system: mixed
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 3/27/2022
Parties elected and seats per party: Saint Barth Action-Équilibre and Unis pour Saint-Barthélemy (13); SBA (6)
Expected date of next election: 2,027
Note: 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy (shared with Saint-Martin) is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a five-year term

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'La Marseillaise'
Lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle
History: official anthem, as a French collectivity

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products

Industries

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports
Commodities: refined copper, jewelry (2023)
Commodities note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Imports
Commodities: precious metal watches, base metal watches, jewelry, cars, garments (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2021)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 71.3% (2022 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (2025)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs