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 Saint Martin to the French and Dutch who divided it between themselves in 1648. Friction between the two sides caused the border to frequently fluctuate over the next two centuries with the French eventually holding the greater portion of the island (about 57%). The cultivation of sugar cane introduced African slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003 the populace of Saint Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007 the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2010 the southern Dutch portion of the island became the independent nation of Sint Maarten within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On 6 September 2017 Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Saint Martin causing extensive damage to roads communications electrical power and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Geographic coordinates: 18 05 N 63 57 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 54.4 km²
Land: 54.4 km²
Water: negligible
Rank: 232
Comparative: more than one-third the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries
Total: 16 km
Border countries: (1) Sint Maarten 16 km

Coastline: 58.9 km (for entire island)

Climate: temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity gentle trade winds brief intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November

Elevation
Mean elevation: NA
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m: highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m

Natural resources: salt

Natural hazards: subject to hurricanes from July to November

Geography
Note: the southern border is shared with Sint Maarten a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; together these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world shared by two self-governing states

Population
Distribution: most of the population is found along the coast with a largest concentrations around the capital Marigot Orleans and Grand-Case: 32,125 (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 216

Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) black Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia) white East Indian

Languages: French (official) English Dutch French Patois Spanish Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)

Religions: Roman Catholic Jehovah's Witness Protestant Hindu

Age structure
0-14 years: 26.22%
15-24 years: 10.35%
25-54 years: 46.67%
55-64 years: 8.74%
65 years and over: 8.02% (2017 est.)

Median age
Total: 32.5 years
Male: 31.6 years
Female: 33.4 years
Rank: 98

Population distribution: most of the population is found along the coast with a largest concentrations around the capital Marigot Orleans and Grand-Case

Environment
Current issues: freshwater supply is dependent on desalination of sea water

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male/female
25-54 years: 0.91 male/female
55-64 years: 0.87 male/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male/female
Total population: 0.93 male/female

Major infectious diseases
Note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country ; it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex via blood transfusion or during pregnancy in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)

Country name
Conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
Conventional short form: Saint Martin
Local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Martin
Local short form: Saint-Martin
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

Capital
Name: Marigot
Geographical coordinates: 18 04 N 63 05 W
Time difference: UTC-4

Independence: none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday: Fete de la Federation 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)

Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French civil law

Citizenship: see France

Suffrage: 18 years of age universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON ; represented by Prefect Anne LAUBIES (since 8 June 2015)
Head of government: President of Territorial Council Daniel GIBBS
Cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic social and cultural council
Electionsappointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council elected by its members for a 5-year term; election last held on 17 April 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
Election results: Aline HANSON elected president; Territorial Council vote - NA

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Territorial Council ; Saint Martin elects 1 member to the French Senate and one member (shared with Saint Barthelemy) to the French National Assembly
Elections: Territorial Council - last held on 18 and 25 March 2017:
Election results: Territorial Council - percent of vote by party - TDG 49.1% MJP 13.7% MVP 12.3% HOPE 8.7% Continuons pour Saint-Martin 6.5% other 9.7%; seats by party - NA; percent of vote by party (second round) - TDG 64.3% MJP 24.2% MVP 11.5.5%; seats by party - TDG 18 MJP 4 MVP 1

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas collectivity of France)
From the us: none (overseas collectivity of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

National symbols: brown pelican

National anthem
Name: 'O Sweet Saint Martin's Land'
Lyrics and music: Gerard KEMPS
Note: the song written in 1958 is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island ; as a collectivity of France in addition to the local anthem 'La Marseillaise' remains 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' remains official on the Dutch side (see Netherlands)

Economy overview: The economy of Saint Martin centers on tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. The financial sector is also important to Saint Martin’s economy as it facilitates financial mediation for its thriving tourism sector. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported primarily from Mexico and the US. Saint Martin is reported to have one of the highest per capita income in the Caribbean. As with the rest of the Caribbean Saint Martin’s financial sector is having to deal with losing correspondent banking relationships.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $561.5 million (2005 est.)
Rank: 212

Real gdp per capita: $19,300 (2005 est.)
Rank: 88

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1%
Industry: 15%
Services: 84%

Industries: tourism light industry and manufacturing heavy industry

Labor force: 17,300 (2008 est.)
Rank: 214
By occupation: 85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry

Imports
Commodities: crude petroleum food manufactured items

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 3,194
Access electrification total population: 91%
Access electrification urban areas: 100%
Access electrification rural areas: 80%

Telephone system
General assessment: fully integrated access
Domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
International: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe

Broadcast media: 1 local TV station; access to about 20 radio stations including RFO Guadeloupe radio broadcasts via repeater (2008)

Internet
Country code: .mf; note - .gp the Internet country code for Guadeloupe and .fr the Internet country code for France might also be encountered
Users total: 1100
Users percent of population: 3.5%

Airports: 1 (2013)
Rank: 233
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1