Sint Maarten

Christopher COLUMBUS claimed Saint Martin for Spain in 1493, naming it after the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, but it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 to exploit its salt deposits. The Spanish retook Saint Martin in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. The border frequently fluctuated over the next 200 years because of friction between the two countries, with the Dutch eventually holding the smaller portion of the island (about 39%) and adopting the Dutch spelling of the island's name for their territory. <br><br>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 in 2010. In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Land

34 sq km

Note

<strong>note:</strong> Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin

Total

34 sq km

Water

0 sq km

one-fifth the size of Washington, D.C.

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

58.9 km (for entire island)

Highest point

250 m SW of Mount Flagstaff summit, 383 m

Lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

18 4 N, 63 4 W

<strong>note 1:</strong> 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 that is shared by two self-governing states<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> Simpson Bay Lagoon (aka, 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

Border countries

Saint Martin (France) 16 km

Total

16 km

Agricultural land

0% (2022 est.)

Forest

10.9% (2022 est.)

Other

89.1% (2022 est.)

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

Central America and the Caribbean

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

subject to hurricanes from July to November

fish, salt

the most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg) and Cul de Sac

low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin

0-14 years

18.4% (male 4,409/female 4,114)

15-64 years

66.3% (male 15,158/female 15,496)

65 years and over

15.2% (2024 est.) (male 3,250/female 3,788)

12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio

24.7 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

4.1 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

52.8 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

28.1 (2025 est.)

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

<strong>note:</strong>  data represent population by country of birth

0.96 (2025 est.)

Female

6.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

8.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

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.)

Female

82.2 years

Male

77.4 years

Total population

79.7 years (2024 est.)

1,327 PHILIPSBURG (capital) (2011)

Female

42.8 years

Male

39 years

Total

40.8 years (2025 est.)

5.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Female

23,667

Male

23,071

Total

46,738 (2025 est.)

1.1% (2025 est.)

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.)

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 (2024 est.)

1.96 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

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

Urban population

100% of total population (2023)

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)

see the Netherlands

Amendment process

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)

Conventional long form

Country of Sint Maarten

Conventional short form

Sint Maarten

Etymology

explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493 after Saint MARTIN of Tours because he visited on 11 November, 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)

one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

note

<strong>note: </strong>the other three constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Curacao

Embassy

the US does not have an embassy in Sint Maarten; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Sint Maarten

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

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)

Election/appointment process

the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party as prime minister

Head of government

Prime Minister Luc MERCELINA (since 3 May 2024)

<strong>description:</strong> two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and blue, with a white isosceles triangle based on the left side; the national coat of arms is in the center of the triangle, with an orange-bordered blue shield that displays the white courthouse in Philipsburg, as well as yellow sage (the national flower) in the upper left and the silhouette of a Dutch-French friendship monument in the upper right; over the shield is a yellow rising sun and a brown pelican in flight; a yellow scroll below the shield has the motto SEMPER PROGREDIENS (Always Progressing)

note

<strong>note:</strong> the flag resembles Philippines' flag, but with the red and blue bands reversed; the three main colors are the same as the Dutch flag

<p>parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy</p>

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Caricom (observer), ILO, Interpol, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO

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

Judge selection and term of office

Joint Court judges appointed by the monarch serve for life

Subordinate courts

Courts in First Instance

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

Electoral system

proportional representation

Expected date of next election

2028

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Parliament&nbsp;of Sint Maarten

Most recent election date

1/11/2024

Number of seats

15 (directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

NA (4); UPP (3); URSM (2); DP (2); PFP (2); NOW (2)

Percentage of women in chamber

46.7%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

red, white, blue

King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967)

note

<strong>note:</strong> observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday; local holiday is Sint Maarten's Day, 11 November (1985), and is celebrated on both halves of the island

<p>brown pelican, yellow sage (flower)</p>

Democratic Party or DP<br>National Alliance or NA<br>National Opportunity Wealth or NOW<br>Party for Progress or PFP<br>Sint Maarten Christian Party or SMCP<br>Unified Resilient St Maarten Movement or URSM<br>United People's Party or UPP<br>United Sint Maarten Party or US Party

18 years of age; universal

sugar

Current account balance 2021

-$311.463 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$56.984 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$116.693 million (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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

Currency

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1.79 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.79 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.79 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.79 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1.79 (2024 est.)

Exports 2021

$790.938 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$1.375 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$1.504 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

scrap iron, ships, jewelry, flavored water, liquor (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Antigua &amp; Barbuda 28%, USA 16%, France 12%, Netherlands 8%, Morocco 7% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Industry

6% (2021 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

89.3% (2021 est.)

$1.735 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports 2021

$1.003 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$1.32 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.489 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

jewelry, refined petroleum, ships, pearl products, diamonds (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

USA 82%, Netherlands 7%, France 4%, Brazil 1%, Switzerland 1% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

0.5% (2021 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

tourism, light industry

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015

0.3% (2015 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

0.1% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

2.2% (2017 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.849 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.919 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.986 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

9.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.8% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.5% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$43,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$44,900 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$45,800 (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

3.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

3.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

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Percent of population

89.5% (2022)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

205 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

86,542 (2022 est.)

1 (2025)

Key ports

Coles Bay Oil Terminal, Philipsburg

Large

0

Medium

0

Ports with oil terminals

1

Small

2

Total ports

2 (2024)

Very small

0

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the KPSM is 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))

no regular military forces; Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM)

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 remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/sint-maarten/

scarcity of potable water; inadequate solid waste management; pollution from construction, chemical runoff, and sewage