Sint Maarten

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

name: Philipsburg geographic coordinates: 18 1 N, 63 2 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: founded and named in 1763 by John PHILIPS, a Scottish captain in the Dutch navy

chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor Ajamu G. BALY (since 10 October 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Luc MERCELINA (since 3 May 2024) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the governor 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

legislature name: Parliament of Sint Maarten legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 15 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 1/11/2024 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% expected date of next election: 2028

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

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) 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

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

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

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))

$1.986 billion (2024 est.) $1.919 billion (2023 est.) $1.849 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$45,800 (2024 est.) $44,900 (2023 est.) $43,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.5% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 9.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

2.2% (2017 est.) 0.1% (2016 est.) 0.3% (2015 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

$1.504 billion (2023 est.) $1.375 billion (2022 est.) $790.938 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$1.489 billion (2023 est.) $1.32 billion (2022 est.) $1.003 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

tourism, light industry

sugar

total: 46,738 (2025 est.) male: 23,071 female: 23,667

1.1% (2025 est.)

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.)

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

total population: 79.7 years (2024 est.) male: 77.4 years female: 82.2 years

urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est. 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: data represent population by country of birth

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.)

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.)

fish, salt

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/

1 (2025)

total subscriptions: 86,542 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 205 (2022 est.)

percent of population: 89.5% (2022)