Sint Maarten

.sx; note - IANA has designated .sx for Sint Maarten, but has not yet assigned it to a sponsoring organization

total: 39,089 (2022) percent of population: 89.5% (2022)

general assessment: generally adequate facilities; growth sectors include mobile telephone and data segments; effective competition; LTE expansion; tourism and telecom sector contribute greatly to the GDP (2018) domestic: 196 per 100 mobile-cellular teledensity (2012) international: country code - 1-721; landing points for SMPR-1 and the ECFS submarine cables providing connectivity to the Caribbean; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

total subscriptions: 68,840 (2012 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 196 (2012 est.)

sugar

-$294.32 million (2021 est.) -$290.458 million (2020 est.) -$165.039 million (2019 est.)

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

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2021 est.) 1.79 (2020 est.) 1.79 (2019 est.) 1.79 (2018 est.) 1.79 (2017 est.)

$787.981 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $527.044 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $1.091 billion (2019 est.)

sugar

$304.1 million (2014 est.)

agriculture: 0.4% (2008 est.) industry: 18.3% (2008 est.) services: 81.3% (2008 est.)

$992.658 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $760.824 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $1.237 billion (2019 est.)

tourism, light industry

2.19% (2017 est.) 0.7% (2009 est.)

23,200 (2008 est.)

agriculture: 1.1% industry: 15.2% services: 83.7% (2008 est.)

$1.44 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars $1.436 billion (2018 est.) $1.538 billion (2017 est.)

-6.6% (2018 est.) -5.8% (2017 est.) 1.9% (2012 est.)

$35,300 (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars $35,342 (2018 est.) $37,914 (2017 est.)

12% (2012 est.) 10.6% (2008 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2021)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

10,440 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

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

scarcity of potable water (increasing percentage provided by desalination); inadequate solid waste management; pollution from construction, chemical runoff, and sewage harms reefs

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

total: 34 sq km land: 34 sq km water: 0 sq km note: Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin

one-fifth the size of Washington, DC

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: Mount Flagstaff 383 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

18 4 N, 63 4 W

note 1: 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 note 2: Simpson Bay Lagoon (aka as 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 by both of the island's entities

total: 16 km border countries (1): Saint Martin (France) 16 km

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

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

subject to hurricanes from July to November

fish, salt

most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg), followed closely by Cul de Sac

low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: Sint Maarten is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Curacao

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

see the Netherlands

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) amendments: 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

conventional long form: Country of Sint Maarten conventional short form: Sint Maarten local long form: Land Sint Maarten (Dutch)/ Country of Sint Maarten (English) local short form: Sint Maarten (Dutch and English) former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies 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

constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

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)

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 Silveria JACOBS (since 28 March 2020) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the governor elections/appointments: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party usually elected prime minister by Parliament

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

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

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); note - prior to 2010, the Joint Court of Justice was the Common Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba 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

description: unicameral Parliament of Sint Maarten (15 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held 9 January 2020 (next to be held on 11 January 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - NA 35.2%, UP 24.2%, US Party 13.2%, PFP 10.6%, UD 8.7%, other 8.1%; seats by party - NA 6, UP 4, PFP 2, US Party 2, UD 1

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)

King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday; local holiday Sint Maarten's Day, 11 November (1985), commemorates the discovery of the island by COLUMBUS on Saint Martin's Day, 11 November 1493; celebrated on both halves of the island

brown pelican, yellow sage (flower); national colors: red, white, blue

National Alliance or NA [Silveria JACOBS] Party for Progress or PFP [Melissa GUMBS] Sint Maarten Christian Party or SMCP [Garcia ARRINDELL] United Democrats Party or UD [Sarah WESCOT-WILLIAMS] United People's Party or UP [Theodore HEYLIGER] United Sint Maarten Party or US Party [Frans RICHARDSON]

18 years of age; universal

Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and began exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island of Saint Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. 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 October 2010. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing. The UN estimated the storm destroyed or damaged 90% of the buildings, and Princess Juliana International Airport was heavily damaged and closed to commercial air traffic for five weeks.

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

no regular military forces; Police Department for local law enforcement, 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)) (2023)

0-14 years: 18.52% (male 4,379/female 4,082) 15-64 years: 67.18% (male 15,157/female 15,530) 65 years and over: 14.29% (2023 est.) (male 3,019/female 3,510)

12.4 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

NA

NA

NA

6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

total dependency ratio: 27.2 youth dependency ratio: 14.9 elderly dependency ratio: 12.3 potential support ratio: 8.1 (2021)

improved: total: 95.1% of population unimproved: total: 4.9% of population (2017)

NA

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

0.97 (2023 est.)

total: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.) male: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7 deaths/1,000 live births

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.)

total population: 79.5 years (2023 est.) male: 77.2 years female: 82 years

total population: NA male: NA female: NA

1,327 PHILIPSBURG (capital) (2011)

total: 41.1 years (2023 est.) male: 39.3 years female: 42.8 years

5.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

NA

45,677 (2023 est.)

most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg), followed closely by Cul de Sac

1.19% (2023 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.)

improved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 98.8% of population unimproved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 1.2% of population (2017)

total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2014)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 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 total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

1.98 children born/woman (2023 est.)

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

non identified

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 was downgraded to Tier 3; officials took some steps to address trafficking, including investigating a potential trafficking case; however, the government did not report prosecuting or convicting any traffickers nor identify any victims for the second consecutive year; Sint Maarten was not equipped to provide services to trafficking victims due to its lack of shelters, funding, and formal arrangements with service providers; the government did not update its national action plan, which expired in 2018, and interagency coordination was severely lacking; officials consistently conflated human trafficking with migrant smuggling (2022) trafficking profile: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Sint Maarten; some brothel and dance club owners exploit women and girls from Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Russia in sex trafficking; women from Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela are especially vulnerable to sex trafficking in Sint Maarten; government officials report a significant number of migrant workers are vulnerable to coercive schemes in domestic service, construction, Chinese national-owned markets, retail shops, food service, landscaping, and housekeeping; criminals, including smugglers, subject migrants specifically Cuban and Brazilian nationals who transit Sint Maarten en route to the United States and Canada to forced labor or sex trafficking; traffickers may exploit, under false pretenses, Colombian and Venezuelan women traveling to the islands in forced labor or sex trafficking (2022)

1 (2021)

1 note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the typical length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

major seaport(s): Philipsburg oil terminal(s): Coles Bay oil terminal

total: 53 km