Broadcast media [time series]

1 local TV station; access to about 20 radio stations, including RFO Guadeloupe radio broadcasts via repeater

Internet country code [time series]

.mf note: .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, are also used

Internet users [time series]

percent of population: 48.5% (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

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

Economic overview [time series]

high-income French Caribbean territorial economy; extremely reliant on tourism, with severe COVID-19 impacts; near-total destruction from Hurricane Irma in 2017; some offshore banking; import-dependent; duty-free commerce; yachting destination

Exchange rates [time series]

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

gold, special use vessels, furniture, scrap aluminum, rum (2019) top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners [time series]

United States 35%, Netherlands 26%, Antigua and Barbuda 21%, France 10% (2019)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$649.206 million (2021 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports - commodities [time series]

jewelry, diamonds, pearls, recreational boats, cars (2019)

Imports - partners [time series]

United States 76%, Netherlands 7%, France 7% (2019)

Industries [time series]

tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry

Real GDP growth rate [time series]

4.9% (2021 est.) -12.5% (2020 est.) 6.5% (2019 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Electricity access [time series]

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Climate [time series]

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

Environmental issues [time series]

waste management; salinity intrusions; limited freshwater resources; over-exploitation of marine resources (reef fisheries, coral, and shell); water pollution and damage to coral reefs from boats

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 24.8% (2022 est.) other: 75.2% (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling [time series]

municipal solid waste generated annually: 15,500 tons (2024 est.)

Area [time series]

total : 50 sq km land: 50 sq km water: negligible

Area - comparative [time series]

more than one-third the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

58.9 km (for entire island)

Elevation [time series]

highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates [time series]

18 05 N, 63 57 W

Geography - note [time series]

note 1: the southern border is shared with Sint Maarten, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; together, these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world that is shared by two self-governing states note 2: 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 runs across the center of the lagoon, which is shared by both of the island's entities

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 16 km border countries (1): Sint Maarten 16 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 24.8% (2022 est.) other: 75.2% (2022 est.)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; French part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Saint Martin lies east of the US Virgin Islands

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Natural hazards [time series]

subject to hurricanes from July to November

Natural resources [time series]

salt

Population distribution [time series]

most of the population is found along the coast, with the largest concentration around the capital of Marigot, as well as Orleans and Grand-Case

Capital [time series]

name: Marigot geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is taken from the French word marigot , meaning "backwater" or "swampy area;" it probably comes from the original fishing village's location next to a water-logged area on a lagoon

Citizenship [time series]

see France

Constitution [time series]

history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendment process: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivit d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours during a visit on 11 November 1493, the saint's feast day

Dependency status [time series]

overseas collectivity of France note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Cyrille LE VELY (since 10 February 2025) head of government: President of Territorial Council Louis MUSSINGTON (since 3 April 2022) cabinet: Executive Council, as well as 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 French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council elected by its members for a 5-year term most recent election date: 3 April 2022 election results: 2022: Louis MUSSINGTON (RSM) elected president; Territorial Council vote - unanimous 2017: Daniel Gibbs (UD) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 18 of 23 votes expected date of next election: 2027

Flag [time series]

the flag of France is used

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France

Independence [time series]

none (overseas collectivity of France)

International organization participation [time series]

ACS (associate), UPU

Legal system [time series]

French civil law

Legislative branch [time series]

legislature name: Territorial Council legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 23 (directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/27/2022 parties elected and seats per party: RSM and Alternative (16); UD (5); HOPE, Saint Martin with You, and Future Saint Martin (2) percentage of women in chamber: 43.5% expected date of next election: March 2027 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 Barthelemy) is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a 5-year term

National anthem(s) [time series]

title: "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land" lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS history: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides) _____ title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille) lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle history: official anthem, as a French collectivity

National holiday [time series]

F te de la F d ration, 14 July (1790) note 1: local holiday is Schoelcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848), as well as St. Martin's Day, 11 November (1985); the latter holiday celebrated on both halves of the island note 2: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, France's national celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la F te nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July)

National symbol(s) [time series]

brown pelican

Political parties [time series]

Alternative Future Saint Martin (Avenir Saint Martin) Generation Hope or HOPE Rassemblement Saint-Martinois or RSM (formerly Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP) Saint Martin with You Union for Democracy or UD

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age, universal

Background [time series]

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 French eventually holding the greater portion of the island (about 61%). The cultivation of sugarcane 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, and 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. In 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.

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of France

Military and security forces [time series]

no regular military forces; Ministry of Justice: Police Force of Sint Maaten (Korps Politie Sint Marteen, KPSM) (2025)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 24.7% (male 4,039/female 4,100) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 10,216/female 11,068) 65 years and over: 10.8% (2024 est.) (male 1,536/female 2,037)

Birth rate [time series]

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

Death rate [time series]

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

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 55.4 (2025 est.) N youth dependency ratio: 38 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 17.4 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 5.7 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

total: 100% of population urban: 0% of population

Education expenditure [time series]

3.9% of GDP (2023 est.) NA 23% national budget (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Creole (Mulatto), Black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asian), White, East Indian, other

Gross reproduction rate [time series]

0.88 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages [time series]

French (official), Dutch, English, Guadeloupian Creole, Haitian Creole, Italian, Martiniquan Creole, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles), Spanish major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 81 years (2024 est.) male: 78 years female: 84.2 years

Median age [time series]

total: 34.3 years (2025 est.) male: 33.4 years female: 34.9 years

Net migration rate [time series]

-6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population [time series]

total: 33,093 (2025 est.) male: 15,825 female: 17,268

Population distribution [time series]

most of the population is found along the coast, with the largest concentration around the capital of Marigot, as well as Orleans and Grand-Case

Population growth rate [time series]

0.29% (2025 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu

Sanitation facility access [time series]

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.8 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees: 156 (2024 est.)

Airports [time series]

1 (2025)