Saint Martin (2008)

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Saint Martin 2008 year


Airports	1
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1
Area	total: 54.4 sq km land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL
Area - comparative	more than one-third the size of Washington, DC
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 St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane introduced 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 St. Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity.
Capital	name: Marigot geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight savings: +1 hour
Climate	temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season
Coastline	58.9 km (for entire island)
Constitution	4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name	conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin
Dependency status	overseas collectivity of France
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas collectivity of France)
Economy - overview	The economy of Saint Martin centers around 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. 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 United States. Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean.
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m
Environment - current issues	fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water
Ethnic groups	creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian
Exchange rates	euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007) head of government: President of the Territorial Council Louis-Constant FLEMING (since 16 July 2007) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Louis-Constant FLEMING unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007
Flag description	the flag of France is used
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000)
Geographic coordinates	18 05 N, 63 57 W
Geography - note	the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the World shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten
Imports - commodities	crude petroleum, food, manufactured items
Imports - partners	US, Mexico (2006)
Independence	none (overseas collectivity of France)
Industries	tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry
International organization participation	UPU
Labor force - by occupation	85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry
Land boundaries	total: 15 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km
Languages	French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)
Legal system	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch	unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%, Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir Saint-Martin 1
Location	island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of France
National holiday	Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)
Natural resources	salt
Political parties and leaders	Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET]
Population	33,102 (October 2004 census)
Radio broadcast stations	FM 3 (2007)
Religions	Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu
Suffrage	18 years of age, universal
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 Gudaloupe
Transportation - note	nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten

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