Saint Martin (2007) | Bouvet Island (2001) | |
Airports | 1 | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 |
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Area | total: 54.4 sq km
land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL |
total:
58.5 sq km land: 58.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | more than one-third the size of Washington, DC | about 0.3 times 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. | This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825 when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island. |
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 |
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Climate | temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season | antarctic |
Coastline | 58.9 km (for entire island) | 29.6 km |
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 |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Bouvet Island |
Dependency status | - | territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | - |
Disputes - international | - | none |
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. | no economic activity; declared a nature reserve |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m |
lowest point:
South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water | NA |
Ethnic groups | creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian | - |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) | - |
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 |
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Flag description | the flag of France is used | the flag of Norway is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 15% services: 84% (2000) |
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Geographic coordinates | 18 05 N, 63 57 W | 54 26 S, 3 24 E |
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 | covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve |
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 | - |
Irrigated land | - | 0 sq km (1993) |
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 |
0 km |
Land use | - | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) |
Languages | French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles) | - |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | the laws of Norway, 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 |
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Location | island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico | Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | - | territorial sea:
4 NM |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of Norway |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848) | - |
Natural hazards | - | NA |
Natural resources | salt | none |
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) | uninhabited (July 2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none; offshore anchorage only |
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 |
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Terrain | - | volcanic; maximum elevation about 800 m; coast is mostly inaccessible |
Transportation - note | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten | - |
Waterways | - | none |