Saint Martin (2007) | Holy See (Vatican City) (2007) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none |
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 |
total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | more than one-third the size of Washington, DC | about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in 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. | Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the Middle East, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. |
Budget | - | revenues: $247 million
expenditures: $243 million (2005) |
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 |
name: Vatican City
geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) |
Coastline | 58.9 km (for entire island) | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929) |
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: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | chief of mission: Ambassador Francis ROONEY
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 |
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. | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world; by the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | - | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Electricity - production | - | NA kWh |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m |
lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Climate Change
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
Ethnic groups | creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian | Italians, Swiss, other |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) | 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 |
chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE (since 15 September 2006) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white band |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 15% services: 84% (2000) |
- |
Geographic coordinates | 18 05 N, 63 57 W | 41 54 N, 12 27 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 | landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence) |
Imports | - | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Imports - commodities | crude petroleum, food, manufactured items | - |
Imports - partners | US, Mexico (2006) | - |
Independence | none (overseas collectivity of France) | 11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century |
Industries | tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry | printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities |
International organization participation | UPU | CE (observer), CPLP (associate), IAEA, IOM (observer), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO (observer), UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer) |
Irrigated land | - | 0 sq km |
Judicial branch | - | there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946 |
Labor force | - | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | 85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry | note: essentially services with a small amount of industry; dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican |
Land boundaries | total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km |
total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
Land use | - | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005) |
Languages | French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles) | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it |
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 |
unicameral Pontifical Commission |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
Location | island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | - | none (landlocked) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard |
Military branches | - | Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848) | Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005) |
Nationality | - | noun: none
adjective: none |
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] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) |
Population | 33,102 (October 2004 census) | 821 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0% (2007 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | FM 3 (2007) | AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004) |
Religions | Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu | Roman Catholic |
Suffrage | 18 years of age, universal | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old |
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 |
general assessment: automatic digital exchange
domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network international: country code - 39; uses Italian system |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 5,120 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (2005) |
Terrain | - | urban; low hill |
Transportation - note | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten | - |