Saint Martin (2007) | Jan Mayen (2003) | |
Airports | 1 | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 54.4 sq km
land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL |
total: 373 sq km
land: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | more than one-third the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than twice 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 desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth. |
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 | arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog |
Coastline | 58.9 km (for entire island) | 124.1 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: Jan Mayen |
Dependency status | - | territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service |
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. | Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island. |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m |
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 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 | 71 00 N, 8 00 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 | barren volcanic island with some moss and grass |
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 | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000) |
Irrigated land | - | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
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% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
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 | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | - | contiguous zone: 10 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM 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 | - | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 |
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) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | FM 3 (2007) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998) |
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 island, partly covered by glaciers |
Transportation - note | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten | - |
Waterways | - | none |