Tromelin Island (2002) | Saint Martin (2007) | |
Airports | 1 (2001) | 1 |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
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Area | total: 1 sq km
land: 1 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 54.4 sq km
land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL |
Area - comparative | about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | more than one-third the size of Washington, DC |
Background | First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station. | 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 | tropical | temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season |
Coastline | 3.7 km | 58.9 km (for entire island) |
Constitution | - | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tromelin Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Tromelin |
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 | possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | claimed by Madagascar and Mauritius | - |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | 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: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | 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 - 0.7964 (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 |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | the flag of France is used |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 1%
industry: 15% services: 84% (2000) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 52 S, 54 25 E | 18 05 N, 63 57 W |
Geography - note | climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises) | 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 |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | - | 85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (1998 est.) |
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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 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 | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar | island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
- |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | 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 hazards | NA | - |
Natural resources | fish | 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 | uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July 2002 est.) | 33,102 (October 2004 census) |
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 |
Terrain | low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic | - |
Transportation - note | - | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten |
Waterways | none | - |