Back to countries

Saint Martin

Code: RN | Region: Central America N Caribbean

Introduction

Background

text

Christopher COLUMBUS claimed Saint Martin for Spain in 1493, naming it after the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, but it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 to exploit its salt deposits. The Spanish retook Saint Martin in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. The border frequently fluctuated over the next 200 years because of friction between the two countries, with the French eventually holding the greater portion of the island (about 61%). <br><br>The cultivation of sugarcane introduced African slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939, and the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of Saint Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe, and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2010, the southern Dutch portion of the island became the independent nation of Sint Maarten within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Saint Martin, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Geography

Location

text

Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; French part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Saint Martin lies east of the US Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates

text

18 05 N, 63 57 W

Map references

text

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total

text

50 sq km

land

text

50 sq km

water

text

negligible

Area - comparative

text

more than one-third the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries

total

text

16 km

border countries

text

Sint Maarten 16 km

Coastline

text

58.9 km (for entire island)

Climate

text

temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November

Elevation

highest point

text

Pic du Paradis 424 m

lowest point

text

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources

text

salt

Land use

agricultural land

text

0% (2022 est.)

forest

text

24.8% (2022 est.)

other

text

75.2% (2022 est.)

Population distribution

text

most of the population is found along the coast, with the largest concentration around the capital of Marigot, as well as Orleans and Grand-Case

Natural hazards

text

subject to hurricanes from July to November

Geography - note

text

<strong>note 1:</strong> the southern border is shared with Sint Maarten, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; together, these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world that is shared by two self-governing states<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> Simpson Bay Lagoon (aka Simson Bay Lagoon or The Great Pond) is one of the largest inland lagoons in the West Indies; the border between the French and Dutch halves of the island runs across the center of the lagoon, which is shared by both of the island's entities

People and Society

Population

total

text

33,093 (2025 est.)

male

text

15,825

female

text

17,268

Ethnic groups

text

Creole (Mulatto), Black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asian), White, East Indian, other

Languages

Languages

text

French (official), Dutch, English, Guadeloupian Creole, Haitian Creole, Italian, Martiniquan Creole, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles), Spanish

major-language sample(s)

text

<br>The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

text

Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu

Age structure

0-14 years

text

24.7% (male 4,039/female 4,100)

15-64 years

text

64.5% (male 10,216/female 11,068)

65 years and over

text

10.8% (2024 est.) (male 1,536/female 2,037)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio

text

55.4 (2025 est.) N

youth dependency ratio

text

38 (2025 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

text

17.4 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

text

5.7 (2025 est.)

Median age

total

text

34.3 years (2025 est.)

male

text

33.4 years

female

text

34.9 years

Population growth rate

text

0.29% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

text

13.78 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

text

4.83 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

text

-6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

text

most of the population is found along the coast, with the largest concentration around the capital of Marigot, as well as Orleans and Grand-Case

Sex ratio

at birth

text

1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years

text

0.99 male(s)/female

15-64 years

text

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over

text

0.75 male(s)/female

total population

text

0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total

text

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male

text

7.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female

text

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population

text

81 years (2024 est.)

male

text

78 years

female

text

84.2 years

Total fertility rate

text

1.8 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

text

0.88 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total

text

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban

text

urban: 0% of population

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

text

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

text

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

text

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

text

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

text

3.9% of GDP (2023 est.) NA

Education expenditure (% national budget)

text

23% national budget (2023 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

text

waste management; salinity intrusions; limited freshwater resources; over-exploitation of marine resources (reef fisheries, coral, and shell); water pollution and damage to coral reefs from boats

Climate

text

temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November

Land use

agricultural land

text

0% (2022 est.)

forest

text

24.8% (2022 est.)

other

text

75.2% (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

text

15,500 tons (2024 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form

text

Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin

conventional short form

text

Saint Martin

local long form

text

Collectivit&eacute; d'outre mer de Saint-Martin

local short form

text

Saint-Martin

etymology

text

explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours during a visit on 11 November 1493, the saint's feast day

Government type

text

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France

Dependency status

text

overseas collectivity of France

note

<strong>note:</strong> the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU

Capital

name

text

Marigot

geographic coordinates

text

18 04 N, 63 05 W

time difference

text

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology

text

the name is taken from the French word <em>marigot</em>, meaning "backwater" or "swampy area;" it probably comes from the original fishing village's location next to a water-logged area on a lagoon

Legal system

text

French civil law

Constitution

history

text

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

amendment process

text

amendment procedures of France's constitution apply

Citizenship

text

see France

Suffrage

text

18 years of age, universal

Executive branch

chief of state

text

President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Cyrille LE VELY (since 10 February 2025)

head of government

text

President of Territorial Council Louis MUSSINGTON (since 3 April 2022)

cabinet

text

Executive Council, as well as an advisory economic, social, and cultural council

election/appointment process

text

French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council elected by its members for a 5-year term

most recent election date

text

3 April 2022

election results

text

<br><em>2022:</em> Louis MUSSINGTON (RSM) elected president; Territorial Council vote - unanimous<em><br><br><em>2017: </em></em>Daniel Gibbs (UD) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 18 of 23 votes

expected date of next election

text

2027

Legislative branch

legislature name

text

Territorial Council

legislative structure

text

unicameral

number of seats

text

23 (directly elected)

electoral system

text

plurality/majority

scope of elections

text

full renewal

term in office

text

5 years

most recent election date

text

3/27/2022

parties elected and seats per party

text

RSM and Alternative (16); UD (5); HOPE, Saint Martin with You, and Future Saint Martin (2)

percentage of women in chamber

text

43.5%

expected date of next election

text

March 2027

note

<strong>note:</strong> 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy (shared with Saint Barthelemy) is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a 5-year term

Political parties

text

Alternative<br>Future Saint Martin (Avenir Saint Martin)<br>Generation Hope or HOPE<br>Rassemblement Saint-Martinois or RSM (formerly Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP)<br>Saint Martin with You<br>Union for Democracy or UD

Diplomatic representation in the US

text

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

text

none (overseas collectivity of France)

International organization participation

text

ACS (associate), UPU

Independence

text

none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday

text

Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> local holiday is Schoelcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848), as well as St. Martin's Day, 11 November (1985); the latter holiday celebrated on both halves of the island<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, France's national celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are <em>la Fête nationale</em> (National Holiday) and <em>le Quatorze Juillet</em> (14th of July)

Flag

text

the flag of France is used

National symbol(s)

text

brown pelican

National anthem(s)

title

text

"La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)

lyrics/music

text

Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle

history

text

official anthem, as a French collectivity

Economy

Economic overview

text

high-income French Caribbean territorial economy; extremely reliant on tourism, with severe COVID-19 impacts; near-total destruction from Hurricane Irma in 2017; some offshore banking; import-dependent; duty-free commerce; yachting destination

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2021

text

4.9% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

text

-12.5% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

text

6.5% (2019 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

GDP (official exchange rate)

text

$649.206 million (2021 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Industries

text

tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry

Exports - partners

text

United States 35%, Netherlands 26%, Antigua and Barbuda 21%, France 10% (2019)

Exports - commodities

text

gold, special use vessels, furniture, scrap aluminum, rum (2019)

note

top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

text

United States 76%, Netherlands 7%, France 7% (2019)

Imports - commodities

text

jewelry, diamonds, pearls, recreational boats, cars (2019)

Exchange rates

Currency

text

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

text

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

text

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

text

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

text

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

text

0.876 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population

text

100% (2022 est.)

Communications

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions

text

68,840 (2012 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

196 (2012 est.)

Broadcast media

text

1 local TV station; access to about 20 radio stations, including RFO Guadeloupe radio broadcasts via repeater

Internet country code

text

.mf

note

<strong>note:</strong> .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, are also used

Internet users

percent of population

text

48.5% (2022 est.)

Transportation

Airports

text

1 (2025)

Military and Security

Military and security forces

text

no regular military forces; Ministry of Justice: Police Force of Sint Maaten (Korps Politie Sint Marteen, KPSM) (2025)

Military - note

text

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

text

156 (2024 est.)