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{{Short description|Small island in the Caribbean}} | |||
] (visible color) satellite image of Saint Martin.]] | |||
{{About|the Caribbean island|the French side of the island|Collectivity of Saint Martin|the Dutch side of the island|Sint Maarten|other uses|Saint Martin (disambiguation){{!}}Saint Martin}} | |||
] | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} | |||
{{otheruses}} | |||
{{Infobox islands | |||
'''Saint Martin''' (]: '''Sint Maarten'''; ]: '''Saint-Martin''') is a tropical ] in the northeast ], approximately 240 km (150 miles) east of ]. The ] island is divided roughly in half between ] and the ]; it is the smallest inhabited land mass in the world that is divided between two nations. The southern Dutch half is called '''Sint Maarten''' and is part of the ]; the northern French half is called '''Saint-Martin''' and is part of the French overseas ] and ] of ]. Collectively, the two territories are known as, "St.-Martin/St. Maarten", "St. Martins", or simply, "SXM" (SXM is the ] identifier for ], the island's main airport). Remarkably, neither of the two halves of Saint Martin warrants a separate ] territory code; they are presumably coded as GP (Guadeloupe) and NA (Netherlands Antilles). | |||
| name = Saint Martin | |||
| image_name = Saint Martin map.svg | |||
| image_caption = | |||
| image_size = | |||
| map_image = Saint Martin in its region.svg | |||
| map_caption = | |||
| native_name = {{native name|nl|Sint Maarten}}<br />{{native name|fr|Saint-Martin}} | |||
| native_name_link = | |||
| nickname = ''The Friendly Island'' | |||
| location = Caribbean | |||
| coordinates = {{Coord|18.06|N|63.05|W|type:isle|display=inline,title}} | |||
| archipelago = ],<br />],<br />], ] | |||
| total_islands = | |||
| major_islands = | |||
| area_km2 = 88 | |||
| length_km = | |||
| width_km = | |||
| highest_mount = ] | |||
| elevation_m = 424 | |||
| country = ] | |||
| country_admin_divisions_title = ] | |||
| country_admin_divisions = ] | |||
| country_capital_and_largest_city = ] | |||
| country_largest_city_population = 5788 | |||
| country_capital_type = settlement | |||
| country_area_km2 = 53<ref name=Saint_Martin_land_area>{{cite web |url=http://www.saint-barth-saint-martin.gouv.fr/content/download/6669/37749/file/3_Note%20M%C3%A9thodologique.pdf |title=Mise à jour du plan de prévention des risques naturels de la collectivité territoriale de Saint-Martin |page=14 |publisher=] |website=Preferecture of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin |access-date=21 February 2022 |language=fr |archive-date=17 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617001339/http://www.saint-barth-saint-martin.gouv.fr/content/download/6669/37749/file/3_Note%20M%C3%A9thodologique.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
| country1 = ]<!-- To avoid confusion with the country "Netherlands" (of which Sint Maarten is not a part), please use the sovereign state "Kingdom of the Netherlands" (of which it is a part) --> | |||
| country1_admin_divisions_title = ] | |||
| country1_admin_divisions = ] | |||
| country1_capital = ] (pop. 1,900) | |||
| country1_largest_city = ] | |||
| country1_largest_city_population = 8,123 | |||
| country1_capital_type = settlement | |||
| country1_area_km2 = 34<ref name=Sint_Maarten_land_area>{{cite web |url=http://stats.sintmaartengov.org/downloads/YearBook/Statistical_Yearbook_2017.pdf |title=Statistical yearbook 2017 |publisher=Department of Statistics, Sint Maarten |access-date=21 February 2022 }}</ref> | |||
| population = 73,777<ref name=Sint_Maarten_population>{{cite web |url=http://stats.sintmaartengov.org/downloads/LFS/Population_Estimates_and_Vital_Statistics_2021.pdf |title=Population Estimates and Vital Statistics 2021 |publisher=Department of Statistics, Sint Maarten |access-date=21 February 2022 |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518222043/http://stats.sintmaartengov.org/downloads/LFS/Population_Estimates_and_Vital_Statistics_2021.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Saint_Martin_population>{{cite web |url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/6013871?sommaire=6011075 |title=Populations légales des collectivités d'outre-mer en 2019 |publisher=] |website=] |access-date=21 February 2022 |language=fr |archive-date=2 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502122241/https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/6013871?sommaire=6011075 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
| population_as_of = Jan. 2019 | |||
| density_km2 = 847 | |||
| demonym = Saint Martiner;<ref name="House of Nehesi Publishers">{{cite news |url=http://houseofnehesipublish.com/sxm/2002/08/29/12th-anniversary-of-st-martins-unity-flag-observed-saturday-on-conscious-lyrics-students-raise-money-for-unity-bumper-stickers/ |title=12th anniversary of St. Martin's "Unity Flag" observed Saturday on Conscious Lyrics; students raise money for unity bumper stickers |publisher=House of Nehesi Publishers |date=29 August 2002 |access-date=8 October 2021 |archive-date=4 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204021804/http://houseofnehesipublish.com/sxm/2002/08/29/12th-anniversary-of-st-martins-unity-flag-observed-saturday-on-conscious-lyrics-students-raise-money-for-unity-bumper-stickers/ |url-status=live }}</ref><br/>{{native name|fr|Saint-Martinois}};<br/>{{native name|nl|Sint Maartener}} | |||
| ethnic_groups = ], ], ], ], ], and mixed | |||
}} | |||
'''Saint Martin''' ({{langx|fr|Saint-Martin}}; {{langx|nl|Sint Maarten}}) is an island in ] of the ] in the northeastern ], approximately {{cvt|300|km|mi}} east of ]. The {{cvt|87|km2|mi2|adj=on}} island is divided roughly 60:40 between the ] ({{cvt|53|km2|mi2|disp=or}})<ref name=Saint_Martin_land_area /> and the ] ({{cvt|34|km2|mi2|disp=or}}),<ref name=Sint_Maarten_land_area /> but the Dutch part is more populated than the French. Divided since 1648, the northern French part comprises the ] and is an ] of the French Republic. The southern Dutch part comprises ] and is one of ] that form the ]. Even though the island is an overseas possession of two ] member states, only the French part of the island is part of the EU.<ref>{{CELEX|id=02016ME/TXT-20240901|text=Consolidated text: Consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Status Caribisch gebied |url=https://netherlands.representation.ec.europa.eu/over-ons/status-caribisch-gebied_nl |access-date=7 December 2023 |website=netherlands.representation.ec.europa.eu |language=nl |archive-date=23 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223063351/https://netherlands.representation.ec.europa.eu/over-ons/status-caribisch-gebied_nl |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
On 1 January 2019, the population of the whole island was 73,777 inhabitants, with 41,177 living on the Dutch side<ref name=Sint_Maarten_population /> and 32,489 on the French side.<ref name=Saint_Martin_population /> Note that the figure for the French side is based on censuses that took place after the devastation of ] in September 2017, whereas the figure for the Dutch side is only a post-censal estimate still based on the 2011 census. The first census since Hurricane Irma on the Dutch side of the island took place in October 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sint Maarten to start population census 2022 {{!}} Loop Caribbean News |url=https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/sint-maarten-start-population-census-2022 |access-date=19 January 2024 |website=Loop News |language=en |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092410/https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/sint-maarten-start-population-census-2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> The population of the island on 1 January 2017, before Hurricane Irma, was 75,869 (40,535 on the Dutch side,<ref name=Sint_Maarten_population /> 35,334 on the French side<ref name=pop_2017>{{cite web |url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4265419?sommaire=4265511 |title=Populations légales des collectivités d'outre-mer en 2017 |publisher=] |website=] |access-date=21 February 2022 |language=fr |archive-date=4 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804001536/https://insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4265419?sommaire=4265511 |url-status=live }}</ref>). | |||
The main towns are ] (French side) and ] (Dutch side). | |||
The island's pre-colonial names include {{lang|awd|Oualichi}} (]an, meaning 'the island of women') and {{lang|crb|Soualiga}} (], meaning 'the island of salt').<ref>{{Cite web |title=St. Martin |work=The Caribbean Pet |url=http://www.thecaribbeanpet.com/st-martin/ |access-date=6 March 2021 |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092255/http://www.thecaribbeanpet.com/st-martin/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=History of St Maarten |url=https://www.visitstmaarten.com/about-st-maarten/history/ |website=Visit St Maarten |access-date=24 August 2024 |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092335/https://www.visitstmaarten.com/about-st-maarten/history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The French part of the island has a land area of 53.20 km² (20.5 sq mi). At the October 2004 supplementary French census, the population in the French part of the island was 33,102 inhabitants (up from only 8,072 inhabitants at the 1982 census, a quadrupling in just 20 years), which means a population density of 622 inh. per km² in 2004. | |||
Collectively, the two territories are known as "Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten", or sometimes "SXM", the ] identifier for ], the island's main airport. St. Martin (the French portion) received the ] code MF in October 2007.<ref>ISO 3166-1 Newsletter. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228075118/http://www.iso.org/iso/newsletter_vi-1.pdf |date=28 December 2016 }}</ref> In 2010, the Dutch part had its status changed to that of a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and was given the code SX.<ref>ISO 3166-1 Newsletter. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160524082102/http://www.iso.org/iso/country_codes/updates_on_iso_3166.htm |date=24 May 2016 }}</ref> | |||
Sint Maarten, the Dutch part of the island, has a land area of 34 km² (13.1 sq mi). At the 2001 Netherlands Antilles census, the population in Sint Maarten was 30,594 inhabitants, which means a population density of 900 inh. per km². In 2004 the population of Sint Maarten was estimated at 33,119 inhabitants. | |||
== |
==Geography== | ||
] | |||
In ], ] embarked on his second voyage to the New World. According to legend, Columbus sighted and perhaps anchored at the island of Saint Martin on ], ], the feast day of Saint ]. In his honor, Columbus named the island San Martin. It is now more commonly known as Sint Maarten (Dutch), Saint-Martin (French), and Saint Martin (English). | |||
Saint Martin has a land area of {{cvt|87|km2}}, {{cvt|53|km2}} of which is under the sovereignty of the French Republic,<ref name=Saint_Martin_land_area /> and {{cvt|34|km2}} under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web |title=Geography St Martin island – locate st martin island in the Caribbean – St Martin west indies sxm – tourism board st martin |url=http://www.stmartinisland.org/destination-st-martin/geography-st-martin.html |website=www.stmartinisland.org-gb |access-date=15 September 2017 |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092400/https://www.st-martin.org/us/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This is the only land ] shared by the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. | |||
The main cities are ] on the Dutch side and ] on the French side. The Dutch side is more heavily populated. The most populous settlement on the entire island is ], which is on the Dutch side. | |||
] | |||
When Columbus sailed these seas, St. Martin was populated, if populated at all, by ] or ] Indians. The Arawaks were subjugated by the warlike Carib Indians from South America a short time before the arrival of the Spanish who followed in Columbus' wake. The English word '']'' is derived from an ] which referred to the Caribs. The Arawaks were a relatively cultured, agricultural people who fashioned pottery and whose social organization was headed by hereditary chieftains who derived their power from personal deities called ''zemis''. The Caribs, on the other hand, concentrated on warfare. They killed and, allegedly, ate the Arawak men, then married the Arawak women. | |||
The highest hilltop is the ] ({{cvt|424|m|disp=comma}}) in the centre of a hill chain on the French side. Both sides are hilly with large mountain peaks. This forms a valley where many houses are located. There are no rivers on the island, but there are many dry gullies. Hiking trails give access to the ] that covers tops and slopes. The 1648 ] was signed on the hill lying on the international border between Marigot and Philipsburg, now known as Mount Concordia, Concordia Hill, or {{lang|fr|Mont des Accords|}}. | |||
The Caribs' territory was not completely conquered until the mid-] when most of them perished in the struggle between the French, English, ], ] and Spanish for control of the ]. The Dutch first began to ply the island's ponds for salt in the ]. Despite the Dutch presence on the island, the Spaniards recaptured St. Martin in ] and one year later built a fort at ] to assert their claim. The Spaniards introduced the first ]s to the area in the ] but the main influx of slaves took place in the ] with the development of ] plantations by the French. Slavery was abolished in the first half of the ], whereupon the British imported Chinese and East Indians to take the place of slaves. Thus, St. Martin and the other islands are peopled by a mixture of Amerindian, African, Asian and European peoples. West Indian cultures such as in St. Martin are, consequently, exceedingly rich and varied, scarcely matched in other parts of the world. | |||
The island is located south of ] and is separated from that British overseas territory by the ]. Saint Martin is northwest of ] and is separated from that French overseas collectivity by the ]. | |||
== Political status == | |||
] | |||
] and the ] agreed to divide the island on ], ]. | |||
Neighbouring islands include ] (French), ] (British), ] (Dutch), ] "Statia" (Dutch), and ] and ] (independent, formerly British). With the exception of Nevis, all of these islands are easily visible on a clear day from St. Martin. | |||
Sint Maarten is officially an "island territory" part of the ], which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands though not in the ]. Its currency is the Antillean ] (however, the ] is widely accepted). A proposed restructuring of the Netherlands Antilles would see Sint Maarten become an independent component of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in its own right. | |||
==History== | |||
Saint-Martin is a French ] part of ], which is an ] and ] of France and is therefore in the ]. The official currency in Saint-Martin is the ] (though the ] is also widely accepted). In 2003 the population of the French part voted in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate ] of France; this has yet to be implemented. | |||
{{Main|History of Saint Martin|French West Indies|Dutch Caribbean}} | |||
] | |||
It is commonly believed that ] named the island in honour of ] when he encountered it on his second voyage of discovery. However, he actually applied the name to the island now called ] when he anchored offshore on 11 November 1493, the feast day of Saint Martin. The confusion of numerous poorly charted small islands in the ] meant that this name was accidentally transferred to the island now known as Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hubbard |first1=Vincent K. |title=A History of St Kitts |date=2002 |publisher=MacMillan Caribbean |isbn=0333747607 |page= |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofstkitts00vinc |url-access=registration }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Morison |first1=Samuel Eliot |title=The European Discovery of America, The Southern Voyages |url=https://archive.org/details/europeandiscover00mori_2 |url-access=registration |date=1974 |publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=-109 }}</ref> | |||
The French commune of Saint-Martin is governed by a mayor and a municipal council elected by the European citizens living on the French side of the island. As is the case in ] since the ] of the ], nationals of any member state of the ] are allowed to vote at the municipal elections. Nationals from countries not part of the European Union, which represent a large part of the population on the French side of the island, are not allowed to vote in the elections. | |||
After jointly reclaiming the island, on 23 March 1648, the ] and the ] agreed to divide the island between their two territories, and created a formal border with the signing of the ]. Later conflicts resulted in 16 border changes over the years, but it has been stable since 1816.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/24/one-island-two-countries/ |title=One Island, Two Countries |date=24 April 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times |author=Frank Jacobs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001162818/http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/24/one-island-two-countries/ |archive-date=1 October 2019 }}</ref><ref name=NewUniversalGeography>{{Cite book |author=Satur Abón Pérez |year=1980 |title=''Nueva Geografía Universal'', Tomo IX, América. (New Universal Geography, Volume IX, America) |page=19 |publisher=Promexa |isbn=978-84-7113-130-0 |oclc=1097733586 }}</ref> The French side has {{convert|21|sqmi|km2}} and the Dutch side, {{convert|16|sqmi|km2}}. | |||
On the other hand, the Dutch island territory of Sint Maarten is ruled by an Island Council, an Executive Council, and a Governor appointed by the Dutch Crown. | |||
] | |||
] | |||
==Politics== | |||
== Culture and tourism == | |||
{{See also|Unification of Saint Martin}} | |||
] | |||
There currently is a movement ] of the island of Saint Martin.<ref name=":0"/> A "Unity Flag" for representing this unification was created in 1990.<ref name="House of Nehesi Publishers"/> | |||
'''Sint Maarten''', the Dutch side, is known for its festive nightlife, fun ]es, and plentiful ]s, while '''Saint-Martin''', the French side, is known more for its world-famous ]es, jewelry and ] ], exotic ]s made with native ]-based ] ]s, and rich French Caribbean cuisine. | |||
Currently, the island is divided into ] (the southern half of the island, part of the ]) and the ] (the northern half of the island, part of France). The island has been divided since the signing of the ] in 1648, which today remains as one of the oldest treaties still in effect. Unification of the island enjoys support from the population of both halves.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=http://houseofnehesipublish.com/sxm/2004/12/25/the-reunification-of-st-martin-a-pipe-dream-or-an-inevitable-choice-by-fabian-adekunle-badejo/ |title=The reunification of St. Martin: A pipe dream or an inevitable choice? |first=Fabian Adekunle |last=Badejo |publisher=House of Nehesi Publishers |date=25 December 2004 |access-date=8 October 2021 |archive-date=8 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008190755/http://houseofnehesipublish.com/sxm/2004/12/25/the-reunification-of-st-martin-a-pipe-dream-or-an-inevitable-choice-by-fabian-adekunle-badejo/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://blog-iacl-aidc.org/constitutionalism-and-pluralism-in-overseas-france/2020/11/12/one-island-two-nations-and-a-european-union-st-martin |title=One island, two nations and a European Union: St. Martin |first1=Gerhard |last1=Hoogers |first2=Gohar |last2=Karapetian |newspaper=IACL-AIDC Blog |date=12 November 2020 |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092300/https://blog-iacl-aidc.org/constitutionalism-and-pluralism-in-overseas-france/2020/11/12/one-island-two-nations-and-a-european-union-st-martin |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The island is served by many major airlines that bring in large jets, including ] ]s and ] ]s, the 2nd largest current Airbus aircraft, carrying tourists from across the world on a daily basis. This fuels the island's largest revenue source, tourism. ] -- which will open a major new terminal in mid-2006 -- is famous for its short ] —only 2,130 metres/7,000 ft, which is barely enough for heavy jets. Because of this, the planes approach the island flying extremely low, right over the beach. Countless photos of large jets flying at 10–20 m/30-60 ft over relaxing tourists at the beach have been dismissed as ] many times, but are nevertheless real . | |||
The Treaty of Concordia allows ] between both parts of the island, which has promoted a common sentiment among the island's inhabitants, although this is also the reason why some see a formal unification as unnecessary. Other arguments against unification of the island are that neither France nor the Netherlands would allow it and that both sides would require full independence to achieve it.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin is home to several world-class accommodations, including hotels, ]s, and ]s, many of which are privately available for rent or sale. Some properties have over 200 rooms, while others have fewer than twenty. Many are located directly on beaches and in upscale shopping districts. Villas pepper the coast, boasting private beaches. Some are private residences, while others are available to affluent renters. | |||
On 31 August 1990, the "Unity Flag" of Saint Martin was adopted at the Preliminary Conference on National Symbols at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, in Sint Maarten. This flag was created to represent the people of both halves of the island and the unification of the latter, and is hoisted today on some houses and sometimes by churches and religious groups in Saint Martin.<ref name="House of Nehesi Publishers"/> In August 2020, when restrictions and controls were added to the ] to contain the ], some protesters against these measures flew this flag with them.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://caribbeannetwork.ntr.nl/2020/08/09/protest-at-saint-martin-border-you-are-basically-blocking-us-from-living/ |title=Protest at Saint Martin border: "you are basically blocking us from living" |first=Jenny |last=Steel |newspaper=Caribbean Network |date=9 August 2020 |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-date=28 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028051002/https://caribbeannetwork.ntr.nl/2020/08/09/protest-at-saint-martin-border-you-are-basically-blocking-us-from-living/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2020, these restrictions were lifted, and people from both sides of the island started chanting "One island, one people, one destiny".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sxminfo.fr/126742/16/09/2020/frontiere-lunification-qui-fait-la-force-pas-que-une-victoire-mais-il-reste-la-crise-sanitaire-a-gerer/ |title=Frontière: L'unification qui fait la force? Pas que... Une victoire mais il reste la "crise" sanitaire à gérer |first=Florent |last=Letuvée |newspaper=sxminfo.fr |date=16 September 2020 |language=fr |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-date=16 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216074823/https://www.sxminfo.fr/126742/16/09/2020/frontiere-lunification-qui-fait-la-force-pas-que-une-victoire-mais-il-reste-la-crise-sanitaire-a-gerer/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
] | |||
Rental cars are the primary mode of transportation for visitors staying on island. The island is served by several well-known agencies. If any driving is expected off the major roads (such as to some of the more secluded beaches), a 4-wheel drive is recommended. Traffic on the island, however, has become a major problem; long traffic jams between Marigot, Philipsburg and the airport are common. | |||
Some notable supporters of this movement include Albert Fleming, former leader of the Collectivity of Saint Martin, who in 2014 stated his support for the unification of the island.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/16223-former-mayor-albert-fleming-calls-for-unification-of-st-martin-north-and-south-with-the-support-of-up-party-candidate-5-josianne-artsen.html |title=Former mayor Albert Fleming calls for unification of St. Martin north and south with the support of UP party candidate #5 Josianne Artsen |newspaper=Saint Martin News Network |date=1 August 2014 |access-date=18 January 2022 |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092402/https://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/16223-former-mayor-albert-fleming-calls-for-unification-of-st-martin-north-and-south-with-the-support-of-up-party-candidate-5-josianne-artsen.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Because the island is located along the ], it is occasionally menaced by tropical storm activity in the late summer and early fall. It is important to monitor local weather information during this time. | |||
==Climate== | |||
The island is widely known for its hundreds of gourmet (and more moderately priced) restaurants on both sides of the island. | |||
Under the ], the island has a ] (Aw)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mindat.org/feature-3578422.html |title=Sain Martin |publisher=mindat.org }}</ref> with a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from August to December.<ref name=meteoan>{{cite web |url=http://www.meteo.an/Climate_Sum.asp |title=Climate Summaries |publisher=Meteorological Department Curaçao |access-date=21 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217171130/http://www.meteo.an/Climate_Sum.asp |archive-date=17 February 2013 }}</ref> The precipitation patterns are due to the movement of the ] during the year.<ref name=meteoan /> With the wind direction predominantly from the east or the northeast, northeasterly trades, temperatures remain stable throughout the year and temperatures rarely exceed {{cvt|34|°C|0}} or fall below {{cvt|20|°C|0}}.<ref name=meteoan /> Temperatures remain steady throughout the year with an average mean temperature of {{cvt|27.2|C|F}}. The average sea temperature is {{cvt|27.2|C|F}} ranging from a low of {{cvt|25.9|C|F}} in February to a high of {{cvt|28.4|C|F}} in October.<ref name=climate>{{cite web |url=http://meteo.cw/Data_www/Climate/documents/CLIM_SUM_SXM.pdf |title=Summary of Climatological Data, Period 1971–2000 |publisher=Meteorological Department Curaçao |access-date=22 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702091351/http://www.meteo.an/Include/Climate2/documents/CLIM_SUM_SXM.pdf |archive-date=2 July 2013 }}</ref> The total average yearly rainfall is {{cvt|1047|mm|in}}, with 142 days of measurable rainfall.<ref name= climate /> Thunderstorms can occasionally occur, with 18 days with thunder per year.<ref name= climate /> Precipitation totals are quite variable from year to year, depending on the number of passing ]s. | |||
Because the island is located within the tropics, it is regularly threatened by ] activity in the late summer and early fall. | |||
Neighboring islands include ] (French), ] (British), ] (Dutch), ] "Statia" (Dutch), ] and ] (Independent, formerly British). With the exception of Nevis, all of these islands are easily visible on a clear day from St. Maarten. | |||
{{Saint Martin weatherbox}} | |||
===Hurricane Irma (2017)=== | |||
== Colleges and universities == | |||
] on 7 September 2017, hours after ] made landfall on the island]] | |||
] (AUC). AUC, founded in 1978, was previously located on ]. Because of the eruption of the ] in ], AUC moved its campus to St. Maarten just in time for ] later that year. A permanent, hurricane-proof campus was completed in ] in ] on the Dutch side. | |||
On 6 September 2017 the island was hit by ] (] at landfall), which caused widespread and significant damage, estimated at $3 billion, to buildings and infrastructure.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Meade |first1=Natalie |title=St. Maarten is still striving to recover from its worst hurricane in a century |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/st-maarten-is-still-striving-to-recover-from-its-worst-hurricane-in-a-century |date=2 March 2018 |magazine=The New Yorker |access-date=26 April 2019 |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092423/https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/st-maarten-is-still-striving-to-recover-from-its-worst-hurricane-in-a-century |url-status=live }}</ref> A total of 11 deaths had been reported as of 9 July 2018.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/08/caribbean-islanders-fear-another-battering-after-irma-wreaks-havoc |title=Caribbean islanders fear another battering after Irma wreaks havoc |first=Caroline |last=Davies |date=8 September 2017 |website=The Guardian |access-date=8 September 2017 |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410040317/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/08/caribbean-islanders-fear-another-battering-after-irma-wreaks-havoc |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/us/destruction-caribbean-irma-florida.html |title=Caribbean Devastated as Irma Heads Toward Florida |first1=Frances |last1=Robles |first2=Kirk |last2=Semple |first3=Vivian |last3=Yee |date=7 September 2017 |work=The New York Times |access-date=8 September 2017 |archive-date=8 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908014430/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/us/destruction-caribbean-irma-florida.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20180907-video-revisited-one-year-after-hurricane-irma-saint-martin-struggles-recover-france-netherl |title=Revisited – Video: One year after Hurricane Irma, St Martin struggles to recover |date=7 September 2018 |website=France 24 |access-date=6 June 2019 }}</ref> France's ], ], said on 8 September 2017 that most of the schools were destroyed on the French half of the island. In addition to damage caused by high winds, there were reports of serious flood damage to businesses in the village of ]. Looting was also a serious problem. Both France and the Netherlands sent aid as well as additional police and emergency personnel to the island.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/latest-irma-weakens-category-storm-49698086 |title=ABC News |website=ABC News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913055232/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/latest-irma-weakens-category-storm-49698086 |archive-date=13 September 2017 }}</ref> '']'' reported that 95% of the structures on the French side and 75% of the structures on the Dutch side were damaged or destroyed.<ref>, ''Washington Post'', 9 September 2017. Accessed 9 September 2017.</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411025016/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/928557/hurricane-irma-destroys-95-of-french-part-of-st-martin-official |date=11 April 2023 }}, ''Agence France-Presse'', 7 September 2017. Accessed 9 September 2017.</ref> | |||
] (USM) in ] (Dutch side). USM is an affiliate of ]. | |||
Some days after the storm had abated, a survey by the Dutch Red Cross estimated that nearly a third of the buildings in Sint Maarten had been destroyed and that over 90 per cent of structures on the island had been damaged.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/third-of-buildings-on-dutch-saint-martin-destroyed/ |title=Third of buildings on Dutch St. Martin destroyed |website=] |date=12 September 2017 |access-date=12 September 2017 |archive-date=9 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221009081357/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/third-of-buildings-on-dutch-saint-martin-destroyed/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ] was extensively damaged but reopened on a partial basis in two days to allow incoming relief flights and for flights that would take evacuees to other islands.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/st-martins-famous-airport-badly-damaged-hurricane-irma/story?id=49684005 |title=St. Martin's famous airport badly damaged by Hurricane Irma |date=7 September 2017 |website=ABC News |access-date=28 June 2020 |archive-date=17 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221217202356/http://abcnews.go.com/International/st-martins-famous-airport-badly-damaged-hurricane-irma/story?id=49684005 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
== See also == | |||
* '']'' (bi-national song/anthem of Saint-Martin/Sint-Maarten ) | |||
* ] (Scouting) | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
==Economy== | |||
== External links == | |||
{{Main|Economy of Saint Martin}} | |||
===Colleges and universities=== | |||
* | |||
* | |||
] estimated that the ] of the French side of Saint Martin amounted to 582 million euros in 2014 (US$772 million at 2014 exchanges rates; US$660 million at Feb. 2022 exchange rates)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cerom-outremer.fr/IMG/pdf/saint-martin_gdp_in_2014_cerom_may2018.pdf |title=Estimation of per capita GDP in Saint-Martin |date=May 2018 |publisher=] |website=CEROM |access-date=21 February 2022 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408043943/https://www.cerom-outremer.fr/IMG/pdf/saint-martin_gdp_in_2014_cerom_may2018.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The nominal GDP of the Dutch side of the island, Sint Maarten, was estimated at 2,229 million Antillean guilders (US$1,245 million at the official peg) in 2014.<ref name=GDP>{{cite web |url=http://stats.sintmaartengov.org/press_release/National_Accounts/GDP_2018.pdf |title=GDP 2018 - Press Release |publisher=Department of Statistics, Sint Maarten |access-date=21 February 2022 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408043939/http://stats.sintmaartengov.org/press_release/National_Accounts/GDP_2018.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The nominal GDP of the entire island was thus US$2.01 billion in 2014. | |||
===General information=== | |||
* : St. Maarten's leading newspaper with daily updated news about the island | |||
* | |||
* - St. Maarten/St. Martin Message Board | |||
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The ] of the entire island stood at US$27,923 in 2014.<ref>Total 2014 GDP of Saint-Martin (US$772 million) and Sint Maarten (US$1,245 million) divided by the number of inhabitants in 2014 ({{cite web |url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2525762?sommaire=2525768 |title=Populations légales 2014 des départements et collectivités d'outre-mer |publisher=] |website=] |access-date=21 February 2022 |language=fr |archive-date=2 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502083728/https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2525762?sommaire=2525768 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://stats.sintmaartengov.org/downloads/LFS/Population_Estimates_and_Vital_Statistics_2021.pdf |title=Population Estimates and Vital Statistics 2021 |access-date=21 February 2022 |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518222043/http://stats.sintmaartengov.org/downloads/LFS/Population_Estimates_and_Vital_Statistics_2021.pdf |url-status=live }}).</ref> | |||
===Tourism=== | |||
* - (for Dutch Sint Maarten) | |||
* - (for French Saint Martin) | |||
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* - (for French Saint Martin) | |||
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The Dutch side of the island experienced a deep recession in 2017 and 2018 due to the devastation of ] which struck the island in September 2017. ] experienced a negative growth of -5.8% in 2017 and -6.6% in 2018 (GDP figures after 2018 have not been published yet).<ref name=GDP /> GDP of the French side of the island has not been estimated since 2014. | |||
===Maps=== | |||
* (including street maps of Phillipsburg and Marigot) | |||
* | |||
* | |||
{{maplr|18.06|-63.08|Saint Martin}} | |||
See also ] zoom levels 8, 9, and 10. | |||
The main industry of the island is tourism. In 2000, the island had about one million visitors annually. About 85% of the workforce was engaged in the tourist industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/saint-martin/ |title=CIA Factbook |publisher=Cia.gov |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-date=3 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103012953/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/saint-martin |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
==Demographics== | |||
{{French overseas departments and territories}} | |||
On 1 January 2019, the population of the whole island was 73,777 inhabitants, with 41,177 living on the Dutch side<ref name=Sint_Maarten_population /> and 32,489 on the French side.<ref name=Saint_Martin_population /> Note that the figure for the French side is based on censuses that took place after the devastation of ] in September 2017, whereas the figure for the Dutch side is only a post-censal estimate still based on the 2011 census. The first census since Hurricane Irma on the Dutch side of the island is scheduled to take place in October 2022.<ref name="census_2022">See job offer as census interviewer for the Oct. 2022 census: {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092457/https://www.facebook.com/356754787783279/photos/a.461785480613542/4989793044479407/?type=3|date=6 September 2024}}.</ref> Population of the island on 1 January 2017, before Hurricane Irma, was 75,869 (40,535 on the Dutch side,<ref name=Sint_Maarten_population /> 35,334 on the French side<ref name=pop_2017 />). | |||
{{Outlying territories of European countries}} | |||
Due to a major influx of immigrants searching for better employment and living conditions over the past 30 years, the number of Creoles has been surpassed by the number of immigrants. The island's population is highly diverse, containing people from more than 70 countries. | |||
With so many nationalities present, quite a few languages are spoken. ] is the main local vernacular.<ref>Holm (1989) ''Pidgins and Creoles'', vol. 2</ref> However, the official languages are French for Saint-Martin, with Dutch and English being official for Sint Maarten. Other common languages include various French creoles (spoken by ] immigrants), Spanish (spoken by immigrants from the ], ], and various South American countries), and ] (spoken by immigrants from ], ] and ]).<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206035057/http://www.st-maarten.com/culture.htm|date=6 December 2006}}. St. Maarten Tourism Office.</ref> | |||
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==Culture== | |||
<!--Other languages--> | |||
{{more citations needed section|date=May 2021}} | |||
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The island's culture is a blend of its African, French, British, Dutch, Amerindian, and Asian ]. Although each side's culture is influenced by their respective administering countries, they share enough similar heritage and traditions that it can be difficult to tell where Saint-Martin ends and Sint Maarten begins. | |||
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The ] population can trace most of their roots to Africa, France, the Netherlands and the British Isles. Only some stones remain from the ruins of the two forts built by the Spanish occupation in its early takeover. But during the colonial period, the British settlers and several military dominations left their idiom as the main language spoken on the island, and have made a large impact on St. Martin's culture. | |||
] | |||
] | |||
In French Saint-Martin, the most practised religion is ]. Dutch Sint Maarten favors ] denominations, particularly ]. The island also has small Jewish, ], Hindu, Muslim, ], Buddhist, and ] communities.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 2022 |title=What Are the Religions in Sint Maarten/Saint Martin? |url=https://www.sint-maarten.net/population/culture/religion |access-date=5 March 2023 |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605190555/https://www.sint-maarten.net/population/culture/religion |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
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The whole island is known for its excellent cuisine. Creole, French, and West Indian cooking are particularly renowned. | |||
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Popular music on St. Martin includes a variety of styles found throughout the Caribbean. ], ], ], ], ], and ] all contribute to the festive culture. | |||
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St. Martin's ] is known for its festive nightlife, ]es, jewellery, ]s made with native ]-based ] ]s, and ]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://about-saintmartin.com/listcat/casinos |title=Casinos |publisher=about-saintmartin.com |date=17 June 2013 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-date=22 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222214315/http://about-saintmartin.com/listcat/casinos/ |url-status=usurped }}</ref> The island's ] is known for its ]es, clothes, shopping (including outdoor markets), and French and Indian Caribbean cuisine. English is the most commonly spoken language along with a local ]. The official languages are French for Saint-Martin, and both Dutch and English for Sint Maarten. Other common languages include various ] (spoken by immigrants from other French Caribbean islands), Spanish (spoken by immigrants from the Dominican Republic and various South American countries), and ] (spoken by immigrants from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao). | |||
] | |||
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Among the leading cultural artists of the island are Youth Waves, music band; Isidore "Mighty Dow" York, ]nian, panman; Roland Richardson, ] painter; ], painter; ], dancer and Broadway star; ], poet, author, independence advocate; Drisana ], multimedia visual artist, poet; Clara Reyes, choreographer; and Tanny and The Boys, string band music group. | |||
] | |||
] | |||
News publications on St. Martin include ''The Daily Herald'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Daily Herald |url=https://www.thedailyherald.sx/ |access-date=16 September 2020 |website=www.thedailyherald.sx |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092306/https://www.thedailyherald.sx/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Soualiga News Day'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sint Maarten Online Newsday Source |url=https://www.soualiganewsday.com/ |access-date=16 September 2020 |website=www.soualiganewsday.com |archive-date=1 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301043645/https://www.soualiganewsday.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Soualiga News'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=SoualigaPost.com {{!}} All the news St. Martin & St. Maarten |url=http://www.soualigapost.com/en |access-date=16 September 2020 |website=www.soualigapost.com |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092308/http://www.soualigapost.com/en |url-status=live }}</ref> ''St. Maarten News'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=StMaartenNews.com – News Views Reviews & Interviews – Always on point! |url=https://stmaartennews.com/ |access-date=16 September 2020 |website=StMaartenNews.com – News Views Reviews & Interviews |archive-date=24 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424071150/https://stmaartennews.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''SMN News'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=St. Martin News Network – St. Martin News Network – Latest News in and around St. Maarten/St. Martin. |url=https://www.smn-news.com/ |access-date=16 September 2020 |website=www.smn-news.com |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092352/https://www.smn-news.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''SXM Island Time'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home 5 |url=http://sxmislandtime.com/ |access-date=16 September 2020 |website=SXM IslandTime |archive-date=17 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917071341/http://sxmislandtime.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and ''SXM Talks''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SXM Talks {{!}} Sint Maarten News And Discussion |url=https://www.sxm-talks.com/ |access-date=16 September 2020 }}</ref> | |||
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File:Philipsburg St Maarten.jpg|], ], Dutch side | |||
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File:Philipsburg and the Great Bay, Sint Maarten, Caribbean.jpg|Philipsburg and the Great Bay | |||
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File:Marigot 2.jpg|], ], French side | |||
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File: Saint Maarten.jpg| Cole bay (taken atop sentry hill) | |||
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==Currency== | |||
The official currency of Saint Martin is the ], while Sint Maarten uses the ], pegged at 1.79 per US dollar. As a consequence of the dissolution of the ], the Netherlands Antillean guilder will cease to be legal tender and be replaced by the ], which was scheduled for circulation in the first half of 2021,<ref name="stmaarten">{{cite news |date=15 November 2020 |title=Central Bank announces introduction of Caribbean Guilder in 2021 |work=StMaartenNews.com |url=https://stmaartennews.com/news/central-bank-announces-introduction-of-caribbean-guilder-in-2021/ |access-date=8 December 2020 |archive-date=9 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209123427/https://stmaartennews.com/news/central-bank-announces-introduction-of-caribbean-guilder-in-2021/ |url-status=live }}</ref> but now scheduled for 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 2023 |title=CBCS moves ahead with the Introduction of the Caribbean Guilder |url=https://cdn.centralbank.cw/media/press_releases_2022/20220905_pb2022_033_cbcs_continues_project_cmg_en.pdf |website=Centrale Bank Curaçao and Sint Maarten |access-date=18 January 2023 |archive-date=3 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603012840/https://cdn.centralbank.cw/media/press_releases_2022/20220905_pb2022_033_cbcs_continues_project_cmg_en.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Almost every store on the island also accepts the ], although sometimes a more expensive exchange rate is used. | |||
==Transport== | |||
] ] landing at ]]]Public buses are the primary mode of transportation for visitors staying on the island.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 June 2015 |title=Bus transit Saint-Martin |url=http://www.stmartinisland.org/st-martin-st-maarten-travel-information/getting-around-st-martin-island.html#bus |access-date=6 November 2016 |publisher=stmartinisland.org |archive-date=5 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105023447/http://www.stmartinisland.org/st-martin-st-maarten-travel-information/getting-around-st-martin-island.html#bus |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
===Border checks=== | |||
Neither side of the island is part of the ]; full border checks are performed when travelling in and out of the island. Passport controls are also exercised when taking the ferry from Marigot or Princess Juliana International Airport to ]. There are rarely checks at the border between the two sides of the island. | |||
In 1994, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and France signed the ], which allows for joint Franco-Dutch border controls on so-called "risk flights" arriving from off-island and only admitting foreigners having permission to travel on both sides of the island. After some delay, the treaty was ratified in November 2006 in the Netherlands and subsequently entered into force on 1 August 2007. Its provisions are not yet implemented as the working group specified in the treaty is not yet installed.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}{{update inline|date=November 2017}} The treaty requires a working group that has never been set up, to harmonize external checks at the two main airports. The Dutch side has expressed concern that new and tighter French visa requirements would harm their tourism income.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://about-saintmartin.com/immigration-formalities/ |title=Immigration Formalities |publisher=About-saintmartin.com |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-date=22 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222205759/http://about-saintmartin.com/immigration-formalities/ |url-status=usurped }}</ref> | |||
===Airports=== | |||
{{more citations needed section|date=May 2021}} | |||
] can be dangerous]] | |||
The island is served by many major airlines that daily bring in large jet aircraft, including ] carrying tourists from across the world. The short main ] at ] and its position between a large hill and a beach cause some spectacular approaches. ] flock to the airport to capture pictures of large jets {{Vague|text=just a few metres|date=May 2024}} above sunbathers on ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?nr_of_rows=2253&sort_order=views&first_this_page=0&page_limit=15&thumbnails=&a=1&placesearch=Philipsburg%20%2F%20St.%20Maarten%20-%20Princess%20Juliana%20%28SXM%20%2F%20TNCM%29 |title=Aviation Photos: Philipsburg / St. Maarten – Princess Juliana (SXM / TNCM) |website=airliners.net |access-date=19 May 2008 |archive-date=7 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107114817/http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?nr_of_rows=2253&sort_order=views&first_this_page=0&page_limit=15&thumbnails=&a=1&placesearch=Philipsburg%20%2F%20St.%20Maarten%20-%20Princess%20Juliana%20(SXM%20%2F%20TNCM) |url-status=live }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=May 2024}} | |||
There is a small airport on the French side of the island at ], ] for small aircraft serving neighbouring Caribbean islands. It frequently suffers thick fog during the hurricane season due to its location. | |||
{{Clear}} | |||
==See also== | |||
{{Portal|Geography|North America|Caribbean}} | |||
* ] | |||
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==References== | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
===Sources=== | |||
{{Refbegin}} | |||
* {{cite journal |last1=Baldacchino |first1=Godfrey |last2=Dana |first2=Leo Paul |title=The Impact of Public Policy on Entrepreneurship: A Critical Investigation of the Protestant Ethic on a Divided Island Jurisdiction |journal=Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship |volume=19 |issue=4 |year=2012 |pages=419–430 |issn=0827-6331 |doi=10.1080/08276331.2006.10593381 |s2cid=143824108 |url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/14520 |access-date=4 September 2019 |archive-date=9 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509165519/https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/14520 |url-status=live }} | |||
* {{cite journal |last=Dana |first=Leo Paul |date=1990 |title=Saint Martin/Sint Maarten: A Case Study of the Effects of Politics and Culture on Economic Development |journal=Journal of Small Business Management |volume=XXVIII |issue=4 |pages=91–98 |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/bbdfc2c83a47c7f49748a7af3ec37b38/ |access-date=22 November 2022 |archive-date=6 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906092834/https://www.proquest.com/openview/bbdfc2c83a47c7f49748a7af3ec37b38/ |url-status=live }} | |||
* {{cite book |last=Dana |first=Leo Paul |date=2010 |title=Entrepreneurship & Religion |location=Cheltenham |publisher=Edward Elgar |isbn=978-1-84720-572-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jpHqmAEACAAJ |access-date=6 September 2024 |archive-date=13 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013081340/https://books.google.com/books?id=jpHqmAEACAAJ |url-status=live }} | |||
* {{cite book |last=Houston |first=Lynn Marie |title=Food Culture in the Caribbean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZEeyKrytcwC&pg=PA113 |year=2005 |publisher=Greenwood |isbn=978-0-313-32764-3 |pages=113– |access-date=6 September 2024 |archive-date=13 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013081528/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZEeyKrytcwC&pg=PA113 |url-status=live }} | |||
{{Refend}} | |||
==Further reading== | |||
* Arrindell, Rhoda, . St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 2014. | |||
* , St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 2000. | |||
* Hyman, Yvette, . St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 2014 (Fourth printing). | |||
* Lake Jr., Joseph H., . St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 2004. | |||
* Sekou, Lasana M. (ed.), . St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 1997 (Third printing). | |||
==External links== | |||
{{Commons category|Saint Martin (island)}} | |||
{{EB1911 poster|St Martin<!--volume=24|page=30-->}} | |||
; General information | |||
* . '']''. ]. | |||
* {{Wikiatlas|Saint Martin}} | |||
; News and media | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009093110/http://www.thedailyherald.com/ |date=9 October 2015 }} daily newspaper from St. Maarten | |||
* daily newspaper from Saint Martin (in French) | |||
; Travel | |||
<!-- ATTENTION! Please do not add links without discussion and consensus on the talk page. Undiscussed links will be removed. --> | |||
* official Tourist Bureau | |||
* official Tourist Office | |||
* | |||
* Hotel Association | |||
* official website | |||
* {{Wikivoyage inline}} | |||
; Others | |||
* Eric Dubois-Millot, , Action Nature | |||
{{Countries of North America}} | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] |
Latest revision as of 20:12, 17 December 2024
Small island in the Caribbean This article is about the Caribbean island. For the French side of the island, see Collectivity of Saint Martin. For the Dutch side of the island, see Sint Maarten. For other uses, see Saint Martin.
Native name: Sint Maarten (Dutch) Saint-Martin (French)Nickname: The Friendly Island | |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | Caribbean |
Coordinates | 18°04′N 63°03′W / 18.06°N 63.05°W / 18.06; -63.05 |
Archipelago | Leeward Islands, Lesser Antilles, Antilles, West Indies |
Area | 88 km (34 sq mi) |
Highest elevation | 424 m (1391 ft) |
Highest point | Pic Paradis |
Administration | |
French Republic | |
Overseas collectivity | Saint Martin |
Capital and largest settlement | Marigot (pop. 5788) |
Area covered | 53 km (20 sq mi; 0%) |
Kingdom of the Netherlands | |
Constituent country | Sint Maarten |
Capital | Philipsburg (pop. 1,900) |
Largest settlement | Lower Prince's Quarter (pop. 8,123) |
Area covered | 34 km (13 sq mi; 0%) |
Demographics | |
Demonym | Saint Martiner; Saint-Martinois (French); Sint Maartener (Dutch) |
Population | 73,777 (Jan. 2019) |
Pop. density | 847/km (2194/sq mi) |
Ethnic groups | Afro-Caribbean, European, Indian, Latino, Chinese, and mixed |
Saint Martin (French: Saint-Martin; Dutch: Sint Maarten) is an island in Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the northeastern Caribbean, approximately 300 km (190 mi) east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km (34 sq mi) island is divided roughly 60:40 between the French Republic (53 km or 20 sq mi) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands (34 km or 13 sq mi), but the Dutch part is more populated than the French. Divided since 1648, the northern French part comprises the Collectivity of Saint Martin and is an overseas collectivity of the French Republic. The southern Dutch part comprises Sint Maarten and is one of four constituent countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Even though the island is an overseas possession of two European Union member states, only the French part of the island is part of the EU.
On 1 January 2019, the population of the whole island was 73,777 inhabitants, with 41,177 living on the Dutch side and 32,489 on the French side. Note that the figure for the French side is based on censuses that took place after the devastation of Hurricane Irma in September 2017, whereas the figure for the Dutch side is only a post-censal estimate still based on the 2011 census. The first census since Hurricane Irma on the Dutch side of the island took place in October 2022. The population of the island on 1 January 2017, before Hurricane Irma, was 75,869 (40,535 on the Dutch side, 35,334 on the French side).
The island's pre-colonial names include Oualichi (Arawakan, meaning 'the island of women') and Soualiga (Kalinago, meaning 'the island of salt').
Collectively, the two territories are known as "Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten", or sometimes "SXM", the IATA identifier for Princess Juliana International Airport, the island's main airport. St. Martin (the French portion) received the ISO 3166-1 code MF in October 2007. In 2010, the Dutch part had its status changed to that of a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and was given the code SX.
Geography
Saint Martin has a land area of 87 km (34 sq mi), 53 km (20 sq mi) of which is under the sovereignty of the French Republic, and 34 km (13 sq mi) under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This is the only land border shared by the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The main cities are Philipsburg on the Dutch side and Marigot on the French side. The Dutch side is more heavily populated. The most populous settlement on the entire island is Lower Prince's Quarter, which is on the Dutch side.
The highest hilltop is the Pic Paradis (424 m, 1,391 ft) in the centre of a hill chain on the French side. Both sides are hilly with large mountain peaks. This forms a valley where many houses are located. There are no rivers on the island, but there are many dry gullies. Hiking trails give access to the dry forest that covers tops and slopes. The 1648 Treaty of Concordia was signed on the hill lying on the international border between Marigot and Philipsburg, now known as Mount Concordia, Concordia Hill, or Mont des Accords.
The island is located south of Anguilla and is separated from that British overseas territory by the Anguilla Channel. Saint Martin is northwest of Saint Barthélemy and is separated from that French overseas collectivity by the Saint-Barthélemy Channel.
Neighbouring islands include Saint Barthélemy (French), Anguilla (British), Saba (Dutch), Sint Eustatius "Statia" (Dutch), and Saint Kitts and Nevis (independent, formerly British). With the exception of Nevis, all of these islands are easily visible on a clear day from St. Martin.
History
Main articles: History of Saint Martin, French West Indies, and Dutch CaribbeanIt is commonly believed that Christopher Columbus named the island in honour of Saint Martin of Tours when he encountered it on his second voyage of discovery. However, he actually applied the name to the island now called Nevis when he anchored offshore on 11 November 1493, the feast day of Saint Martin. The confusion of numerous poorly charted small islands in the Leeward Islands meant that this name was accidentally transferred to the island now known as Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten.
After jointly reclaiming the island, on 23 March 1648, the Kingdom of France and the Dutch Republic agreed to divide the island between their two territories, and created a formal border with the signing of the Treaty of Concordia. Later conflicts resulted in 16 border changes over the years, but it has been stable since 1816. The French side has 21 square miles (54 km) and the Dutch side, 16 square miles (41 km).
Politics
See also: Unification of Saint MartinThere currently is a movement aiming to unite the Dutch and French halves of the island of Saint Martin. A "Unity Flag" for representing this unification was created in 1990.
Currently, the island is divided into Sint Maarten (the southern half of the island, part of the Netherlands) and the Collectivity of Saint Martin (the northern half of the island, part of France). The island has been divided since the signing of the Treaty of Concordia in 1648, which today remains as one of the oldest treaties still in effect. Unification of the island enjoys support from the population of both halves.
The Treaty of Concordia allows freedom of movement between both parts of the island, which has promoted a common sentiment among the island's inhabitants, although this is also the reason why some see a formal unification as unnecessary. Other arguments against unification of the island are that neither France nor the Netherlands would allow it and that both sides would require full independence to achieve it.
On 31 August 1990, the "Unity Flag" of Saint Martin was adopted at the Preliminary Conference on National Symbols at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, in Sint Maarten. This flag was created to represent the people of both halves of the island and the unification of the latter, and is hoisted today on some houses and sometimes by churches and religious groups in Saint Martin. In August 2020, when restrictions and controls were added to the Saint Martin–Sint Maarten border to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, some protesters against these measures flew this flag with them. In September 2020, these restrictions were lifted, and people from both sides of the island started chanting "One island, one people, one destiny".
Some notable supporters of this movement include Albert Fleming, former leader of the Collectivity of Saint Martin, who in 2014 stated his support for the unification of the island.
Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification, the island has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) with a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from August to December. The precipitation patterns are due to the movement of the Azores High during the year. With the wind direction predominantly from the east or the northeast, northeasterly trades, temperatures remain stable throughout the year and temperatures rarely exceed 34 °C (93 °F) or fall below 20 °C (68 °F). Temperatures remain steady throughout the year with an average mean temperature of 27.2 °C (81.0 °F). The average sea temperature is 27.2 °C (81.0 °F) ranging from a low of 25.9 °C (78.6 °F) in February to a high of 28.4 °C (83.1 °F) in October. The total average yearly rainfall is 1,047 mm (41.2 in), with 142 days of measurable rainfall. Thunderstorms can occasionally occur, with 18 days with thunder per year. Precipitation totals are quite variable from year to year, depending on the number of passing tropical cyclones.
Because the island is located within the tropics, it is regularly threatened by Atlantic hurricane activity in the late summer and early fall.
Climate data for Saint Martin (Princess Juliana International Airport) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1971–2020) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 32.7 (90.9) |
31.6 (88.9) |
32.6 (90.7) |
33.6 (92.5) |
34.0 (93.2) |
35.2 (95.4) |
34.2 (93.6) |
35.1 (95.2) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.3 (93.7) |
33.9 (93.0) |
32.1 (89.8) |
35.2 (95.4) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.6 (83.5) |
28.7 (83.7) |
29.0 (84.2) |
29.6 (85.3) |
30.4 (86.7) |
31.3 (88.3) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.8 (89.2) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.2 (88.2) |
30.3 (86.5) |
29.3 (84.7) |
30.3 (86.5) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.7 (78.3) |
25.6 (78.1) |
25.8 (78.4) |
26.6 (79.9) |
27.5 (81.5) |
28.4 (83.1) |
28.6 (83.5) |
28.8 (83.8) |
28.8 (83.8) |
28.3 (82.9) |
27.4 (81.3) |
26.4 (79.5) |
27.3 (81.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.3 (73.9) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.5 (74.3) |
24.2 (75.6) |
25.3 (77.5) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.3 (79.3) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.4 (79.5) |
25.9 (78.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.1 (75.4) |
25.0 (77.0) |
Record low °C (°F) | 18.6 (65.5) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.1 (66.4) |
19.3 (66.7) |
20.2 (68.4) |
21.8 (71.2) |
22.1 (71.8) |
21.4 (70.5) |
22.0 (71.6) |
21.8 (71.2) |
20.8 (69.4) |
19.9 (67.8) |
18.6 (65.5) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 67.9 (2.67) |
49.4 (1.94) |
46.9 (1.85) |
60.1 (2.37) |
98.0 (3.86) |
55.0 (2.17) |
96.6 (3.80) |
106.2 (4.18) |
116.1 (4.57) |
157.0 (6.18) |
162.0 (6.38) |
101.0 (3.98) |
1,116.2 (43.94) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 13 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 141 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 74.7 | 74.1 | 73.6 | 75.0 | 75.9 | 75.1 | 74.8 | 75.4 | 76.3 | 76.8 | 77.4 | 76.6 | 75.5 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 258.1 | 245.2 | 274.8 | 269.9 | 253.7 | 245.8 | 259.1 | 267.5 | 245.1 | 249.2 | 238.4 | 247.1 | 3,053.9 |
Source 1: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Meteorological Department Curaçao (humidity 1971–2000) |
Hurricane Irma (2017)
On 6 September 2017 the island was hit by Hurricane Irma (Category 5 at landfall), which caused widespread and significant damage, estimated at $3 billion, to buildings and infrastructure. A total of 11 deaths had been reported as of 9 July 2018. France's Minister of the Interior, Gérard Collomb, said on 8 September 2017 that most of the schools were destroyed on the French half of the island. In addition to damage caused by high winds, there were reports of serious flood damage to businesses in the village of Marigot. Looting was also a serious problem. Both France and the Netherlands sent aid as well as additional police and emergency personnel to the island. The Washington Post reported that 95% of the structures on the French side and 75% of the structures on the Dutch side were damaged or destroyed.
Some days after the storm had abated, a survey by the Dutch Red Cross estimated that nearly a third of the buildings in Sint Maarten had been destroyed and that over 90 per cent of structures on the island had been damaged. Princess Juliana Airport was extensively damaged but reopened on a partial basis in two days to allow incoming relief flights and for flights that would take evacuees to other islands.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Saint MartinINSEE estimated that the nominal GDP of the French side of Saint Martin amounted to 582 million euros in 2014 (US$772 million at 2014 exchanges rates; US$660 million at Feb. 2022 exchange rates) The nominal GDP of the Dutch side of the island, Sint Maarten, was estimated at 2,229 million Antillean guilders (US$1,245 million at the official peg) in 2014. The nominal GDP of the entire island was thus US$2.01 billion in 2014.
The nominal GDP per capita of the entire island stood at US$27,923 in 2014.
The Dutch side of the island experienced a deep recession in 2017 and 2018 due to the devastation of Hurricane Irma which struck the island in September 2017. Real GDP experienced a negative growth of -5.8% in 2017 and -6.6% in 2018 (GDP figures after 2018 have not been published yet). GDP of the French side of the island has not been estimated since 2014.
The main industry of the island is tourism. In 2000, the island had about one million visitors annually. About 85% of the workforce was engaged in the tourist industry.
Demographics
On 1 January 2019, the population of the whole island was 73,777 inhabitants, with 41,177 living on the Dutch side and 32,489 on the French side. Note that the figure for the French side is based on censuses that took place after the devastation of Hurricane Irma in September 2017, whereas the figure for the Dutch side is only a post-censal estimate still based on the 2011 census. The first census since Hurricane Irma on the Dutch side of the island is scheduled to take place in October 2022. Population of the island on 1 January 2017, before Hurricane Irma, was 75,869 (40,535 on the Dutch side, 35,334 on the French side).
Due to a major influx of immigrants searching for better employment and living conditions over the past 30 years, the number of Creoles has been surpassed by the number of immigrants. The island's population is highly diverse, containing people from more than 70 countries.
With so many nationalities present, quite a few languages are spoken. An English-based creole is the main local vernacular. However, the official languages are French for Saint-Martin, with Dutch and English being official for Sint Maarten. Other common languages include various French creoles (spoken by French Caribbean immigrants), Spanish (spoken by immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and various South American countries), and Papiamento (spoken by immigrants from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao).
Culture
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The island's culture is a blend of its African, French, British, Dutch, Amerindian, and Asian heritage. Although each side's culture is influenced by their respective administering countries, they share enough similar heritage and traditions that it can be difficult to tell where Saint-Martin ends and Sint Maarten begins.
The Creole population can trace most of their roots to Africa, France, the Netherlands and the British Isles. Only some stones remain from the ruins of the two forts built by the Spanish occupation in its early takeover. But during the colonial period, the British settlers and several military dominations left their idiom as the main language spoken on the island, and have made a large impact on St. Martin's culture.
In French Saint-Martin, the most practised religion is Roman Catholicism. Dutch Sint Maarten favors Protestant denominations, particularly Methodism. The island also has small Jewish, Seventh-day Adventist, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, and Rastafari communities.
The whole island is known for its excellent cuisine. Creole, French, and West Indian cooking are particularly renowned.
Popular music on St. Martin includes a variety of styles found throughout the Caribbean. Calypso, merengue, soca, zouk, reggae, and chutney all contribute to the festive culture.
St. Martin's Dutch side is known for its festive nightlife, beaches, jewellery, drinks made with native rum-based guavaberry liquors, and casinos. The island's French side is known for its nude beaches, clothes, shopping (including outdoor markets), and French and Indian Caribbean cuisine. English is the most commonly spoken language along with a local dialect. The official languages are French for Saint-Martin, and both Dutch and English for Sint Maarten. Other common languages include various French-based creoles (spoken by immigrants from other French Caribbean islands), Spanish (spoken by immigrants from the Dominican Republic and various South American countries), and Papiamento (spoken by immigrants from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao).
Among the leading cultural artists of the island are Youth Waves, music band; Isidore "Mighty Dow" York, kaisonian, panman; Roland Richardson, Impressionist painter; Ruby Bute, painter; Nicole de Weever, dancer and Broadway star; Lasana M. Sekou, poet, author, independence advocate; Drisana Deborah Jack, multimedia visual artist, poet; Clara Reyes, choreographer; and Tanny and The Boys, string band music group.
News publications on St. Martin include The Daily Herald, Soualiga News Day, Soualiga News, St. Maarten News, SMN News, SXM Island Time, and SXM Talks.
- Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten, Dutch side
- Philipsburg and the Great Bay
- Marigot, Saint Martin, French side
- Cole bay (taken atop sentry hill)
Currency
The official currency of Saint Martin is the euro, while Sint Maarten uses the Netherlands Antillean guilder, pegged at 1.79 per US dollar. As a consequence of the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, the Netherlands Antillean guilder will cease to be legal tender and be replaced by the Caribbean guilder, which was scheduled for circulation in the first half of 2021, but now scheduled for 2024. Almost every store on the island also accepts the United States dollar, although sometimes a more expensive exchange rate is used.
Transport
Public buses are the primary mode of transportation for visitors staying on the island.
Border checks
Neither side of the island is part of the Schengen Area; full border checks are performed when travelling in and out of the island. Passport controls are also exercised when taking the ferry from Marigot or Princess Juliana International Airport to Anguilla. There are rarely checks at the border between the two sides of the island.
In 1994, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and France signed the Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls, which allows for joint Franco-Dutch border controls on so-called "risk flights" arriving from off-island and only admitting foreigners having permission to travel on both sides of the island. After some delay, the treaty was ratified in November 2006 in the Netherlands and subsequently entered into force on 1 August 2007. Its provisions are not yet implemented as the working group specified in the treaty is not yet installed. The treaty requires a working group that has never been set up, to harmonize external checks at the two main airports. The Dutch side has expressed concern that new and tighter French visa requirements would harm their tourism income.
Airports
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The island is served by many major airlines that daily bring in large jet aircraft, including Airbus A330 carrying tourists from across the world. The short main runway at Princess Juliana International Airport and its position between a large hill and a beach cause some spectacular approaches. Aviation photographers flock to the airport to capture pictures of large jets just a few metres above sunbathers on Maho Beach.
There is a small airport on the French side of the island at Grand Case, L'Espérance Airport for small aircraft serving neighbouring Caribbean islands. It frequently suffers thick fog during the hurricane season due to its location.
See also
- Caribbean Netherlands
- List of Sint Maarten leaders of government
- Outline of Saint Martin
- Overseas France
- Scouting and Guiding in Guadeloupe and Saint Martin
References
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- "Estimation of per capita GDP in Saint-Martin" (PDF). CEROM. INSEE. May 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ "GDP 2018 - Press Release" (PDF). Department of Statistics, Sint Maarten. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- Total 2014 GDP of Saint-Martin (US$772 million) and Sint Maarten (US$1,245 million) divided by the number of inhabitants in 2014 ("Populations légales 2014 des départements et collectivités d'outre-mer". INSEE (in French). Government of France. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2022."Population Estimates and Vital Statistics 2021" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.).
- "CIA Factbook". Cia.gov. Archived from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- See job offer as census interviewer for the Oct. 2022 census: Archived 6 September 2024 at the Wayback Machine.
- Holm (1989) Pidgins and Creoles, vol. 2
- Culture of St. Maarten Archived 6 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine. St. Maarten Tourism Office.
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Sources
- Baldacchino, Godfrey; Dana, Leo Paul (2012). "The Impact of Public Policy on Entrepreneurship: A Critical Investigation of the Protestant Ethic on a Divided Island Jurisdiction". Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship. 19 (4): 419–430. doi:10.1080/08276331.2006.10593381. ISSN 0827-6331. S2CID 143824108. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- Dana, Leo Paul (1990). "Saint Martin/Sint Maarten: A Case Study of the Effects of Politics and Culture on Economic Development". Journal of Small Business Management. XXVIII (4): 91–98. Archived from the original on 6 September 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- Dana, Leo Paul (2010). Entrepreneurship & Religion. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. ISBN 978-1-84720-572-8. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- Houston, Lynn Marie (2005). Food Culture in the Caribbean. Greenwood. pp. 113–. ISBN 978-0-313-32764-3. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
Further reading
- Arrindell, Rhoda, Language, Culture, and Identity in St. Martin. St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 2014.
- St. Martin Massive! A Snapshot of Popular Artists, St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 2000.
- Hyman, Yvette, From Yvette's Kitchen To Your Table: A Treasury of St. Martin's Traditional & Contemporary Cuisine. St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 2014 (Fourth printing).
- Lake Jr., Joseph H., Friendly Anger – The rise of the labour movement in St. Martin. St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 2004.
- Sekou, Lasana M. (ed.), National Symbols of St. Martin – A Primer. St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers, 1997 (Third printing).
External links
- General information
- News and media
- The Daily Herald Archived 9 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine daily newspaper from St. Maarten
- LE FAXinfo daily newspaper from Saint Martin (in French)
- Travel
- Dutch St. Maarten official Tourist Bureau
- French Saint Martin official Tourist Office
- Official tourist website for LGBT visitors
- French Saint Martin Hotel Association
- Princess Juliana International Airport, Sint Maarten official website
- Saint Martin (island) travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Others
- Eric Dubois-Millot, Birds of Sint Maarten, Action Nature
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