Saint Barthelemy

Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy

Central America and Caribbean Gustavia

Population

7.1K

Area

25 km²

GDP

N/A

GDP Per Capita

N/A

Pop. Density

283/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

€euro(EUR)

Calling Code

+590

Timezone

UTC-04:00

Languages

French

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Saint Barthélemy Islander

Background

In 1493, Christopher COLUMBUS named Saint Barthelemy for his brother Bartolomeo, but the island was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, France sold the island to Sweden, which renamed the largest town Gustavia after the Swedish King GUSTAV III and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1877 and took control the following year, placing it under the administration of Guadeloupe. Saint Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the islanders voted to secede from Guadeloupe, and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2012, it became an overseas territory of the EU, allowing it to exert local control over the permanent and temporary immigration of foreign workers, including non-French European citizens. Hurricane Irma hit the island in 2017 and caused extensive damage.

Geography13

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean; located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Saint Barthelemy lies east of the US Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates

17 90 N, 62 85 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total : 25 sq km
land: 25 sq km
water: negligible

Area - comparative

less than one-eighth the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Climate

tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)

Terrain

hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with plentiful beaches

Elevation

highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources

few natural resources; beaches foster tourism

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 8.5% (2022 est.)
other: 91.5% (2022 est.)

Population distribution

most of the populace is concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island's periphery

Geography - note

a 1,200-hectare (3,000-acre) marine nature reserve, the Reserve Naturelle, is made up of five zones around the island that form a network to protect the island's coral reefs, seagrass, and endangered marine species

People & Society18

Population

total: 7,079 (2025 est.)
male: 3,730
female: 3,349

Ethnic groups

French, Portuguese, Caribbean, Afro-Caribbean

Languages

Languages: French (primary), English
major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Age structure

0-14 years: 13.9% (male 506/female 479)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 2,413/female 2,057)
65 years and over: 23% (2024 est.) (male 818/female 813)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 60.1 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 22 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 38 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 2.6 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 47.7 years (2025 est.)
male: 47 years
female: 47.8 years

Population growth rate

-0.08% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Net migration rate

-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

most of the populace is concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island's periphery

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81 years (2024 est.)
male: 78 years
female: 84.2 years

Total fertility rate

1.64 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.79 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access

Government19

Country name

conventional long form

Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy

conventional short form

Saint Barthelemy

local long form

Collectivité d'outre mer de Saint-Barthélemy

local short form

Saint-Barthélemy

abbreviation

Saint-Barth (French)/ St. Barts or St. Barths (English)

etymology

explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in honor of his brother Bartolomeo in 1493

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France

Dependency status

overseas collectivity of France

Capital

name: Gustavia
geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named in honor of King GUSTAV III of Sweden, who was ruler when Sweden bought the island from France in 1784; the name was retained when the island was sold back to France in 1878

Legal system

French civil law

Constitution

history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
amendment process: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply

Citizenship

see France

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal

Executive branch

chief of state

President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Cyrille LE VELY (since 15 January 2025)

head of government

President of Territorial Council Xavier LEDEE (since 3 April 2022)

cabinet

Executive Council elected by the Territorial Council; there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council

election/appointment process

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 the French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council indirectly elected by its members for a 5-year term

most recent election date

27 March 2022

election results

2022: Xavier LEDEE (Saint Barth United) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 13 votes for, 6 blank votes

2017: Bruno MAGRAS (Saint Barth First!) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 14 out of 19 votes

expected date of next election

2027

Legislative branch

legislature name

Territorial Council

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

19 (directly elected)

electoral system

mixed

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

3/27/2022

parties elected and seats per party

Saint Barth Action-Équilibre and Unis pour Saint Barthelemy (13); SBA (6)

expected date of next election

2027

Political parties

All for Saint Barth (Tous pour Saint-Barth)
Saint Barth Action Equilibre
Saint Barth First! (Saint-Barth d'Abord!) or SBA (affiliated with France's Republican party, Les Republicans)
Saint Barth United (Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy:

none (overseas collectivity of France)

International organization participation

ACS (associate), UPU

Independence

none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday

Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)

Flag

the flag of France is used

National symbol(s)

pelican

National anthem(s)

title: "La Marseillaise"
lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle
history: official anthem, as a French collectivity

Economy6

Economic overview

high-income French Caribbean territorial economy; duty-free luxury commerce and tourism industries; import-dependent for food, water, energy, and manufacturing; large Brazilian and Portuguese labor supply; environmentally fragile

Exports - partners

Spain 57%, Switzerland 24%, France 6%, Ireland 5%, Canada 2% (2023)

Exports - commodities

refined copper, jewelry (2023)

Imports - partners

Switzerland 50%, Portugal 14%, Brazil 6%, Japan 5%, Ireland 5% (2023)

Imports - commodities

precious metal watches, base metal watches, jewelry, cars, garments (2023)

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Energy1

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2021)

Communications3

Broadcast media

2 local TV broadcasters; 5 FM radio channels (2021)

Internet country code

.bl

Internet users

percent of population: 71.3% (2022 est.)

Transportation1

Airports

1 (2025)

Military & Security1

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

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