Sint Maarten

Country of Sint Maarten

Central America and Caribbean Philipsburg

Population

46.7K

Area

34 km²

GDP

$1.74B

GDP Per Capita

$45,800

Pop. Density

1,375/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

$Eastern Caribbean dollar(XCD)

Calling Code

+1869

Timezone

UTC-04:00

Languages

English

Driving Side

left

Demonym

Kittitian or Nevisian

Background

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 Dutch eventually holding the smaller portion of the island (about 39%) and adopting the Dutch spelling of the island's name for their territory.

The establishment of cotton, tobacco, and sugar plantations dramatically expanded African slavery on the island in the 18th and 19th centuries; the practice was not abolished in the Dutch half until 1863. The island's economy declined until 1939 when it became a free port; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded beginning in the 1950s. In 1954, Sint Maarten and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as the Netherlands Antilles. In a 2000 referendum, the citizens of Sint Maarten voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, effective in 2010. In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑74.2% since 2006

$644M (2006)$1B (2024)

Population

↑0.6% since 2006

46,569 (2006)46,843 (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 72.1 years

2006: 71.4 years2023: 72.1 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography16

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

18 4 N, 63 4 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total : 34 sq km
land: 34 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

one-fifth the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries

total: 16 km
border countries: Saint Martin (France) 16 km

Coastline

58.9 km (for entire island)

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in moderate temperatures; average rainfall of 150 cm/year; hurricane season stretches from July to November

Terrain

low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin

Elevation

highest point: 250 m SW of Mount Flagstaff summit, 383 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources

fish, salt

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 10.9% (2022 est.)
other: 89.1% (2022 est.)

Population distribution

the most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg) and Cul de Sac

Natural hazards

subject to hurricanes from July to November

Geography - note

note 1: the northern border is shared with the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin; together, these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world that is shared by two self-governing states

note 2: 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 of Saint Martin runs across the center of the lagoon, which is shared

People & Society19

Population

total: 46,738 (2025 est.)
male: 23,071
female: 23,667

Ethnic groups

Saint Maarten 29.9%, Dominican Republic 10.2%, Haiti 7.8%, Jamaica 6.6%, Saint Martin 5.9%, Guyana 5%, Dominica 4.4%, Curacao 4.1%, Aruba 3.4%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.8%, India 2.6%, Netherlands 2.2%, US 1.6%, Suriname 1.4%, Saint Lucia 1.3%, Anguilla 1.1%, other 8%, unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.)

Languages

English (official) 67.5%, Spanish 12.9%, Creole 8.2%, Dutch (official) 4.2%, Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 2.2%, French 1.5%, other 3.5% (2001 est.)

Religions

Protestant 41.9% (Pentecostal 14.7%, Methodist 10.0%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.6%, Baptist 4.7%, Anglican 3.1%, other Protestant 2.8%), Roman Catholic 33.1%, Hindu 5.2%, Christian 4.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, Evangelical 1.4%, Muslim/Jewish 1.1%, other 1.3% (includes Buddhist, Sikh, Rastafarian), none 7.9%, no response 2.4% (2011 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.4% (male 4,409/female 4,114)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 15,158/female 15,496)
65 years and over: 15.2% (2024 est.) (male 3,250/female 3,788)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.8 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 28.1 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 24.7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 40.8 years (2025 est.)
male: 39 years
female: 42.8 years

Population growth rate

1.1% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Net migration rate

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

Population distribution

the most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg) and Cul de Sac

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est. est.)

Major urban areas - population

1,327 PHILIPSBURG (capital) (2011)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.7 years (2024 est.)
male: 77.4 years
female: 82.2 years

Total fertility rate

1.96 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.96 (2025 est.)

Government21

Country name

conventional long form

Country of Sint Maarten

conventional short form

Sint Maarten

local long form

Land Sint Maarten (Dutch)/ Country of Sint Maarten (English)

local short form

Sint Maarten (Dutch and English)

former

Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies

etymology

explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493 after Saint MARTIN of Tours because he visited on 11 November, the saint's feast day

Government type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Dependency status

one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Capital

name: Philipsburg
geographic coordinates: 18 1 N, 63 2 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: founded and named in 1763 by John PHILIPS, a Scottish captain in the Dutch navy

Legal system

based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence

Constitution

history: previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 21 July 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Sint Maarten but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
amendment process: proposals initiated by the Government or by Parliament; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority of the Parliament membership; passage of amendments relating to fundamental rights, authorities of the governor and of Parliament must include the "views" of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Government prior to ratification by Parliament

Citizenship

see the Netherlands

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor Ajamu G. BALY (since 10 October 2022)
head of government: Prime Minister Luc MERCELINA (since 3 May 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the governor
election/appointment process: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party as prime minister

Legislative branch

legislature name

Parliament of Sint Maarten

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

15 (directly elected)

electoral system

proportional representation

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

most recent election date

1/11/2024

parties elected and seats per party

NA (4); UPP (3); URSM (2); DP (2); PFP (2); NOW (2)

percentage of women in chamber

46.7%

expected date of next election

2028

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (consists of the presiding judge, other members, and their substitutes); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands
judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed by the monarch serve for life
subordinate courts: Courts in First Instance

Political parties

Democratic Party or DP
National Alliance or NA
National Opportunity Wealth or NOW
Party for Progress or PFP
Sint Maarten Christian Party or SMCP
Unified Resilient St Maarten Movement or URSM
United People's Party or UPP
United Sint Maarten Party or US Party

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Sint Maarten; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Sint Maarten

International organization participation

Caricom (observer), ILO, Interpol, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday

King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967)

Flag

description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and blue, with a white isosceles triangle based on the left side; the national coat of arms is in the center of the triangle, with an orange-bordered blue shield that displays the white courthouse in Philipsburg, as well as yellow sage (the national flower) in the upper left and the silhouette of a Dutch-French friendship monument in the upper right; over the shield is a yellow rising sun and a brown pelican in flight; a yellow scroll below the shield has the motto SEMPER PROGREDIENS (Always Progressing)

National symbol(s)

brown pelican, yellow sage (flower)

National color(s)

red, white, blue

National anthem(s)

title: “Het Wilhelmus” (The William)
lyrics/music: Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown
history: adopted 1932

Economy19

Economic overview

high-income, tourism-based Dutch autonomous constituent economy; severe hurricane- and COVID-19-related economic recessions; multilateral trust fund helping offset economic downturn; no property taxation; re-exporter to Saint Martin

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $1.986 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.919 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.849 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.5% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 9.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $45,800 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $44,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $43,900 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.735 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017: 2.2% (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016: 0.1% (2016 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015: 0.3% (2015 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

industry: 6% (2021 est.)
services: 89.3% (2021 est.)

Agricultural products

sugar

Industries

tourism, light industry

Industrial production growth rate

0.5% (2021 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2023: 3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 3.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 3.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2023: -$116.693 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$56.984 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$311.463 million (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2023: $1.504 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.375 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $790.938 million (2021 est.)

Exports - partners

Antigua & Barbuda 28%, USA 16%, France 12%, Netherlands 8%, Morocco 7% (2023)

Exports - commodities

scrap iron, ships, jewelry, flavored water, liquor (2023)

Imports

Imports 2023: $1.489 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.32 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $1.003 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners

USA 82%, Netherlands 7%, France 4%, Brazil 1%, Switzerland 1% (2023)

Imports - commodities

jewelry, refined petroleum, ships, pearl products, diamonds (2023)

Exchange rates

Currency

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

1.79 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.79 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.79 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.79 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.79 (2020 est.)

Energy1

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Communications3

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 86,542 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 205 (2022 est.)

Internet country code

.sx

Internet users

percent of population: 89.5% (2022)

Transportation2

Airports

1 (2025)

Ports

total ports

2 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Coles Bay Oil Terminal, Philipsburg

Military & Security2

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the KPSM is supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB))

Transnational Issues1

Trafficking in persons

tier rating: Tier 3 — Sint Maarten does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Sint Maarten remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/sint-maarten/

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