Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
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.
- Capital
- Philipsburg
- Government
- parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
- Population
- 46,738
- Area
- 34 sq km
- Location
- Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea;
- Climate
- tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in moderate temperatures; average rainfall of 150 cm/year;
- Natural resources
- fish; salt
- Languages
- English (official) 67.5%; Spanish 12.9%; Creole 8.2%; Dutch (official) 4.2%…
- Religions
- Protestant 41.9% (Pentecostal 14.7%; Methodist 10.0%; Seventh Day Adventist 6.6%; Baptist 4.7%…
- Independence
- none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- Currency
- Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG)
- Export partners
- Antigua & Barbuda 28%; USA 16%; France 12%; Netherlands 8%…
- Import partners
- USA 82%; Netherlands 7%; France 4%; Brazil 1%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain