Sint Maarten

Parliamentary Democracy Under A Constitutional MonarchyPop47KGDP (PPP)$2.0BCP0.0→Beta

Sint Maarten

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Overview

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.

Geography

Area

Land: 34 sq km
Note: note: Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin
Water: 0 sq km
Total: 34 sq km

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

Land Use

Other: 89.1% (2022 est.)
Forest: 10.9% (2022 est.)
Agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)

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
Coastline: 58.9 km (for entire island)

Elevation

Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Highest point: 250 m SW of Mount Flagstaff summit, 383 m

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Land Boundaries

Total: 16 km
Border countries: Saint Martin (France) 16 km

Maritime Claims

Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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
Natural resources: fish, salt
Area comparative: one-fifth the size of Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates: 18 4 N, 63 4 W
Population distribution: the most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg) and Cul de Sac

People & Society

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.)

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
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 39 years
Total: 40.8 years (2025 est.)
Female: 42.8 years

Population

Male: 23,071
Total: 46,738 (2025 est.)
Female: 23,667

Urbanization

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

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.)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 52.8 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 28.1 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 24.7 (2025 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.96 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: 1.1% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.96 (2025 est.)
Population distribution: the most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg) and Cul de Sac

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 77.4 years
Female: 82.2 years
Total population: 79.7 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas population: 1,327 PHILIPSBURG (capital) (2011)

Government

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)

Capital

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship: see the Netherlands

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

Country Name

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
Local long form: Land Sint Maarten (Dutch)/ Country of Sint Maarten (English)
Local short form: Sint Maarten (Dutch and English)
Conventional long form: Country of Sint Maarten
Conventional short form: Sint Maarten

Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy

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
Subordinate courts: Courts in First Instance
Judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed by the monarch serve for life

Executive Branch

Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the governor
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)
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

National holiday: King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967)
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
National color(s): red, white, blue
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

Legislative Branch

Term in office: 4 years
Number of seats: 15 (directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Legislature name: Parliament of Sint Maarten
Scope of elections: full renewal
Legislative structure: unicameral
Most recent election date: 1/11/2024
Expected date of next election: 2028
Percentage of women in chamber: 46.7%
Parties elected and seats per party: NA (4); UPP (3); URSM (2); DP (2); PFP (2); NOW (2)

National Anthem(s)

Title: “Het Wilhelmus” (The William)
History: adopted 1932
Lyrics/music: Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown

National symbol(s): brown pelican, yellow sage (flower)
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 organisations: Caricom (observer), ILO, Interpol, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO

Economy

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $790.938 million (2021 est.)

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2021: $790.938 million (2021 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.375 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $1.504 billion (2023 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $1.003 billion (2021 est.)

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2021: $1.003 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.32 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.489 billion (2023 est.)

Industries: tourism, light industry

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2021: 3.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022: 3.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency: Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020: 1.79 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 1.79 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 1.79 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 1.79 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024: 1.79 (2024 est.)

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
Exports partners: Antigua & Barbuda 28%, USA 16%, France 12%, Netherlands 8%, Morocco 7% (2023)
Imports partners: USA 82%, Netherlands 7%, France 4%, Brazil 1%, Switzerland 1% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $45,800 (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $43,900 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $44,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $45,800 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 9.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.5% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products: sugar
Exports commodities: scrap iron, ships, jewelry, flavored water, liquor (2023)
Imports commodities: jewelry, refined petroleum, ships, pearl products, diamonds (2023)

Current Account Balance

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2021: -$311.463 million (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$56.984 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$116.693 million (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $1.735 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): 2.2% (2017 est.)

Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015: 0.3% (2015 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016: 0.1% (2016 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017: 2.2% (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (2021 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $1.986 billion (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.849 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.919 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $1.986 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 6% (2021 est.)
Services: 89.3% (2021 est.)

Energy

Electricity Access

Electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 89.5% (2022)

Internet country code: .sx

Telephones Mobile Cellular

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

Transport

Ports

Large: 0
Small: 2
Medium: 0
Key ports: Coles Bay Oil Terminal, Philipsburg
Very small: 0
Total ports: 2 (2024)
Ports with oil terminals: 1

Airports: 1 (2025)

Environment

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

Land Use

Other: 89.1% (2022 est.)
Forest: 10.9% (2022 est.)
Agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)

Urbanization

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

Environmental issues: scarcity of potable water; inadequate solid waste management; pollution from construction, chemical runoff, and sewage

Military & Security

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))
Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM)

Transnational Issues

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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Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Sint Maarten — vintage 2026-Q1: Sint Maarten factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/sint-maarten

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Sources: CIA World Factbook