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Sint Maarten () is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean region of North America. With a population of 58,477 as of June 2023 on an area of , it encompasses the southern 44% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the northern 56% of the island constitutes the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin. Sint Maarten's Capital city is Philipsburg. Collectively, Sint Maarten and the other Dutch islands in the Caribbean are often called the Dutch Caribbean.
Before 10 October 2010, Sint Maarten was known as the Island Territory of Sint Maarten (), and was one of six (from 1986 five) island territories (eilandgebieden) that constituted the Netherlands Antilles. Sint Maarten has the status of an EU overseas country; it is not part of the European Union, but is a member of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association.
On 6 and 7 September 2017, the island was hit by Category 5 Hurricane Irma, which caused widespread and significant damage to buildings and infrastructure.
"Sint Maarten" is Saint Martin in Dutch.
Nominally Spanish territory, the island became the focus of the competing interests of the European powers, notably the French and Dutch. While the French wanted to colonize the islands between Trinidad and Bermuda, the Dutch found San Martín a convenient halfway point between their colonies in New Amsterdam (present day New York) and Dutch Brazil. Meanwhile, the Amerindian population began to decline precipitously, dying from introduced diseases to which they had no immunity.
The Dutch built a fort (Fort Amsterdam) on the island in 1631; Jan Claeszen van Campen became its first governor and the Dutch West India Company began mining salt on the island. Tensions between the Netherlands and Spain were already high due to the ongoing Eighty Years' War, and in 1633 the Spanish captured St Martin and drove off the Dutch colonists. At Point Blanche, they built what is now Old Spanish Fort to secure the territory. The Dutch under Peter Stuyvesant attempted to wrest back control in 1644, but were repulsed. Caribbean: The Lesser Antilles Karl Luntta However, in 1648 the Eighty Years' War ended and the Spanish, no longer seeing any strategic or economic value in the island, simply abandoned it.
With Saint Martin free again, both the Dutch and the French jumped at the chance to re-establish their settlements. Dutch colonists came from Sint Eustatius, while the French came from St. Kitts. After some initial conflict, both sides realized that neither would yield easily. Preferring to avoid an all-out war, they signed the Treaty of Concordia in 1648, which divided the island in two. During the treaty's negotiation, the French had a fleet of navy ships off shore, which they used as a threat to bargain more land for themselves. In spite of the treaty, relations between the two sides were not always cordial. Between 1648 and 1816, conflicts changed the border sixteen times. The entire island came under effective French control from 1795 when Netherlands became a puppet state under the French Empire until 1815. In the end, the French came out ahead with ; 61%) against ; 39%) on the Dutch side.
Tourism began growing from the 1950s onward, and Princess Juliana International Airport became one of the busiest in the Eastern Caribbean. For much of this period, Sint Maarten was governed by business tycoon Claude Wathey of the Democratic Party.NRC.nl – Sint Maarten bloeit, politici leven in luxe The island's demographics changed dramatically during this period as well, with the population increasing from a mere 5,000 people to around 60,000 people by the mid-1990s. Immigration from the neighbouring Lesser Antilles, Curaçao, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the United States, Europe, and Asia turned the native population into a minority.Oostindie 1998:126–127
Sint Maarten became an "island territory" ( eilandgebied in Dutch language) of the Netherlands Antilles in 1983. Before that date, Sint Maarten was part of the island territory of the Windward Islands, together with Saba and Sint Eustatius. The status of an island territory entails considerable autonomy summed up in the Island Regulation of the Netherlands Antilles. During this period Sint Maarten was ruled by an island council, an executive council, and a lieutenant governor () appointed by the Dutch Crown.
Hurricane Luis in late August and early September 1995 hit the island, causing immense destruction and resulting in 12 deaths.
On 10 October 2010 Sint Maarten became a constituent country () within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, making it a constitutional equal partner with Aruba, Curaçao, and the Netherlands proper. Constitution Day (10 October) is celebrated annually as a public holiday.
Sint Maarten has been assigned the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes of SXM and SX, and the .sx Internet ccTLD became available to register on 15 November 2012.123-reg Blog – Let's talk about .SX!
The prime minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, told the news media on 8 September that the airport in Sint Maarten was ready to receive emergency flights and that aid, as well as police officers and military personnel, were on their way. The prime minister of Sint Maarten, William Marlin, had already asked the Dutch government for extended relief assistance which began to arrive on 8 September. The government issued a tropical storm warning on 8 September since the category four Hurricane Jose was approaching.
In the aftermath of the hurricane, the extensive damage led officials to predict dramatic economic impacts. A statement by Marlin summarized the situation on 8 September: "We've lost many, many homes. Schools have been destroyed. We foresee a loss of the tourist season because of the damage that was done to hotel properties, the negative publicity that one would have that it's better to go somewhere else because it's destroyed. So that will have a serious impact on our economy." At the time, preparations were being made as Hurricane Jose approached the island. The government estimated that on 9 September, 70% of houses were badly damaged or destroyed and much of the population was living in shelters ahead of the arrival of Jose. Fortunately, this second hurricane did not have a significant impact on the island.
Widespread looting and violence erupted in the wake of the recovery, and a state of emergency was announced. Two hundred and thirty soldiers from the Netherlands were sent in to stabilize the situation, with additional troops arriving in the coming days. By 10 September, approximately 1,200 Americans had been evacuated to Puerto Rico by military aircraft. On that date, Royal Caribbean International said that the company was sending its Adventure of the Seas to Sint Maarten and to St. Thomas to provide supplies and to offer evacuation services. The ship arrived on the island on 10 September with water, ice, garbage bags, clothing, and canned food, and evacuated 320 people. By 11 September, King Willem-Alexander had already arrived in Curaçao and was scheduled to visit Sint Maarten, St. Eustatius, and Saba. When Willem-Alexander visited Sint Maarten for the first time post-hurricane, he was shocked by the destruction. He immediately called for support from the European Union so the island could recover swiftly. Later in the month, it was revealed that the EU would allocate €2 billion in emergency funds for immediate disaster relief to restore basic essentials on Sint Maarten, such as drinking water and sanitation. In addition to the EU's contribution, Red Cross, the government of the Netherlands, and Dutch citizens of the mainland raised money via donations and crowdfunding for the recovery efforts.
A report in late March 2018 indicated that the airport was able to handle some flights and some service had resumed from the US, Canada, and Europe. A new departure lounge was being used during rebuilding of the original facility. The General Aviation building was being used for passengers arriving on the island.
A little over a year after Hurricane Irma, St Maarten's cruise industry had recovered to the extent that in 2018, more than 1 million cruise passengers visited the island.
Telecommunications, including Wi-Fi, had been restored on the island, 95% of customers were receiving electricity and drinking water was readily available on the island. Some tourist accommodations were open, with 27 operating and 36 said to be ready sometime later in 2018. Cruise ships were arriving in 2018. See successive archived copies for progress information.
Sint Maarten is . The terrain is generally hilly, with the highest peak being Mount Flagstaff at 383m, which lies directly on the island's international border. The area to the west around the airport is flatter, and contains the Dutch section of the Simpson Bay Lagoon. The Great Salt Pond lies to north of Philipsburg. Several small islands lie off the coast. Little Key lies in the Simpson Bay Lagoon.
There are ten total islands in Sint Maarten, including:
There currently is a movement in Sint Maarten aiming for the unification of island of Saint Martin, which has its own flag.
Being classified as an OCT Sint Maarten is not part of the European Union. The status of Sint Maarten is outlined in Article 355(2) in conjunction with Part Four Articles 198 to 204 of the TFEU. Key points include:
This classification means that while Sint Maarten benefits from economic and developmental cooperation with the EU, it does not participate in EU institutions or policies as full member states do.
The hillside policy, as of 1998, is mainly concerned with residential development. On the hillside, only residential development is permitted, certain hillsides with important "visual impact" are protected and conserved for their general landscape. A natural park is projected for the following hills: Cole Bay Hill, Sentry Hill, St. Peters Hill, Concordia Hill, Marigot Hill, Waymouth Hill, and Williams Hill. The policy stated the main objective was to conserve and maintain the green hillside and restore any natural habitats if needed. However, as of 2020, these natural parks had not yet been established.
In the government and parliament of the Netherlands, the call for measures became louder. With Dutch pressure, the government of the Netherlands Antilles installed the Miguel Pourier Commission tasked with investigating the state of affairs of the island government of Sint Maarten in December 1991. Its report concluded that the island was in a severe financial crisis, that rules of democratic decision-making were continuously broken, and that the island government constituted an oligarchy. In short, the island government failed completely according to the report. After long negotiations, the Kingdom government enacted a General Measure of Kingdom Administration () in early 1993, placing Sint Maarten under direct supervision of the Kingdom. Although originally meant for one year, the Order-in-Council for the Kingdom was eventually extended until 1 March 1996.Oostindie and Klinkers 2001:189–191
allegations of criminal activities continue to plague Sint Maarten. In 2004, the Minister of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles asked the Scientific Research and Documentation Centre ( (WODC)) of the Dutch Ministry of Justice to conduct research into organized crime in Sint Maarten. The report concluded that [[money laundering]] and cocaine trade are widespread on Sint Maarten. It also alleged that money from the island was used to finance [[Hamas]], its associate Holy Land Foundation, and the [[Taliban]].NRC.nl – [http://www.nrc.nl/nieuwsthema/antillen/article1847339.ece/Sint_Maarten_vrijhaven_voor_criminele_gelden Sint Maarten vrijhaven voor criminele gelden]
In April 2009, former Commissioner Louie Laveist was convicted, and sentenced to an 18-month prison sentence, by the Sint Maarten Court-of-First-Instance, on account of forgery, fraud, and bribery.NRC.nl – Gedeputeerde Sint Maarten veroordeeld voor corruptie He was later acquitted of forgery and of fraud by the Common Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, but not of bribery.The Daily Herald – Louie Laveist partially vindicated on appeal
The categorization of native, introduced, and invasive plant species is not as well documented for the island. Some of the introduced plant species include: manila grass ( Zoysia matrella), Spanish bayonet ( Yucca aloifolia), Singapore almond ( Terminalia catappa), true aloe ( Aloe vera). Some of the native species are west Indian holly ( Tunera ulmifolia), spiny amaranth ( Amaranthus spinosus), bell pepper (C apsium pulcherrima), salt heliotrope ( Heliotropium curassavicum), bay rum tree ( pimento racemose), and sourbush ( pluchea carolinesis). One of the invasive species on the island is crowfoot grass ( Dactyloctenium aegyptium).
Mullet Pond became the 55th Ramsar site in 2016 and is therefore protected according to the Ramsar Treaty, a global commitment to protect ecologically significant wetland areas.
Sint Maarten's population descends from over 120 nationalities, with over 2/3s of inhabitants being foreign born. By nationality, the population is; Sint Maarten 29.9%, Dominican Republic 10.2%, Haiti 7.8%, Jamaica 6.6%, Saint Martin 5.9%, Guyana 5%, Dominica 4.4%, Curaçao 4.1%, Aruba 3.4%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.8%, India 2.6%, Netherlands 2.2%, United States 1.6%, Suriname 1.4%, Saint Lucia 1.3%, Anguilla 1.1%, Other 8%, unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.).
| Total | 19 759 | 20 855 | 40 614 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 1 349 | 1 265 | 2 614 | 6.44 |
| 5–9 | 1 437 | 1 336 | 2 773 | 6.83 |
| 10–14 | 1 387 | 1 354 | 2 741 | 6.75 |
| 15–19 | 1 360 | 1 361 | 2 721 | 6.70 |
| 20–24 | 1 139 | 1 025 | 2 165 | 5.33 |
| 25–29 | 1 142 | 1 324 | 2 466 | 6.07 |
| 30–34 | 1 432 | 1 651 | 3 083 | 7.59 |
| 35–39 | 1 510 | 1 832 | 3 342 | 8.23 |
| 40–44 | 1 651 | 1 895 | 3 546 | 8.73 |
| 45–49 | 1 665 | 1 806 | 3 471 | 8.55 |
| 50–54 | 1 727 | 1 719 | 3 446 | 8.48 |
| 55–59 | 1 348 | 1 447 | 2 795 | 6.88 |
| 60–64 | 1 091 | 1 132 | 2 223 | 5.47 |
| 65–69 | 759 | 813 | 1 573 | 3.87 |
| 70–74 | 431 | 450 | 881 | 2.17 |
| 75–79 | 207 | 223 | 430 | 1.06 |
| 80–84 | 93 | 125 | 217 | 0.53 |
| 85–89 | 18 | 61 | 79 | 0.19 |
| 90+ | 11 | 36 | 47 | 0.12 |
| 0–14 | 4 173 | 3 955 | 8 128 | 20.01 |
| 15–64 | 14 067 | 15 192 | 29 259 | 72.04 |
| 65+ | 1 519 | 1 708 | 3 227 | 7.95 |
The government uses Dutch when in communication with the national government and also formerly did so with the Netherlands Antilles government. Local signage uses both Dutch and English.Klomp, Ank. "Saint Martin: Communal Identities on a Divided Caribbean Island." In: Niedermüller, Peter and Bjarne Stoklund (editors). Journal of European Ethnology Volume 30:2, 2000: Borders and Borderlands: An Anthropological Perspective. Museum Tusculanum Press, 2000. , 9788772896779. Start: p. 73. CITED: p. 80. Historically there were English-medium and Dutch-medium schools on Sint Maarten, but Dutch government policy towards St. Maarten and other SSS islands eventually promoted English-medium education.
Sint Maarten is a Multilingualism society, most are simultaneously bilingual in Dutch and English, and among them are also speakers of Spanish language and French language, the latter of which is official on the other side of the island (Saint-Martin). Linguist Linda-Andrea Richardson stated in 1983 that Dutch was a "dead language" in Sint Maarten.Dijkhoff, Marta, Silvia Kowenberg, and Paul Tjon Sie Fat. Chapter 215 "The Dutch-speaking Caribbean Die niederländischsprachige Karibik." In: Sociolinguistics / Soziolinguistik. Walter de Gruyter, January 1, 2006. , 9783110199871. Start: p. 2105. CITED: p. 2108.
Some residents including Arubans, Curaçaoans and Sint Maarteners who have lived on or descend from the ABC Islands, speak Papiamento.Klomp, Ank. "Saint Martin: Communal Identities on a Divided Caribbean Island." In: Niedermüller, Peter and Bjarne Stoklund (editors). Journal of European Ethnology Volum 30:2, 2000: Borders and Borderlands: An Anthropological Perspective. Museum Tusculanum Press, 2000. , 9788772896779. Start: p. 73. CITED: p. 85. Many Spanish speakers are from the Dominican Republic. Dominicans make up the largest group of legal immigrants.
In 2014, St. Maarten had more gaming machines per resident than any other country in the world.
Hurricane Irma severely affected the economy in 2017. In a 2019 report, it was revealed that the island's GDP had dropped by 4.7%, with an increase in inflation. This drastic hit to the economy was due to lessened tourism, real estate, trade, and business activities.
The Sint Maarten Soccer Association was founded in 1986. The organisation is not a member of FIFA, but became an associate member of CONCACAF in 2002, and a full member in 2013.April 21, 2002: The national associations of Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten were welcomed as the newest (associate) members to the Confederation during the CONCACAF Ordinary Congress in Miami Beach, Florida (USA) The national football team debuted in 1989, and plays its home games at the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex, which has a 3,000-spectator capacity. After an initial period of popularity during the 1990s, including an appearance at the 1993 Caribbean Cup, interest in football declined, with the national team playing its last official match in 2000 (against Dominica). (Dutch) Sint Maarten – List of International Matches – Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 22 February 2016. However, Sint Maarten returned to international competition in March 2016, for the 2017 Caribbean Cup qualification tournament.
The Sint Maarten Cricket Association is a member of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association (LICA), which is, in turn, a member of Cricket West Indies. With rare exceptions (for instance, the Stanford 20/20), the national cricket team plays only against other LICA members, though Sint Maarteners may go on to play for the Leeward Islands team at regional level and are eligible for both the West Indies and the Netherlands internationally like Kacey Carty was when he made international cricket debut first for the West Indies Under-19 and then ultimately for the West Indies. The primary venue for cricket is the Charles Vlaun Cricket Field. Carib Lumber Ball Park – CricketArchive. Retrieved 22 February 2016. Colin Hamer was the first Sint Maartener to play first-class cricket, Colin Hamer – Biggin’ Up We Island. Retrieved 22 February 2016. while Daniel Doram was the first islander to play at international level, debuting for the Netherlands against Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup in July 2013 at the age of 15, also becoming the first St. Maartener to take a first-class five-wicket haul. In 2016 Kacey Carty became the first St Maartener to play representative cricket for the West Indies (for the West Indies under-19s).(21 December 2015). "Carty on WI U19 team for Youth World Cup" – 721 News. Retrieved 14 February 2016. Carty was the man of the final at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, and was later described by the prime minister, William Marlin, as having "brought the name of St Maarten to international acclaim".(19 February 2016). "Keacy Carty gets a fitting hero’s welcome" – Today (Sint Maarten). Retrieved 22 February 2016.
Prior to cricket becoming popular, baseball was preferred. No national team existed, although Sint Maarteners were eligible to play for the Netherlands Antilles baseball team before its dissolution.(5 September 2009). Netherlands Antilles reveal final Baseball World Cup Roster – Mister Baseball. Retrieved 22 February 2016. Several Sint Maarteners have passed through the American baseball system, playing at College baseball or in the minor leagues. Allen Halley played college baseball for the South Alabama Jaguars and was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 30th round of the 1995 draft, reaching Class A-Advanced in the minor leagues. Three others, Rene Leveret, Marc Ramirez, Denzel Richardson, and Rafael Skeete, were signed as free agents by major league teams during their careers, but played only in the minor leagues. St. Maarten, Netherlands – The Baseball Cube. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
Sint Maarten Volleyball Association is part of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association, which hosts championship qualifiers with countries within its zone. Countries that are part of the ECVA are: Anguilla, Antigua, Bermuda, Virgin Islands, Dominica, Dutch Sint.Maarten, French St. Martin, Grenada, Montserrat, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Over the past 8 years, volleyball in St.Maarten on a National level has been developing and showing results. In 2016, the Sint Maarten Men's National Team went on to win the championship in their pool for the round 1 World Championship Qualifiers winning the gold along with many individual awards. The local awardees were; Nicholas Henrietta (Best Setter); Leonardo J Jeffers (Best Outside Hitter); Stephan Ellis (Best Middle); Allinton Augustine (Best Defence); Riegmar Valies Courtar (Best Opposite), and Riegmar Valies Courtar (Best Scorer) and MVP Most Valuable Player.
Sint Maarten is also known for its festive nightlife, expansive beaches, precious jewelry, traditional cuisines, and plentiful casinos.
The Caribbean International Academy (CIA), founded in 2003 is a preparatory private boarding and day school on the island of St. Maarten. Catering to children from Kindergarten to Grade 12, CIA is also the only school offering Canadian/Ontario High School Diploma (OSSD) and 90% of their graduates go on to attend universities in Europe, Canada and the United States. Learning Unlimited Preparatory School (LUPS) is an American accredited institution, that established a Caribbean location in St.Maarten in 1991. The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Most residents who attend tertiary institutions do so in Curaçao or the European Netherlands.
The American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC), founded in 1978, was previously located on Montserrat. Because of the eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano in 1995, AUC moved its campus to St. Maarten later that year. A permanent campus was completed in 1998 in Cupecoy.
The University of St. Martin is located in Philipsburg. The University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine, founded in 1999, was previously located on Sint Eustatius. In September 2013, the University of Sint Eustatius moved its campus to Cole Bay, St. Maarten.
Philipsburg Jubilee Library in Philipsburg was the most prominent library in Sint Maarten." Contact Us ." Philipsburg Jubilee Library. Retrieved on February 28, 2018. "Our Address: Ch. E.W. Vogestreet 12 Philipsburg, St. Maarten." However, after Hurricane Irma hit the island in 2017, the library was forced to shut down. , Philipsburg Jubilee Library still lacks the funding necessary for it to be rebuilt, but has recently reopened in a temporary location until further notice.
Transportation
Sint Maarten is served by Princess Juliana International Airport, serving destinations across the Caribbean, North America and France and the Netherlands. It is well known for its very low final approach landings close to the popular Maho Beach at the end of the runway. Winair has its headquarters on the grounds of the airport."Directory: World Airlines." Flight International. 30 March–5 April 2004. 96.
See also
External links
Government
Organizations
Universities
Secondary education
Tourism
News and opinion
Categories: Caribbean Countries Of The Kingdom Of The Netherlands, Island Countries, Islands Of The Dutch Caribbean, Saint Martin, Countries And Territories Where Dutch Is An Official Language, Countries And Territories Where English Is An Official Language, States And Territories Established In 2010, 2010 Establishments In The Netherlands Antilles, Sint Maarten
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