Saint Martin : Ask Biography

Islands information

Name

Saint Martin

Native name

Sint Maarten
Saint-Martin

Location

Caribbean Sea

Archipelago

Leeward Islands, Lesser Antilles

Geography information

Area

87 km² (33.6 mi)

Elevation

1358.3 ft (414 m)

Highest point

Pic Paradis

Administration information

Kingdom of the Netherlands

Constituent Country

Sint Maarten

Largest city

Lower Prince's Quarter

French Republic

Overseas collectivity

Saint Martin

Largest city

Marigot

Administration information

Population

74852 as of January 1, 2007

Density

860 km2

Home | Islands | Saint Martin

Saint Martin ( ; ) is an island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 300 km (186 miles) east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km² island is divided roughly 60/40 between France (53 km²) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands (34 km²); however, the Dutch side has the larger population. It is one of the smallest sea islands divided between two nations, a division dating to 1648. The southern Dutch part comprises Sint Maarten and is one of four constituent countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The northern French part comprises the Collectivité de Saint-Martin (Collectivity of St. Martin) and is an overseas collectivity of France.

On January 1, 2007 the population of the entire island was 74,852 inhabitants, with 38,927 living on the Dutch side, and 35,925 on the French side.

Collectively, the two territories are known as "St-Martin / St Maarten". Sometimes SXM, the IATA identifier for Princess Juliana International Airport (the island's main airport), is used to refer to the island.