Saint Martin

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Saint Martin's Information


Capital	Marigot
Languages	French (official), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)
Ethnic Groups	Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian
Religion	Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu
Independance	None (overseas collectivity of France)
Area	54.00 km²
Land Area	54.00 km²
Population	31,949.00 Most of the population is found along the coast, with a largest concentrations around Marigot, Orleans, and Grand-Case
Location	Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; French part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Saint Martin lies east of the US Virgin Islands
No. Bordering Countries	1
Bordering Countries	Sint Maarten 16 km
GDP(PPP)	$561,500,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$19,300.00 (USD)
Import Commodities	Its major imports include crude petroleum, food, and manufactured items.
Climate	Cold and wet, with considerable mist and fog; spring and autumn are often windy

Where is Saint Martin?

Located in the Caribbean, Saint Martin has a 16.00 km border with Sint Maarten. It has a 59.00 km coastline.

The capital city of Saint Martin is Marigot. It started out as a village in 1689 as a site for merchant ships carrying agricultural produce. Marigot was named capital as a result of the introduction of sugarcane plantations which led to its rapid growth. Today, the city is home to around 5,700 inhabitants, making it the largest city in the French Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin. It experiences a tropical savanna climate.

Geography

Saint Martin has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a cold and wet climate with high levels of mist, fog and wind.

Population

Saint Martin has a population of 31,949 making it the 215th largest in the world. The majority of the population can be found along the coast.

French is the official language. The majority of the population is reported as Creole or black. The majority of the country identifies as Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant or Hindu.

Saint Martin is dual island which is both under the kingdom of Netherlands and the republic of France. The northern part of the island is an overseas collectivity of France, and French is the official language. However, English is also commonly spoken. A smaller percentage of the island’s citizens can converse in the local Creole language. Papiamento is also spoken on Saint Martin, which is a blend of various West African languages, Dutch, French, Spanish, and English among others.

Government

It is an overseas collectivity of France. Its constitution was last ratified in 1958.

The Island of Saint Martin is divided between the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin and Sint Maarten, a constituent of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Saint Martin occupies the northern part of the island, and Sint Maarten the southern. Although Saint Martin is part of France, it has significant authority over its own legislature and finances. The head of government in Saint Martin is the president of the Territorial Council. The Territorial Council is a 23-member council elected by the people and which in turn gets to elect the president from among its members.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Saint Martin's GDP is $561,500,000.00 (USD) with $19,300.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 210th largest economy and its citizens the 85th richest in the world. The currency of Saint Martin is the Euro (EUR).

Flag

The territory of Saint Martin uses the French flag as its national flag. However, Saint Martin also has a local white flag with an emblem on it. The emblem depicts a pelican flying over the ocean waters, with the sun shining in the background.