Sint Maarten

More Information

Sint Maarten's Information


Capital	Philipsburg
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 census)
Religion	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.)
Independance	None (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Area	34.00 km²
Land Area	34.00 km²
Population	41,486.00 Most populous areas are Lower Prince's Quarter (north of Philipsburg), followed closely by Cul de Sac
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
No. Bordering Countries	1
Bordering Countries	Saint Martin (France) 16 km
GDP(PPP)	$365,800,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$66,800.00 (USD)
Export Commodities	Its main export is sugar.
Climate	Temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain	Low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin

Where is Sint Maarten?

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

The capital city of Sint Maarten Island is Philipsburg. It is located between two bays, and was established in 1763 by a Scottish captain. The city has a population of 1,327 people living in the city. The figures represent a 100% of both the urban and metropolitan areas. The city has excellent tourist sites to offer such as the beautiful beaches, delicious food provided by hotels around the city, tours around the island among others sites. The city averagely experiences a hot, windy and cloudy climate through the year. The warm month is July and coolest is December. Rainfall is received from September, November, and October, and the average temperatures experienced are 75 degree Celsius and 88 degree Celsius. The city also experiences windy climates with speeds averaging 12.3 miles per hour. The city is also affected by hurricanes in the month of September. The best months to visit the city are from late December to late March with February being the peak month for tourist visits. These months are favorable for outdoor tourist activities loved by many.

Geography

Sint Maarten has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a temperate climate with cool summers and humid winters. Its terrain is low and hilly with volcanic origin.

Population

Sint Maarten has a population of 41,486 making it the 211th largest in the world. The majority of the population lives north of Philipsburg.

English is the official language and the most widely spoken, followed by Spanish and Creole. Dutch is also an official language. The majority of the population is Protestant Christian.

The island nation of Sint Maarten is under the kingdom of the Netherlands, and the official language is Dutch. However, the majority of the population converses in English. A smaller percentage of the citizens can converse in the local Creole language which is considered to be their local vernacular. About 67.5% of the population can converse in English while 12.9% of the population can converse in Spanish. 6.6% of the population can converse in French while 4.2% can converse in Dutch.

Government

It is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its constitution was last ratified in 2010.

The island of Sint Maarten has a constitutional monarchy system form of government. The governor is the head of state and represents the interest of the Dutch kingdom. The prime minister is head of the government and has a cabinet made up of 15 members. The governor is appointed for a term of six-years by the King whiles the prime minister and the cabinet are elected by voters for a four-year term. Sint Maarten is a multiparty state and as of 2016, there were 13 registered political parties. The island in 2010 voted to separate itself from the Netherlands Antilles. The referendum gave the voters powers to elect the prime minister and the 15 members of the cabinet. Citizens who are 18 years and above are eligible to vote in Sint Maarten island. The law-makers in Sint Maarten meet at the parliament hall across the court house in Philipsburg.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Sint Maarten's GDP is $365,800,000.00 (USD) with $66,800.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 213th largest economy and its citizens the 14th richest in the world. The currency of Sint Maarten is the Guilder (ANG).

Flag

The flag of Sint Maarten comprises of two horizontal stripes and a white chevron. The court of arms is in the middle of the white chevron. The court of arms of Sint Maarten has several elements namely a brown pelican bird, a rising sun, a bouquet of flowers, a yellow scroll with the inscription Semper progrediens, courthouse, and a monument. The red color on the flag symbolizes courage and solidarity. The blue color stands for the sky and sea. The yellow scroll has the words Semper Progrediens which means always progressing in Latin. The brown flying pelican bird is the national bird of Sint Maarten. 17-year-old miss Roselle Richardson designed the Sint Maarten flag. Her design was chosen from a contest which had 115 entries. Before the current flag of Sint Maarten, the Island was using the Netherlands Antilles flag. The flag of the Netherlands Antilles was used until the country got its flag. The flag was adopted on June 13, 1985, while the coat of arms was adopted in November 1982. The flag has been in use since it was designed.