18 05 N, 63 57 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 54.4 sq km land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL

Area - comparative:

more than one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

total: 15 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km

Coastline:

58.9 km (for entire island)

Climate:

temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m

Natural resources:

salt

Environment - current issues:

fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water

Geography - note:

the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten

People
Saint Martin

Population:

29,376 (July 2008 est.)

Ethnic groups:

creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian

Religions:

Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu

Languages:

French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish,
Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)

Government
Saint Martin

Country name:

conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin

Dependency status:

overseas collectivity of France

Capital:

name: Marigot geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight savings: +1 hour

Independence:

none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day
(Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007) head of government: President of the Territorial Council Frantz GUMBS (since 7 August 2008) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Frantz GUMBS elected president by the Territorial Council on 7 August 2008

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%, Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir Saint-Martin 1

Political parties and leaders:

Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement
Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir
Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET]

Political pressure groups and leaders: