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For other uses, see Saint Martin (disambiguation).
Saint Martin
Native name: Sint Maarten (Dutch)
Saint-Martin (French)
Geography
Location Caribbean Sea
Coordinates 18°04′N 63°03′W / 18.067, -63.05Coordinates: 18°04′N 63°03′W / 18.067, -63.05
Archipelago Leeward Islands, Lesser Antilles
Area 37 km² (14 sq mi)
Highest point Pic Paradis
414 m (1,360 ft)
Administration
Flag of Kingdom of the Netherlands Kingdom of the Netherlands
Constituent country Flag of the Netherlands Antilles Netherlands Antilles
Island area Flag of Sint Maarten Sint Maarten
Largest city Philipsburg (1,338)
Flag of France France
Overseas collectivity Flag of Saint Martin (France) Saint Martin
Largest city Marigot (5,700)
Demographics
Population 85,000
NASA NLT Landsat 7 (visible color) satellite image of Saint Martin.
NASA NLT Landsat 7 (visible color) satellite image of Saint Martin. For the island of St Martin on the whole see Saint Martin, for the French side see Saint Martin (France and for other uses see Saint Martin (disambiguation For the region see Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea (kəˈrɪbiən or /ˌkærɨˈbiːən/ is a tropical Sea in the Western Hemisphere A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. The Leeward Islands are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain of islands part of the West Indies. The Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees, are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas and Greater Antilles form the The Netherlands and The Kingdom of the Netherlands are two distinct geographical and administrative entities The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles |||}The Netherlands Antilles is divided in five administrative divisions the Island Areas ( Eilandgebieden) Bonaire, including an islet called For the island of St Martin on the whole see Saint Martin, for the French side see Saint Martin (France and for other uses see Saint Martin (disambiguation Philipsburg is the main town on the Dutch side of the Netherlands Antilles island of Sint Maarten, on a narrow stretch of land between Great Bay and the This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The French overseas collectivities ( collectivités d'outre-mer or COM) like the French regions, themselves are first-order Administrative divisions Marigot is the main town and capital on the French side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. Landsat 7, launched on April 15, 1999, is the latest satellite of the Landsat program.
Map of Saint Martin.
Map of Saint Martin.

Saint Martin is a tropical island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 300 km (186 miles) east of Puerto Rico. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} The 87 km² island is divided roughly in half between France and the Netherlands Antilles; it is the smallest inhabited sea island divided between two nations. To help compare sizes of different geographic regions we list here Areas between 10 km² (1000 Hectares and 100 km² (10000 hectares This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles The vast majority of islands in the world are either a country in their own right or part of a larger country

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. Princess Juliana International Airport serves the Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin.

Contents

Geography

The main towns are Philipsburg (Dutch side) and Marigot (French side). Philipsburg is the main town on the Dutch side of the Netherlands Antilles island of Sint Maarten, on a narrow stretch of land between Great Bay and the Marigot is the main town and capital on the French side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin. The island has approximately a total resident population of 85,000. The official population on the Dutch side is 50,000 while on the French side this is 35,000. Human density is 3 times that of the Netherlands. In addition there is an average of 1,000,000 tourist visitors per year. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel

The highest hilltop is the Pic Paradis (424 m) on center of a hill chain. There is no river on the island, but many dry guts. Hiking trails give access to the dry forest covering tops and slopes. The tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest Biome, also known as tropical dry forest, is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes

The average yearly air temperature is 27 °C (min 17 °C, max 35 °C) and sea surface temperature 26. 4 °C. The total average yearly rainfall is 995 mm, with 22 days of thunder.

Neither of the two halves of St. Martin had separate FIPS PUB 10-4 territory codes or ISO 3166-1 codes prior to 2007; they were coded as GP (Guadeloupe) and NA/AN (Netherlands Antilles). This is a list of FIPS 10-4 Country codes for Countries Dependencies Areas of Special Sovereignty and Their Principal Administrative Divisions. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> ISO 3166-1, as part of the ISO 3166 standard Guadeloupe is an island group or Archipelago located in the eastern Caribbean Sea at, with a land area of 1628 square kilometres (629  sq The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles The status of the French side changed to an overseas collectivity in February 2007, and it received the ISO 3166-1 code MF in October 2007. The French overseas collectivities ( collectivités d'outre-mer or COM) like the French regions, themselves are first-order Administrative divisions [1] The status of the Dutch side is due to change to a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in December 2008, and it is expected that Dutch part will also get an ISO 3166-1 code of its own shortly thereafter. The Netherlands and The Kingdom of the Netherlands are two distinct geographical and administrative entities

Common history

Main article: History of Saint Martin

Short review

Details

In 1493, Christopher Columbus embarked on his second voyage to the New World. Christopher Columbus (1451 &ndash May 20 1506 was an Italian Navigator, colonizer According to legend, Columbus sighted and perhaps anchored at the island of Saint Martin on November 11, 1493, the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Saint Martin of Tours (Martinus (316/317 Savaria, Pannonia &ndash November 8, 317, Candes, Gaul; buried November In his honor, Columbus named the island San Martin. This name was translated to Sint Maarten (Dutch), Saint Martin (French and English).

Flags flying in Marigot harbor, Saint-Martin.
Flags flying in Marigot harbor, Saint-Martin.

When Columbus sailed these seas, St. Martin was populated, if populated at all, by Carib amerindians. Cariban languages Carib, Island Carib or Kalinago people after whom the Caribbean Sea was named live in the Lesser Antilles islands For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. The former Arawaks had been chased by the warlike Caribs coming from the North coast of South America a short time before the arrival of the Spaniards who followed in Columbus' wake. The term Arawak (from aru, the Lokono word for Cassava flour was used to designate the Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The English word cannibal is derived from an Arawak word which referred to the Caribs. Cannibalism (from Spanish es ''caníbal'' in connection with cannibalism among the Antillean Caribs, also called anthropophagy (from Greek ἄνθρωπος The Arawakan languages (also Arahuacan, Arawakanas, Arahuacano, Maipurean, Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúrean The Arawaks were a relatively cultured, agricultural people who fashioned pottery and whose social organization was headed by hereditary chieftains who derived their power from personal deities called zemis. The Caribs, on the other hand, concentrated on warfare. They killed and, allegedly, ate the Arawak men, then "married" the Arawak women.

The Caribs' territory was not completely conquered until the mid-17th century when most of them perished in the struggle between the French, English, Dutch, Danes and Spanish for control of the West Indies. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The Dutch first began to ply the island's ponds for salt in the 1620s. Despite the Dutch presence on the island, the Spaniards recaptured St. Martin in 1633 and, one year later, built a fort (now Ft. Amsterdam) and another artillery battery at Pointe Blanche to assert their claim and control access to Great bay salt pond. In Military organizations an artillery battery is a unit of Guns mortars or Rockets so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield Salt evaporation ponds are shallow man-made Ponds designed to produce Salt from Sea water. The Spaniards introduced the first African slaves to the area in the 16th century but the main influx of African slaves took place in the 18th century with the development of Sugarcane plantations by the French protestants and some Dutch jews. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Slavery was abolished in the first half of the 19th century, whereupon on some of their territories the British imported Chinese and East Indians to take the place of slaves. Abolitionism was a political movement of the 18th and 19th century which sought to make Slavery illegal particularly in the United States and British West Indies The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including Hong East Indians are a Marathi -speaking Roman Catholic ethnic group based in and around the city of Mumbai ( Marathi: मुंबई Thus, St. Martin and the other islands are populated by a mixture of Amerindian, European, African, Indians and Asian peoples. West Indian cultures such as in St. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Martin are, consequently, exceedingly rich and varied.

Border division

Border crossing between St Martin and Sint Maarten
Border crossing between St Martin and Sint Maarten

Culture and tourism

Main article: Culture of Saint Martin
Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten
Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten

Sint Maarten, the Dutch side, is known for its festive nightlife, beaches, jewelry, exotic drinks made with native rum-based guavaberry liquors, and plentiful casinos, while Saint-Martin, the French side, is known more for its nude beaches, clothes, shopping, and rich French and Indian Caribbean cuisine. The culture of St Martin owes a great deal to its African French British and Dutch heritage A drink, or beverage, is a Liquid specifically prepared for Human consumption Rum is a Distilled beverage made from Sugarcane by-products such as Molasses and sugarcane Juice by a process of fermentation The guavaberry or rumberry ( Myrciaria floribunda or Eugenia Floribunda) is a Fruit tree which grows in the Caribbean. A casino is in the modern sense of the word a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of Gambling activities A nude beach (British English naturist or nudist beach) is a Beach where users are legally at liberty to be nude. Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather Shopping is the examining of Goods or services from Retailers with intent to purchase at that time

Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin is home to several world-class accommodations, including hotels, villas, and timeshares, many of which are privately available for rent or sale. A villa was originally an Upper-class Country house, though since its origins in Roman times the idea and function of a villa has evolved considerably A timeshare is a form of ownership or right to the use of a property or the term used to describe such properties Some properties have over 200 rooms, while others have fewer than twenty. Many are located directly on beaches and in upscale shopping districts. Villas pepper the coast, boasting private beaches. Some are private residences, while others are available to affluent renters.

View of cruise ships docked in St. Martin's Dutch side
View of cruise ships docked in St. Martin's Dutch side

Rental cars are the primary mode of transportation for visitors staying on island. The island is served by several well-known agencies. If any driving is expected off the major roads (such as to some of the more secluded beaches), a 4-wheel drive is recommended. Traffic on the island, however, has become a major problem; long traffic jams between Marigot, Philipsburg and the airport are common.

Because the island is located along the intertropical convergence zone, it is occasionally menaced by tropical storm activity in the late summer and early fall. The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ, also known as the Intertropical Front, Monsoon trough, Doldrums or the Equatorial It is important to monitor local weather information during this time.

The island is widely known for its hundreds of gourmet (and more moderately priced) restaurants on both sides of the island.

Neighbouring islands include Saint-Barthélemy (French), Anguilla (British), Saba (Dutch), Sint Eustatius "Statia" (Dutch), Saint Kitts and Nevis (Independent, formerly British). Saint Barthélemy (Saint-Barthélemy officially the Collectivity of Saint Barthélemy (French Collectivité de Saint-Barthélemy) is an Overseas collectivity Anguilla (English pronunciation ang-GWILL-ah, æŋˈɡwɪlə is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, one of the most northerly of the Leeward SABA was a German manufacturer for electronic equipment from the Black Forest up to the 1980s Sint Eustatius, also known as Statia, or Saint Eustace, is one of the islands which make up the Netherlands Antilles; it is in the northern Leeward Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island ( Saint-Christophe in French) is an Island in the West Indies NEVIS, or New Exhaust Valve & Intake System, is a type of Internal combustion engine developed by Cesare Bortone in cooperation with the University With the exception of Nevis, all of these islands are easily visible on a clear day from St. Maarten.

Shopping

Shopping on St Maarten and Saint Martin offers high quality duty-free goods in numerous boutiques. The island has a well-earned reputation as a "shopper's paradise". Popular goods include local crafts & arts, exotic foods, jewelry, liquor, tobacco, leather goods, as well as most designer goods. Because of Duty free Tax free abound the island has become more of a shopping and relaxing destination. Most often the designer goods are offered at significant discounts, often up to 40% lower than US retail prices.

Transport

Airports

Video of airplane landing at Juliana International Airport, from here
Video of airplane landing at Juliana International Airport, from here

The island is served by many major airlines that bring in large jets, including Boeing 747s, Airbus A340s, and McDonnell Douglas MD-11s carrying tourists from across the world on a daily basis. Boeing Commercial Airplanes is a unit of The Boeing Company, based in Renton, Washington consisting of the Seattle -based former Boeing WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Airbus SAS (ˈɛərbʌs in English, Airbus2ogg|/ɛʁbys/]] in French, and /ˈɛːɐbʊs/ in German) is an aircraft manufacturing WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout This fuels the island's largest revenue source: tourism. Princess Juliana International Airport — which opened a major new terminal in November, 2006. Princess Juliana International Airport serves the Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin. The short length of the main runway, combined with the airport's close proximity with the beach, causes some spectacular approaches. A runway ( RWY) is a strip of land on an Airport, on which Aircraft can take off and land. Aviation photographers flock to the airport to capture pictures of large jets just a few feet above sunbathers on the beach. Aircraft spotting or Plane spotting is the observation and logging registration numbers of Aircraft: Gliders powered aircraft large balloons [2] There is also an airport on the French side of the island at Grand Case, called Grand Case Airport. L'Espérance Airport, also known as Grand Case Airport (Aérodrome de Grand-Case Espérance is a public use Airport located in Grand Case, on the

See also

References

  1. ^ ISO 3166-1 Newsletter. For the island of St Martin on the whole see Saint Martin, for the French side see Saint Martin (France and for other uses see Saint Martin (disambiguation St Martin's history shares many commonalities with other Caribbean islands See also Saint Martin, the caribbean island The french side of the island. The culture of St Martin owes a great deal to its African French British and Dutch heritage O Sweet Saint Martin's Land is the bi-national song of Saint-Martin/Sint-Maarten island, in the Caribbean, this island being divided between France and Scouting is active on Guadeloupe and on Saint Martin, connected administratively in the Région Guadeloupe et Saint Martin. Princess Juliana International Airport serves the Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin. Assignment of code elements for Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin and update of France and other French Territories
  2. ^ Aviation Photos: Philipsburg / St. Maarten - Princess Juliana (SXM / TNCM), Airliners. net.

External links

Travel and tourism

Organizations

News and media

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