Saint Martin (island)

Saint Martin is a sunny island.

It sits in the warm Caribbean sea.

Two different groups share the land. One part is French. One part is Dutch.

They share a border on the island.

The land is very hilly. It has large mountain peaks. There are no rivers here.

You can see dry forests on the hills.

A big storm hit the island in 2017. It caused a lot of damage to buildings. Many people had to work to fix it.

Many people live on the island. They come from many different lands. It is a very diverse place to be.

Saint Martin is a sunny island in the Caribbean.

It sits near other islands like Anguilla and Saint Barthélemy.

Two different groups share the land. The north part belongs to France. The south part belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This is the only land border France shares with the Netherlands. The two sides are called Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten.

The island is very hilly. It has large mountain peaks and deep valleys.

There are no rivers, but there are many dry gullies. You can find dry forests on the slopes of the hills.

Many people live here. They come from over 70 different countries. Because of this, many languages are spoken. Most people use an English-based creole to talk.

A very strong storm called Hurricane Irma hit in 2017.

The storm caused a lot of damage to buildings. Many houses and schools were destroyed. People had to work hard to fix the island.

Some people use a special Unity Flag to show they want the island to be one.

Saint Martin is a unique island in the Caribbean.

It sits in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. You can find it east of Puerto Rico. The island is located south of Anguilla. It is also northwest of Saint Barthélemy.

Several other islands are nearby, such as Saba and Sint Eustatius. The island is divided into two different parts. The northern part is the Collectivity of Saint Martin. This area belongs to France. The southern part is Sint Maarten. It is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This is the only land border the French Republic shares with the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The island has a hilly landscape with large mountain peaks. Many houses are built in the valleys between these hills. The highest point is called Pic Paradis. It sits in the middle of a hill chain on the French side. There are no rivers on the island. Instead, you will see many dry gullies. Hiking trails lead into dry forests on the slopes.

The weather stays mostly steady throughout the year. The temperature usually stays between 77 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit. There is a dry season from January to April. A rainy season happens from August to December. Tropical storms can also happen in the late summer.

People have lived on this island for a very long time. Long ago, it had different names. One name meant "the island of women." Another name meant "the island of salt." Many people believe Christopher Columbus named the island. He may have named it after Saint Martin of Tours. However, he actually used that name for the island of Nevis. The name was later moved to this island by mistake. In 1648, France and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Concordia. This treaty divided the island into two territories. It is one of the oldest treaties still in use today.

The island is home to a very diverse group of people. About 73,777 people lived there in early 2019. Most people live on the Dutch side. People from more than 70 different countries live on the island. This means many languages are spoken. French is the official language on the French side. Dutch and English are official on the Dutch side. Many people also speak Spanish or Papiamento. Tourism is the main way people earn money.

About 85 percent of workers are in the tourist industry.

Life on the island can be difficult sometimes. In September 2017, a huge storm called Hurricane Irma hit. It was a Category 5 hurricane. The storm caused a lot of damage to buildings and roads. It cost about $3 billion in damage. On the French side, 95 percent of buildings were damaged or destroyed. On the Dutch side, 75 percent were damaged.

Many people want the two sides to become one single country. They use a special Unity Flag to show this hope.

This flag was made in 1990 to represent all the people. It shows that the island can be united.

Saint Martin is a unique island located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. It sits in the northeastern Caribbean, positioned roughly east of Puerto Rico.

The island is situated south of Anguilla and northwest of Saint Barthélemy. Several other islands are nearby, including Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. Geographically, the island is divided into two distinct political territories. The northern portion is the Collectivity of Saint Martin, which is an overseas collectivity of France. The southern portion is Sint Maarten, a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This division creates the only land border shared by the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The island's physical landscape is defined by hilly terrain and large mountain peaks. Many residential areas are located within the valleys formed by these hills. The highest point on the island is Pic Paradis. This peak sits in the center of a hill chain on the French side. While the island lacks permanent rivers, it features many dry gullies. Hiking trails allow visitors to explore the dry forests that cover the slopes and hilltops.

The climate is classified as a tropical savanna climate. This means the island experiences a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from August to December. The weather is influenced by the movement of the Azores High and the northeasterly trades. Consequently, temperatures remain quite stable, usually staying between 77 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

The political division of the island is rooted in a long history. It is widely believed that Christopher Columbus named the island after Saint Martin of Tours. However, records suggest he actually applied that name to the island of Nevis in 1493. Due to poorly charted waters, the name was accidentally transferred to Saint Martin. In 1648, the Kingdom of France and the Dutch Republic signed the Treaty of Concordia. This treaty allowed the two nations to jointly reclaim and divide the island.

Although there were 16 border changes over the following years, the boundary has remained stable since 1816. Today, the Treaty of Concordia remains one of the oldest treaties still in effect.

The division between the two sides has created different administrative structures. The French side is part of the European Union, but the Dutch side is not. The main cities serving the two territories are Marigot on the French side and Philipsburg on the Dutch side.

Population levels also differ between the two regions. On January 1, 2019, the total population was 73,777 inhabitants. Of these, 41,177 lived on the Dutch side, while 32,489 lived on the French side. The Dutch side is generally more heavily populated than the French side. The most populous settlement on the entire island is Lower Prince's Quarter, located in the Dutch territory.

Economic life on the island is heavily centered on the tourism industry. In the year 2000, the island welcomed approximately one million visitors annually. This industry is so significant that about 85% of the workforce is engaged in tourism. In 2014, the total nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the entire island was estimated at US$2.01 billion. The French side contributed approximately US$772 million, while the Dutch side contributed US$1,245 million.

However, the economy faced a major challenge in late 2017. A Category 5 hurricane caused significant hardship for the local businesses and residents.

In September 2017, Hurricane Irma struck the island with extreme force. This natural disaster caused widespread destruction to buildings and infrastructure, with damages estimated at $3 billion. The impact was particularly severe on the French side, where 95% of structures were damaged or destroyed. On the Dutch side, 75% of structures faced similar damage.

The storm also caused serious flooding in the village of Marigot and destroyed many schools. The Dutch side experienced a deep recession in 2017 and 2018 due to this devastation. Recovery efforts required significant aid from both France and the Netherlands.

The island is home to a highly diverse population from more than 70 different countries. This diversity is reflected in the many languages spoken by the inhabitants. While French is the official language of Saint-Martin, the Dutch side uses both Dutch and English as official languages. Many residents also speak Spanish or Papiamento. Because of the shared history and the freedom of movement allowed by the Treaty of Concordia, there is a strong movement for unification.

Supporters use the "Unity Flag," created in 1990, to represent the idea of "one island, one people." This movement seeks to bridge the political divide between the two halves of the island.