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St. Maarten

Sint Maarten
Flag of Sint Maarten
Coat of arms of Sint Maarten
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Semper progrediens" (Latin)
"Always progressing"
Location of  Sint Maarten  (circled in red)in the Caribbean  (light yellow)
Location of  Sint Maarten  (circled in red)

in the Caribbean  (light yellow)

Sint Maarten is located on the southern half ofthe island of Saint Martin.
Sint Maarten is located on the southern half of
the island of Saint Martin.
Capital Philipsburg
18°02′N 63°03′W / 18.033°N 63.050°W / 18.033; -63.050
Largest city Lower Prince's Quarter
Official languages
Demonym St. Maartener
Sovereign state  Kingdom of the Netherlands
Government Unitary parliamentary representative democracy under constitutional monarchy
• Monarch
Willem-Alexander
• Governor
Eugene Holiday
William Marlin
Legislature Estates of Sint Maarten
Autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
• Established
10 October 2010 (dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles)
Area
• Total
37 km2 (14 sq mi)
• Water (%)
negligible
Population
• 2011 census
33,609
• Density
1,110/km2 (2,874.9/sq mi) (10th)
GDP (PPP) 2003 estimate
• Total
$400 million
• Per capita
$11,400
Currency Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Time zone AST (UTC−4)
Drives on the right
Calling code +1 721
ISO 3166 code SX
Internet TLD .sx, .an 
  1. ^ .an is to be discontinued

in the Caribbean  (light yellow)

Sint Maarten (Dutch pronunciation: [sɪnt ˈmaːrtə(n)]) is an island country in the Caribbean. It is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. With a population of 33,609 on an area of 34 km2 (13 sq mi), it encompasses the southern 40% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the northern 60% of the island constitutes the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Martin. Its capital is Philipsburg.

Before 10 October 2010, Sint Maarten was known as the Island Territory of Sint Maarten (Dutch: Eilandgebied Sint Maarten), and was one of five island territories (eilandgebieden) that constituted the Netherlands Antilles.

In 1493, during Christopher Columbus' second voyage to the West Indies, upon first sighting the island he named it Isla de San Martín after Saint Martin of Tours because it was 11 November, St. Martin's Day. However, though he claimed it as a Spanish territory, Columbus never landed there, and Spain made the settlement of the island a low priority.


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