01
Physical geography
Low, hilly terrain, volcanic origin.
Local timePhilipsburg ·
North America / Caribbean · Card 029
Sint Maarten
Sint Maarten is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the southern part of Saint Martin island. Its capital is Philipsburg.
Find Sint Maarten
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers. This card covers the Dutch southern part of the island. The French northern part has a separate Saint Martin card.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers. This card covers the Dutch southern part of the island. The French northern part has a separate Saint Martin card.
At a glance
- Capital
- Philipsburg
- Languages
- Dutch & English
- Currency
- Caribbean guilder (XCG)
- Population
- 43,9232025 · World Bank
- Area
- 34 km²13.13 square miles
- Autonomous country
- 2010Within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Sint Maarten in context
North America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Philipsburg; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Dutch and English are official. English is widely used in daily life.
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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.
Flag
Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and blue, with a white isosceles triangle based on the left side; the national coat of arms is in the center of the triangle, with an orange-bordered blue shield that displays the white courthouse in Philipsburg, as well as yellow sage (the national flower) in the upper left and the silhouette of a Dutch-French friendship monument in the upper right; over the shield is a yellow rising sun and a brown pelican in flight; a yellow scroll below the shield has the motto SEMPER PROGREDIENS (Always Progressing)
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure · Central Bank · Caribbean guilder
History & status
The island of Saint Martin was divided between French and Dutch administrations in 1648. Sint Maarten later formed part of the Netherlands Antilles. On 10 October 2010 it became an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Hurricane Irma caused severe damage in 2017.
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French and Dutch administrations divide the island
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Autonomous country status within the Kingdom begins
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Hurricane Irma causes severe damage
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure · Central Bank · Caribbean guilder
Economy
Main activities
Tourism, cruise visits, retail, transport and construction are central to the economy. The airport and port connect the island to the wider region. Sint Maarten shares a monetary union with Curaçao, using the Caribbean guilder introduced in 2025.
Industry and production
tourism, light industry
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure · Central Bank · Caribbean guilder
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people43.92025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6,414 | 6.414 |
| 1980 | 12,410 | 12.410 |
| 1990 | 28,061 | 28.061 |
| 2000 | 30,773 | 30.773 |
| 2010 | 33,794 | 33.794 |
| 2020 | 41,008 | 41.008 |
| 2025 | 43,923 | 43.923 |
Real GDP, 2009–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars1.62025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 1,257,551,799 | 1.258 |
| 2010 | 1,297,793,365 | 1.298 |
| 2011 | 1,357,491,904 | 1.357 |
| 2012 | 1,376,368,434 | 1.376 |
| 2013 | 1,394,353,868 | 1.394 |
| 2014 | 1,416,389,988 | 1.416 |
| 2015 | 1,417,888,715 | 1.418 |
| 2016 | 1,431,610,452 | 1.432 |
| 2017 | 1,323,735,541 | 1.324 |
| 2018 | 1,232,967,220 | 1.233 |
| 2019 | 1,368,162,087 | 1.368 |
| 2020 | 1,185,966,832 | 1.186 |
| 2021 | 1,240,255,612 | 1.240 |
| 2022 | 1,412,651,158 | 1.413 |
| 2023 | 1,466,331,869 | 1.466 |
| 2024 | 1,510,321,838 | 1.510 |
| 2025 | 1,561,672,781 | 1.562 |
Government
An autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. An elected Parliament and a Prime Minister-led government manage domestic matters. A Governor represents the monarch, and some responsibilities remain with the Kingdom.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure · Central Bank · Caribbean guilder
Knowledge check
Three questions about Sint Maarten.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
What is the capital of Sint Maarten?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure · Central Bank · Caribbean guilder
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.