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Saint Martin

Updated

Population

24,941

2025 · World Bank

GDP

$649.21M

2021 · World Bank

GDP per capita

$21,668

2021 · World Bank

Area

53 km²

mledoze/countries reference dataset

Capital

Marigot

Median age

42.5 yrs

2025 · UN WPP

Location

CIA World Factbook map of Saint Martin, showing major cities, rivers and neighbouring countries
Map from The World Factbook, final edition. Public domain (17 U.S.C. § 105); boundary representation is not necessarily authoritative.
Capital
Marigot
Region
Central America and the Caribbean
Subregion
Caribbean
Area
53 km²
Neighbours
1
Languages
French

Then and now

The CIA World Factbook stopped updating in January 2026. This is what has changed since its final edition.

Final CIA World Factbook figures of January 2026 versus current data for Saint Martin
IndicatorFactbook, final editionCurrentChange
Population33,093202524,9412025-24.6%
GDP (nominal)$649.21M2021$649.21M20210.0%

4 facts about Saint Martin

  1. 01 Saint Martin ranks 218 of 238 in population, with 24,941 people as of 2025.
  2. 02 Its economy produced $649.21M in 2021, or $21,668 per person.
  3. 03 It shares land borders with 1 neighbour: Sint Maarten.
  4. 04 Population has declined 17% since 2000, from 29,996 to 24,941.

Reference

Languages
French
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Calling code
+590
Internet TLD
.fr, .gp
Demonym
Saint Martin Islander
ISO codes
MF · MAF · 663

Land borders

Sint Maarten

Compare Saint Martin

The Factbook archive 76 fields · 11 categories

The complete World Factbook entry for Saint Martin: 76 fields and 97 sub-entries across 11 categories, kept whole as historical reference. A United States Government work in the public domain, reflecting data as of the final January 2026 edition; the live figures above supersede the fast-moving numbers in it. Last CIA update: January 18, 2026.

Saint Martin and neighbouring land. Geometry: Natural Earth (public domain).

Introduction 1 field

Background
Christopher COLUMBUS claimed Saint Martin for Spain in 1493, naming it after the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, but it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 to exploit its salt deposits. The Spanish retook Saint Martin in 1633, but the Dutch continued to assert their claims. The Spanish finally relinquished the island to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. The border frequently fluctuated over the next 200 years because of friction between the two countries, with the French eventually holding the greater portion of the island (about 61%).

The cultivation of sugarcane introduced African slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939, and the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of Saint Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe, and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2010, the southern Dutch portion of the island became the independent nation of Sint Maarten within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Saint Martin, causing extensive damage to roads, communications, electrical power, and housing; the UN estimated that 90% of the buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Geography 14 fields

Location
Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; French part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Saint Martin lies east of the US Virgin Islands
Geographic coordinates
18 05 N, 63 57 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total: 50 sq km
land: 50 sq km
water: negligible
Area - comparative
more than one-third the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries
total: 16 km
border countries: Sint Maarten 16 km
Coastline
58.9 km (for entire island)
Climate
temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November
Elevation
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources
salt
Land use
agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 24.8% (2022 est.)
other: 75.2% (2022 est.)
Population distribution
most of the population is found along the coast, with the largest concentration around the capital of Marigot, as well as Orleans and Grand-Case
Natural hazards
subject to hurricanes from July to November
Geography - note
note 1: the southern border is shared with Sint Maarten, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; together, these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world that is shared by two self-governing states

note 2: Simpson Bay Lagoon (aka Simson Bay Lagoon or The Great Pond) is one of the largest inland lagoons in the West Indies; the border between the French and Dutch halves of the island runs across the center of the lagoon, which is shared by both of the island's entities

People and Society 20 fields

Population
total: 33,093 (2025 est.)
male: 15,825
female: 17,268
Ethnic groups
Creole (Mulatto), Black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asian), White, East Indian, other
Languages
Languages: French (official), Dutch, English, Guadeloupian Creole, Haitian Creole, Italian, Martiniquan Creole, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles), Spanish
major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu
Age structure
0-14 years: 24.7% (male 4,039/female 4,100)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 10,216/female 11,068)
65 years and over: 10.8% (2024 est.) (male 1,536/female 2,037)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 55.4 (2025 est.) N
youth dependency ratio: 38 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 17.4 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 5.7 (2025 est.)
Median age
total: 34.3 years (2025 est.)
male: 33.4 years
female: 34.9 years
Population growth rate
0.29% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
13.78 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
4.83 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
-6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
most of the population is found along the coast, with the largest concentration around the capital of Marigot, as well as Orleans and Grand-Case
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 81 years (2024 est.)
male: 78 years
female: 84.2 years
Total fertility rate
1.8 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.88 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: total: total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.9% of GDP (2023 est.) NA
Education expenditure (% national budget): 23% national budget (2023 est.)

Environment 4 fields

Environmental issues
waste management; salinity intrusions; limited freshwater resources; over-exploitation of marine resources (reef fisheries, coral, and shell); water pollution and damage to coral reefs from boats
Climate
temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November
Land use
agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 24.8% (2022 est.)
other: 75.2% (2022 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 15,500 tons (2024 est.)

Government 19 fields

Country name
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
conventional short form: Saint Martin
local long form: Collectivité d'outre mer de Saint-Martin
local short form: Saint-Martin
etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours during a visit on 11 November 1493, the saint's feast day
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France
Dependency status
overseas collectivity of France

note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU
Capital
name: Marigot
geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name is taken from the French word marigot, meaning "backwater" or "swampy area;" it probably comes from the original fishing village's location next to a water-logged area on a lagoon
Legal system
French civil law
Constitution
history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
amendment process: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply
Citizenship
see France
Suffrage
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Cyrille LE VELY (since 10 February 2025)
head of government: President of Territorial Council Louis MUSSINGTON (since 3 April 2022)
cabinet: Executive Council, as well as an advisory economic, social, and cultural council
election/appointment process: French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council elected by its members for a 5-year term
most recent election date: 3 April 2022
election results:
2022: Louis MUSSINGTON (RSM) elected president; Territorial Council vote - unanimous

2017:
Daniel Gibbs (UD) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 18 of 23 votes
expected date of next election: 2027
Legislative branch
legislature name: Territorial Council
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 23 (directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 3/27/2022
parties elected and seats per party: RSM and Alternative (16); UD (5); HOPE, Saint Martin with You, and Future Saint Martin (2)
percentage of women in chamber: 43.5%
expected date of next election: March 2027
Political parties
Alternative
Future Saint Martin (Avenir Saint Martin)
Generation Hope or HOPE
Rassemblement Saint-Martinois or RSM (formerly Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP)
Saint Martin with You
Union for Democracy or UD
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France)
International organization participation
ACS (associate), UPU
Independence
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday
Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)

note 1: local holiday is Schoelcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848), as well as St. Martin's Day, 11 November (1985); the latter holiday celebrated on both halves of the island

note 2: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, France's national celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July)
Flag
the flag of France is used
National symbol(s)
brown pelican
National anthem(s)
title: "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land"
lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS
history: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides)
_____
title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)
lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle
history: official anthem, as a French collectivity

Economy 9 fields

Economic overview
high-income French Caribbean territorial economy; extremely reliant on tourism, with severe COVID-19 impacts; near-total destruction from Hurricane Irma in 2017; some offshore banking; import-dependent; duty-free commerce; yachting destination
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2021: 4.9% (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2020: -12.5% (2020 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2019: 6.5% (2019 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$649.206 million (2021 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Industries
tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry
Exports - partners
United States 35%, Netherlands 26%, Antigua and Barbuda 21%, France 10% (2019)
Exports - commodities
gold, special use vessels, furniture, scrap aluminum, rum (2019)

top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
United States 76%, Netherlands 7%, France 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities
jewelry, diamonds, pearls, recreational boats, cars (2019)
Exchange rates
Currency: euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 0.924 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 0.925 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 0.95 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 0.845 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 0.876 (2020 est.)

Energy 1 field

Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Communications 4 fields

Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 68,840 (2012 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 196 (2012 est.)
Broadcast media
1 local TV station; access to about 20 radio stations, including RFO Guadeloupe radio broadcasts via repeater
Internet country code
.mf

note: .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, are also used
Internet users
percent of population: 48.5% (2022 est.)

Transportation 1 field

Airports
1 (2025)

Military and Security 2 fields

Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Ministry of Justice: Police Force of Sint Maaten (Korps Politie Sint Marteen, KPSM) (2025)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues 1 field

Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees: 156 (2024 est.)

Frequently asked

What is the population of Saint Martin in 2025?
Saint Martin has a population of 24,941 (24,941) according to World Bank, World Development Indicators data for 2025.
What is the capital of Saint Martin?
The capital of Saint Martin is Marigot.
How large is the economy of Saint Martin?
Saint Martin's GDP is $649.21M (2021, World Bank, World Development Indicators), which is $21,668 per capita.

Saint Martin