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Saint Martin

In 1946 Saint Martin (along with Saint Barthélemy) was formally subsumed as an arrondissement into the Guadeloupe département. Tourism starting expanding from the 1960s-70s onward, eventually becoming the dominant sector of Saint Martin’s economy.

Hurricane Luis hit the island in 1995, causing immense destruction and resulting in 12 deaths.

In 2007 Saint Martin was detached from Guadeloupe and became a territorial collectivity with its own Prefect and Territorial Council.

In 2017 Saint Martin was again devastated by a hurricane (Hurricane Irma), causing widespread destruction across the entire island.

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Hurricane Irma

Geography:

The Collectivity of Saint Martin occupies the northern half of the island of Saint Martin in the Leeward Islands; the southern half forms the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten. To the north across the Anguilla Channel lies the British Oversea Territory of Anguilla, to the south-east of the island lies the French island of Saint Barthélemy and further south are the Dutch islands of Saba and Saint Eustatius.

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Saint Martin Island Topo Map

Saint Martin is 54.4 km2 (21.0 sq mi). The terrain is generally hilly, with the highest peak being Pic Paradis at 424 m (1,391 ft), which is also the highest peak on the island as a whole. The Terres Basses region lying west of the capital Marigot, which contains the French half of the Simpson Bay Lagoon, is flatter. There are a few small lakes on Saint Martin, such as Chevrise Pond, Great Pond and Red Pond.

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Saint Martin Political Map

Numerous small islands lie off the coast, most notably Rock of the Cove Marcel, Creole Rock, Little Key, Pinel Island, Green Cay Grand Islet (within the Simpson Bay Lagoon) and the largest Tintamarre Island.

Economy:

As a part of France, the official currency of Saint Martin is the euro, though the US dollar is also widely accepted. Tourism is the main economic activity – with over one million visitors annually some 85% of the population is employed in this sector. The other major sector is the financial services industry. Though limited, agriculture and fishing are also practiced, though these sectors are very small and most food is imported.

Transportation:

Saint Martin has one airport – Grand Case-Espérance Airport which provides flights to Guadeloupe, Martinique and Saint Barthélemy.

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L’Espérance Airport

For international tourists Saint Martin relies on Princess Juliana International Airport on the Dutch side of the island.

Flag of Saint Martin:

The French tricolore is the official national flag used in the Collectivity of Saint Martin.

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Flag of France

There are said to be several unofficial flags as well.

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Unofficial Flag of Saint Martin
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