Due to confusion on early maps, the island was accidentally confused with Nevis and given the nameChristopher Columbus had originally given that island in honor ofSaint Martin of Tours, when he first sightedNevis on the saint's feast day on 11 November 1493.
Sint Maarten had been inhabited by theAmerindian peoples for many centuries, with archaeological finds pointing to a human presence on the island as early as 2000 BC.[11] These people most likely migrated from South America.[11] The earliest identified group were theArawak people who are thought to have settled around the period 800 BC – 300 BC.[11] Circa 1300–1400 AD they began to be displaced with the arrival of theKalinago people.[11]
The 1633 Spanish capture of Saint Martin, as painted by Juan de la Corte
It is commonly believed thatChristopher Columbus named the island in honor ofSaint Martin of Tours when he encountered it on his second voyage of discovery. However, he actually applied the name to the island now calledNevis when he anchored offshore on 11 November 1493, the feast day of Saint Martin. The confusion of numerous poorly charted small islands in theLeeward Islands meant that this name was accidentally transferred to the island now known as Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten.[12][13]
Nominally Spanish territory, the island became the focus of the competing interests of the European powers, notably the French and Dutch. While the French wanted to colonize the islands betweenTrinidad andBermuda, the Dutch foundSan Martín a convenient halfway point between their colonies inNew Amsterdam (present dayNew York) andNew Holland. Meanwhile, the Amerindian population began to decline precipitously, dying from introduced diseases to which they had no immunity.
The Dutch built a fort (Fort Amsterdam) on the island in 1631; Jan Claeszen van Campen became its first governor and theDutch West India Company began mining salt on the island. Tensions between the Netherlands and Spain were already high due to the ongoingEighty Years' War, and in 1633 the Spanishcaptured St Martin and drove off the Dutch colonists. At Point Blanche, they built what is now Old Spanish Fort to secure the territory.[citation needed] The Dutch underPeter Stuyvesant attempted towrest back control in 1644, but were repulsed.[14] However, in 1648 the Eighty Years' War ended and the Spanish, no longer seeing any strategic or economic value in the island, simply abandoned it.
With Saint Martin free again, both the Dutch and the French jumped at the chance to re-establish their settlements.[11] Dutch colonists came fromSt. Eustatius, while the French came fromSt. Kitts. After some initial conflict, both sides realized that neither would yield easily. Preferring to avoid an all-out war, they signed theTreaty of Concordia in 1648, which divided the island in two.[15] During the treaty's negotiation, the French had a fleet ofnaval ships off shore, which they used as a threat to bargain more land for themselves.[citation needed] In spite of the treaty, relations between the two sides were not always cordial. Between 1648 and 1816, conflicts changed theborder sixteen times. The entire island came under effective French control from 1795 when Netherlands became apuppet state under theFrench Empire until 1815. In the end, the French came out ahead with 53 km2 (20 sq mi; 61%) against 34 km2 (13 sq mi; 39%) on the Dutch side.
To work the new cotton, tobacco, and sugarcane plantations, the French and Dutch began importing large numbers of African slaves, who soon came to outnumber the Europeans.[11] The slave population quickly grew larger than that of the land owners. Subjected to cruel treatment, slaves staged rebellions, and their overwhelming numbers made it impossible to ignore their concerns. In 1848, the Frenchabolished slavery in their colonies including the French side of St. Martin. Slaves on the Dutch side of the island protested and threatened to flee to the French side to seek asylum. The local Dutch authorities then freed the colonies' slaves. While this decree was respected locally, it was not until 1863 when the Dutch abolished slavery in all of their island colonies that the slaves became legally free.[16][11]
After the abolition of slavery, plantation culture declined and the island's economy suffered.[17][18] In 1939, Sint Maarten received a major boost when it was declared aduty-free port. In 1941, the island was shelled by aGermanU-boat as part of theBattle of the Atlantic.[19]
Tourism began growing from the 1950s onward, andPrincess Juliana International Airport became one of the busiest in the Eastern Caribbean. For much of this period, Sint Maarten was governed by business tycoonClaude Wathey of theDemocratic Party.[20] The island's demographics changed dramatically during this period as well, with the population increasing from a mere 5,000 people to around 60,000 people by the mid-1990s. Immigration from the neighbouring Lesser Antilles,Curaçao,Haiti, theDominican Republic, the United States, Europe, and Asia turned the native population into a minority.[21]
Sint Maarten became an "island territory" (eilandgebied inDutch) of theNetherlands Antilles in 1983. Before that date, Sint Maarten was part of the island territory of the Windward Islands, together withSaba andSint Eustatius. The status of an island territory entails considerable autonomy summed up in theIsland Regulation of the Netherlands Antilles. During this period Sint Maarten was ruled by an island council, an executive council, and a lieutenant governor (Dutch:gezaghebber) appointed by the Dutch Crown.
Hurricane Luis in late August and early September 1995 hit the island, causing immense destruction and resulting in 12 deaths.[11]
In 1994, theKingdom of the Netherlands and France had signed theFranco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls, which allows for joint Franco-Dutch border controls on so-called "risk flights". After some delay, the treaty was ratified in November 2006 in the Netherlands and subsequently entered into force on 1 August 2007. Though the treaty is now in force, its provisions are not yet[when?] implemented as the working group specified in the treaty is not yet installed.[citation needed]
On 10 October 2010 Sint Maarten became aconstituent country (Dutch:Land Sint Maarten) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, making it a constitutional equal partner withAruba,Curaçao, and the Netherlands proper. Constitution Day (10 October) is celebrated annually as apublic holiday.[22]
Sint Maarten has been assigned theISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes of SXM and SX,[23] and the.sx InternetccTLD became available to register on 15 November 2012.[24]
The port in Sint Maarten before Hurricane IrmaDamaged buildings in the wake of Hurricane IrmaGround view of Hurricane Irma's damage
Hurricane Irma made landfall on 6 September 2017, causing extensive damage. Four deaths were ultimately reported, and there were 11 serious injuries out of a total of 34.[25] Princess Juliana Airport was extensively damaged but reopened on a partial basis in two days to allow incoming relief flights and for flights to take evacuees to other islands.[26] By 8 September, "many inhabitants [were] devoid of basic necessities" and looting had become a serious problem.[27] Reports on 9 September indicated that 70% of the infrastructure on the Dutch part had been destroyed.[28] A survey by the Dutch Red Cross estimated that nearly a third of the buildings in Sint Maarten had been destroyed and that over 90% of structures on the island had been damaged.[29]
The prime minister of the Netherlands,Mark Rutte, told the news media on 8 September that the airport in Sint Maarten was ready to receive emergency flights and that aid, as well as police officers and military personnel, were on their way.[30] The prime minister of Sint Maarten,William Marlin, had already asked the Dutch government for extended relief assistance which began to arrive on 8 September. The government issued a tropical storm warning on 8 September since the category fourHurricane Jose was approaching.[31]
In the aftermath of the hurricane, the extensive damage led officials to predict dramatic economic impacts. A statement by Marlin summarized the situation on 8 September: "We've lost many, many homes. Schools have been destroyed. We foresee a loss of the tourist season because of the damage that was done to hotel properties, the negative publicity that one would have that it's better to go somewhere else because it's destroyed. So that will have a serious impact on our economy."[32] At the time, preparations were being made asHurricane Jose approached the island.[33] The government estimated that on 9 September 70% of houses were badly damaged or destroyed and much of the population was living in shelters ahead of the arrival of Jose. Fortunately, this second hurricane did not have a significant impact on the island.[34]
Widespread looting and violence erupted in the wake of the recovery, and a state of emergency was announced. Two hundred and thirty soldiers from the Netherlands were sent in to stabilize the situation, with additional troops arriving in the coming days.[35] By 10 September, approximately 1,200 Americans had been evacuated toPuerto Rico by military aircraft. On that date,Royal Caribbean International said that the company was sending itsAdventure of the Seas to Sint Maarten and to St. Thomas to provide supplies and to offer evacuation services.[36] The ship arrived on the island on 10 September with water, ice, garbage bags, clothing, and canned food, and evacuated 320 people.[37] By 11 September, King Willem-Alexander had already arrived in Curaçao and was scheduled to visit Sint Maarten, St. Eustatius, and Saba.[38] When Willem-Alexander visited Sint Maarten for the first time post-hurricane, he was shocked by the destruction. He immediately called for support from the European Union so the island could recover swiftly. Later in the month, it was revealed that the EU would allocate €2 billion in emergency funds for immediate disaster relief to restore basic essentials on Sint Maarten, such as drinking water and sanitation.[39] In addition to the EU's contribution, Red Cross, the government of the Netherlands, and Dutch citizens of the mainland raised money via donations and crowdfunding for the recovery efforts.[40]
On 10 October 2017, Princess Juliana International Airport re-commenced commercial flights[41] using temporary structures, pending repairs.[42]
A report in late March 2018 indicated that the airport was able to handle some flights and some service had resumed from the US, Canada, and Europe. A new departure lounge was being used during rebuilding of the original facility. The General Aviation building was being used for passengers arriving on the island.
A little over a year after Hurricane Irma, St Maarten's cruise industry had recovered to the extent that in 2018, more than 1 million cruise passengers visited the island.[43]
Telecommunications, including Wi-Fi, had been restored on the island, 95% of customers were receiving electricity and drinking water was readily available on the island. Some tourist accommodations were open, with 27 operating and 36 said to be ready sometime later in 2018. Cruise ships were arriving in 2018.[44]
Sint Maarten is 34 km2 (13 sq mi).[10] The terrain is generally hilly, with the highest peak beingMount Flagstaff at 383m, which lies directly on the island's international border.[10] The area to the west around the airport is flatter, and contains the Dutch section of theSimpson Bay Lagoon. TheGreat Salt Pond lies to north of Philipsburg. Several small islands lie off the coast. Little Key lies in the Simpson Bay Lagoon.
There are ten total islands in Sint Maarten, including:[45]
Sint Maarten has atropical savanna climate (KöppenAw),[46] and is drier than most parts of the northeastern Caribbean because of arain shadow from the island's mountains, drying thetrade winds. The driest months are from January to July, and the wettest from September to November, whenhurricanes can strike the island.
Sint Maarten is classified as anOverseas Country and Territory (OCT)[53] inAnnex II of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).[54] This annex lists all the territories that have special relationships with theEuropean Union due to their connection with EU member states but are not part of the Union itself.
Being classified as an OCT Sint Maarten is not part of the European Union. The status of Sint Maarten is outlined in Article 355(2)[55] in conjunction with Part Four —Articles 198 to 204— of the TFEU. Key points include:
Article 198 states that the European Union maintains special relationships with the OCTs, which are under the sovereignty of EU member states but are not part of the EU.[56]
Article 199 specifies that these OCTs have a special status, meaning they are not part of the EU's internal market or customs union but benefit from special cooperation and development aid.[57]
This classification means that while Sint Maarten benefits from economic and developmental cooperation with the EU, it does not participate in EU institutions or policies as full member states do.[58]
The Kingdom of the Netherlands has overarching responsibility for foreign relations, defence and Dutch nationality law in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.[59] A detachment of theRoyal Netherlands Marine Corps is present on Sint Maarten and theRoyal Netherlands Navy deploys a guardship, normally aHolland-classoffshore patrol vessel, in the Caribbean on a rotational basis together with the support vesselHNLMS Pelikaan which operates out of Curaçao.[60] Additionally, theDutch Caribbean Coast Guard, directed by the commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy in the Caribbean, operates throughout the Caribbean and is funded by the four constituent countries of the Kingdom.[61]
The beach policy (as of 1994)[62] views the beach from the perspective of being anecosystem service for recreational activities. This is because the economy on Sint Maarten is tourism-driven, and many tourists come to the island to enjoy the 37 beaches on the island. The policy has three main points: the beach must be usable for everyone, developments negatively affecting recreational use will be prevented, and beaches should be protected against human influences that could impair their recreational function. The policy's main purpose is to protect the recreational value of the beach. The laws do not consider the protection and ecological value of this habitat in regard to protecting nestingsea turtles, preserving the beach line, or preserving the plants that live in and along the beach line.
The hillside policy, as of 1998,[62] is mainly concerned with residential development. On the hillside, only residential development is permitted, certain hillsides with important "visual impact" are protected and conserved for their general landscape. A natural park is projected for the following hills: Cole Bay Hill, Sentry Hill, St. Peters Hill, Concordia Hill, Marigot Hill, Waymouth Hill, and Williams Hill. The policy stated the main objective was to conserve and maintain the green hillside and restore any natural habitats if needed. However, as of 2020, these natural parks had not yet been established.
In 1978, the government of theNetherlands Antilles installed a Research Committee on theWindward Islands (Dutch:Commissie van Onderzoek Bovenwindse Eilanden) to investigate claims of corruption in the island government. Even though the report issued by this commission was damaging for the island's government, measures were not put into place to curb corruption, arguably because the government of the Netherlands Antilles depended on the support of Wathey's Democratic Party in theEstates of the Netherlands Antilles. In August 1990, the public prosecutor of the Netherlands Antilles started an investigation into the alleged ties between the island government of Sint Maarten and theSicilian Mafia, and in 1991 theCourt of Audit of the Netherlands Antilles issued a report which concluded that the island government of Sint Maarten was ailing.[63]
In the government and parliament of the Netherlands, the call for measures became louder. With Dutch pressure, the government of the Netherlands Antilles installed thePourier Commission tasked with investigating the state of affairs of the island government of Sint Maarten in December 1991. Its report concluded that the island was in a severe financial crisis, that rules of democratic decision-making were continuously broken, and that the island government constituted anoligarchy. In short, the island government failed completely according to the report. After long negotiations, theKingdom government enacted a General Measure of Kingdom Administration (Dutch:Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur) in early 1993, placing Sint Maarten under direct supervision of the Kingdom. Although originally meant for one year, the Order-in-Council for the Kingdom was eventually extended until 1 March 1996.[64]
Though much has changed since,[citation needed] allegations of criminal activities continue to plague Sint Maarten. In 2004, the Minister of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles asked the Scientific Research and Documentation Centre (Dutch:Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- en Documentatiecentrum (WODC)) of the Dutch Ministry of Justice to conduct research into organized crime in Sint Maarten. The report concluded thatmoney laundering and cocaine trade are widespread on Sint Maarten. It also alleged that money from the island was used to financeHamas, its associateHoly Land Foundation, and theTaliban.[20][65]
In April 2009, former Commissioner Louie Laveist was convicted, and sentenced to an 18-month prison sentence, by the Sint Maarten Court-of-First-Instance, on account of forgery, fraud, and bribery.[66] He was later acquitted of forgery and of fraud by theCommon Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, but not of bribery.[67]
Sint Maarten is home to many distinctive plants such ashibiscus, yellow sage (seen on the flag),flamboyant trees, mahogany, and cacti. An estimated 522 wild plants are present, mainly being seed plants and a few ferns. TheCalyptranthes boldinghgii andGalactia nummelaria are "island-endemic", and it is suspected that they have already gone extinct. Much of the hilltops are semi-evergreen seasonal forests which are rare in the region.[68]
The categorization of native, introduced, and invasive plant species is not as well documented for the island. Some of the introduced plant species include: manila grass (Zoysia matrella), Spanish bayonet (Yucca aloifolia), Singapore almond (Terminalia catappa), true aloe (Aloe vera). Some of the native species are west Indian holly (Tunera ulmifolia), spiny amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus), bell pepper (Capsium pulcherrima), salt heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum), bay rum tree (pimento racemose), and sourbush (pluchea carolinesis). One of the invasive species on the island is crowfoot grass (Dactyloctenium aegyptium).[69]
Mullet Pond, a section of the inland lagoonSimpson Bay Lagoon, is home to 70% of Sint Maarten's mangrove population on the Dutch side of the island.Mangroves are a nursery for many young fish and during hurricane season they provide coastal protection. The area, however, is at risk due to dredging, tourism activities, and the yacht industry on the island.
Mullet Pond became the 55thRamsar site in 2016[70] and is therefore protected according to the Ramsar Treaty, a global commitment to protect ecologically significant wetland areas.
The effects ofclimate change are felt on Sint Maarten. According to the Netherlands Antilles Coral Reef Initiative, the coral reefs were fragmented due to a temperature rise to 30 °C in 2005.[71] Twenty years ago [when?], the sea grass beds were much larger. Natural disasters (hurricanes), development, and the tourist industry caused a significant decrease over the years. Theseagrass beds are important for anchoring the sand in place, as well as for hurricane protection.[71] Without the seagrass bed, sand can be moved easily by a hurricane, resulting in the loss of beaches or sand accumulates in one area, affecting marine life.
Catholic Church St. Martin of Tours in Philipsburg
In the 2011 Netherlands Antilles census, the population of the island territory was 33,609.[72] In the 2017 census the total population of the country was 40,535.[73] In 2023 a total of 58,477 persons had been registered in the country's Department of Civil Registry.[9]
English is the everyday language of communication in Sint Maarten, and first language of most native born Sint Maarteners.[10] A local variety ofVirgin Islands Creole is spoken in informal situations by residents. Though it holds official status,Dutch is learned by most Sint Maarteners as a second language, and generally used only when communicating with other Dutch speakers.
The government uses Dutch when in communication with the national government and also formerly did so with the Netherlands Antilles government. Local signage uses both Dutch and English.[79]Historically there were English-medium and Dutch-medium schools on Sint Maarten, but Dutch government policy towards St. Maarten and other SSS islands eventually promoted English-medium education.
Sint Maarten is apolyglot society, most aresimultaneously bilingual in Dutch and English, and among them are also speakers ofSpanish andFrench, the latter of which is official on the other side of the island (Saint-Martin). Linguist Linda-Andrea Richardson stated in 1983 that Dutch was a "dead language" in Sint Maarten.[80]
Some residents including Arubans, Curaçaoans and Sint Maarteners who have lived on or descend from theABC Islands, speakPapiamento.[81] Many Spanish speakers are from theDominican Republic. Dominicans make up the largest group of legal immigrants.[82]
Sint Maarten, along withCuraçao, uses two co-circulating currencies: theNetherlands Antillean guilder and its successor, theCaribbean guilder; the former will be withdrawn as legal tender on 1 July 2025.[83] TheUnited States dollar is also widely used.[6] The economy is heavily dependent on tourism, either from long-stays or day-trippers from the manycruise lines that dock in thePhilipsburg Harbour; around 80% of the workforce is employed in this sector.[10] Some limited agriculture occurs, however most food is imported.[10]
In 2014, St. Maarten had more gaming machines per resident than any other country in the world.[84]
Hurricane Irma severely affected the economy in 2017. In a 2019 report, it was revealed that the island's GDP had dropped by 4.7%, with an increase in inflation.[85] This drastic hit to the economy was due to lessened tourism, real estate, trade, and business activities.[86]
Sint Maarten's culture is a mix of African, European and North American influences. Ank Klomp wrote inSaint Martin: Communal Identities on a Divided Caribbean Island that Sint Maarten lacked a Dutch cultural identity.[79]
An annualregatta is held over three days culminating in the first weekend in March. Among the leading cultural artists of the island are Isidore "Mighty Dow" York (kaisonian, panman), Roland Richardson (Impressionist painter),Nicole de Weever (dancer, broadway star), Ruby Bute (painter, storyteller, poet), Clara Reyes (choreographer), Susha Hien (choreographer),Lasana M. Sekou (poet, author, independence advocate),Drisana Deborah Jack (visual artist, poet), and Tanny and The Boys (string band music group). The annual St. Maarten Carnival starts in April and ends in May. The Grand Carnival parade that takes place on the Dutch side is the largest parade of the island's two carnivals. The annual St. Martin Book Fair takes place during the first weekend of June, featuring emerging and famous authors from the island, the Caribbean region, and from around the world.[87]
TheSint Maarten Soccer Association was founded in 1986. The organisation is not a member ofFIFA, but became an associate member ofCONCACAF in 2002, and a full member in 2013.[90]The national football team debuted in 1989, and plays its home games at theRaoul Illidge Sports Complex, which has a 3,000-spectator capacity. After an initial period of popularity during the 1990s, including an appearance at the1993 Caribbean Cup, interest in football declined, with the national team playing its last official match in 2000 (againstDominica).[91] However, Sint Maarten returned to international competition in March 2016, for the2017 Caribbean Cup qualification tournament.[92]
Sint Maarten Volleyball Association is part of theEastern Caribbean Volleyball Association, which hosts championship qualifiers with countries within its zone. Countries that are part of the ECVA are: Anguilla, Antigua, Bermuda, Virgin Islands, Dominica, Dutch Sint.Maarten, French St. Martin, Grenada, Montserrat, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.[99] Over the past 8 years, volleyball in St.Maarten on a National level has been developing and showing results. In 2016, the Sint Maarten Men's National Team went on to win the championship in their pool for the round 1 World Championship Qualifiers winning the gold along with many individual awards. The local awardees were; Nicholas Henrietta (Best Setter); Leonardo J Jeffers (Best Outside Hitter); Stephan Ellis (Best Middle); Allinton Augustine (Best Defence); Riegmar Valies Courtar (Best Opposite), and Riegmar Valies Courtar (Best Scorer) andMVP Most Valuable Player.[100]
The island is famous for itsrunway atPrincess Juliana International Airport, in whichlanding aircraft pass within 35 metres (38 yd) ofMaho Beach below, due to the close proximity of the runway to the ocean. The planes appear to land dangerously close to beach goers so the beach and airport have become a popular place for people to view aeroplane landings. In July 2017, a New Zealander died from head injuries after being propelled backwards from a jet engine blast.[101]
Sint Maarten is also known for its festive nightlife, expansive beaches, precious jewelry, traditional cuisines, and plentiful casinos.[102]
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Sint Maarten's first radio station, theVoice of St. Maarten (PJD-2), was founded on 23 December 1959 and was also heard in neighbouring islands. During its first several years, it employed two announcers and broadcast leased religious programming for most of its daily schedule. Television services were introduced to the territory in May 1963, starting in the Phillipsburg area and served by a relay station in theFort Willem [nl] area which received programs from Puerto Rico; the Fort Willem site was chosen over the originally proposed one inFrench Quarter thanks to the latter's reception issues. Starting on 21 March of that year, groundwork was laid for an automatic telephone system.[103]
Previously[when?] residents had to complete secondary studies inAruba orCuraçao.[80] Prior to 1976, Sint Maarten had two secondary schools: the government secondary school John Phillips School and the Catholic secondary school Pastoor Nieuwen Huis School. Philips was both a MAVO/ETAO school while Huis was a MAVO school. The foundationStichting Voortgezet Onderwijs van de Bovenwindse Eilanden, established on 20 February 1974,[104] was created as the neutral governing body for a new school created by the merger of Phillips and Huis schools.[105] MPC, the merged school, opened on 17 August 1976.[104]
TheCaribbean International Academy (CIA), founded in 2003, is a preparatory private boarding and day school on the island of St. Maarten. Catering to children from Kindergarten to Grade 12, CIA is also the only school offering Canadian/Ontario High School Diploma (OSSD) and 90% of their graduates go on to attend universities in Europe, Canada and the United States.[106] Learning Unlimited Preparatory School (LUPS) is an American accredited institution, that established a Caribbean location in St.Maarten in 1991.[107] The school is accredited by theSouthern Association of Independent Schools and theSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools.[108]
Most residents who attend tertiary institutions do so in Curaçao or the European Netherlands.[79]
Philipsburg Jubilee Library in Philipsburg was the most prominent library in Sint Maarten.[109] However, after Hurricane Irma hit the island in 2017, the library was forced to shut down. As of February 2019[update], Philipsburg Jubilee Library still lacks the funding necessary for it to be rebuilt,[110] but has recently reopened in a temporary location until further notice.[111]
Sint Maarten is served byPrincess Juliana International Airport, serving destinations across the Caribbean, North America and France and the Netherlands. It is well known for its very lowfinal approach landings close to the popularMaho Beach at the end of the runway.[112][113]Winair has its headquarters on the grounds of the airport.[114]
^ab"Waaruit bestaat het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden?" [What are the different parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands?] (in Dutch). Ministry of General Affairs, Government of the Netherlands. 19 May 2015. Retrieved6 July 2021.
^"Status Caribisch gebied".netherlands.representation.ec.europa.eu (in Dutch).Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved2 December 2024.
^Rojer, Annna (November 1997)."Biological Inventory of Sint Maarten"(PDF).www.dcbd.nl/document/biological-inventory-st-maarten. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 29 October 2020. Retrieved24 February 2020.
^abcKlomp, Ank. "Saint Martin: Communal Identities on a Divided Caribbean Island." In: Niedermüller, Peter and Bjarne Stoklund (editors).Journal of European Ethnology Volume 30:2, 2000:Borders and Borderlands: An Anthropological Perspective.Museum Tusculanum Press, 2000.ISBN8772896779, 9788772896779. Start: p.73. CITED: p.80.
^abDijkhoff, Marta, Silvia Kowenberg, and Paul Tjon Sie Fat. Chapter 215 "The Dutch-speaking Caribbean Die niederländischsprachige Karibik." In:Sociolinguistics / Soziolinguistik.Walter de Gruyter, 1 January 2006.ISBN3110199874, 9783110199871. Start: p.2105. CITED: p.2108.
^Klomp, Ank. "Saint Martin: Communal Identities on a Divided Caribbean Island." In: Niedermüller, Peter and Bjarne Stoklund (editors).Journal of European Ethnology Volum 30:2, 2000:Borders and Borderlands: An Anthropological Perspective.Museum Tusculanum Press, 2000.ISBN8772896779, 9788772896779. Start: p.73. CITED: p.85.
^21 April 2002: The national associations of Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten were welcomed as the newest (associate) members to the Confederation during the CONCACAF Ordinary Congress in Miami Beach, Florida (USA)"This Week in CONCACAF History: April 17–23".Conacag.com. Archived fromthe original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved22 February 2016.
^"Contact UsArchived 3 October 2020 at theWayback Machine." Philipsburg Jubilee Library. Retrieved on 28 February 2018. "Our Address: Ch. E.W. Vogestreet 12 Philipsburg, St. Maarten."
Joseph H. Lake Jr. (2004)Friendly Anger – The rise of the labor movement in St. Martin. St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers.[1].
Lasana M. Sekou, ed. (1997, Third printing)National Symbols of St. Martin – A Primer. St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers.
Louis Duzanson (2000, 2003)An Introduction to Government – Island territory of St. Maarten. St. Martin: House of Nehesi Publishers.[2].
Richardson, Linda-Andrea. "The socio-linguistic situation in St. Maarten." In: Carrington, Lawrence D. (editor).Studies in Caribbean Language. Society for Caribbean Linguistics, 1983. p. 63–69..
†Physiographically, thesecontinental islands are not part of the volcanic Windward Islands arc, although sometimes grouped with them culturally and politically.
#Bermuda is an isolatedNorth Atlanticoceanic island, physiographically not part of the Lucayan Archipelago, Antilles, Caribbean Sea nor North American continental nor South American continental islands. It is grouped with theNorthern American region, but occasionally also with the Caribbean region culturally.
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