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93-477: Between 1786 and 1805, the company operated from the Swedish island of Saint-Barthélemy . The company was a private enterprise with royal monopoly on all Swedish trade via Saint Barthélemy. Three quarters of profits went to the company, one quarter to the Swedish state. The West India Company was founded on October 31, 1786, on the proposal of Swedish Secretary of State John Liljencrantz. According to his proposal,

186-523: A free port in 1785. After the West India Company was founded in 1787, it was preparing to explore Africa for the first time. However, due to the outbreak of war between Sweden and Russia in 1788, the company's merchants and clerks could only trade privately. The island of St. Barthélemy was for a time a hub for the slave trade, only a small proportion of which were transported on Swedish ships. According to Swedish government archives, between

279-568: A church building of its own and therefore offers religious services at St Barth's Beach Hotel. The main religious holidays are Christmas , the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15 August), All Saints' Day (1 November) and the feast of St. Bartholomew (patron saint of the island) on 24 August. Until 2007 the whole island of St. Barthélemy was a French commune ( commune de Saint-Barthélemy ), forming part of Guadeloupe which

372-447: A distinct group that lies upon the western edge of a flat bank of soundings composed chiefly of shells, sand, and coral. From St. Barthélemy, the bank extends east-southeast, ending in a small tongue or spit. It is separated from the main bank by a narrow length of deep water. East of the island, the edge of the bank lies 22 kilometres (14 miles) away. Grande Saline Bay provides temporary anchorage for small vessels while Colombier Bay, to

465-458: A marine reserve. The marine reserve, founded in 1999, covers more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of protected and vulnerable habitats, bays, and islands, and includes a zone that is restricted to scientific observations only. As the sea surrounding the St. Barthélemy is rich in coral reefs and other precious marine life, the area has been declared a protected area since 1996. Environmental awareness

558-410: A result, there is a boom in house-building activity catering to the tourists and also to the permanent residents of the island. Saint Barthélemy is renowned for its high-end villas and luxury real estate market, attracting both short-term visitors and permanent residents. Real estate agencies such as WIMCO Real Estate specialize in offering exclusive villa rentals and property sales, further enhancing

651-540: A rise in living standards and rapid modernisation. The island was not electrified until the 1980s. Saint Barthélemy was for many years a French commune forming part of Guadeloupe , which is an overseas region and department of France. Through a referendum in 2003 , island residents sought separation from the administrative jurisdiction of Guadeloupe. The island officially became a separate collectivity on 22 February 2007. The island of Saint Barthélemy became an Overseas Collectivity (COM). A governing territorial council

744-432: A small part of the slave trade. Therefore, the West India Company did not list slave trade records separately. Shipping began to decline in 1794, prompting the West India Company to request financial assistance from the state. Although it applied for a trade patent extension in 1801, there were only a few shipping operations at that time. The patent was finally revoked in 1805, with duties and other revenues going directly to

837-670: A third of the buildings in Sint Maarten had been destroyed and that over 90 per cent of structures on the island had been damaged. Princess Juliana Airport was extensively damaged but reopened on a partial basis in two days to allow incoming relief flights and for flights that would take evacuees to other islands. INSEE estimated that the nominal GDP of the French side of Saint Martin amounted to 582 million euros in 2014 (US$ 772 million at 2014 exchanges rates; US$ 660 million at Feb. 2022 exchange rates) The nominal GDP of

930-401: A two-year term). The French State is represented by a prefect appointed by the president on the advice of the minister of the interior . As a collectivity of France, the island's national anthem is La Marseillaise , though L'Hymne a St. Barthélemy is also used unofficially. The economy of the island is based on tourism and duty-free retail. The official currency of St. Barthélemy is

1023-543: Is Gustavia , which also contains the main harbour. It is the only Caribbean island that was a Swedish colony for any significant length of time. It remained so for nearly a century before it returned to French rule after a referendum . Symbolism from the Swedish national arms , the Three Crowns , still appears in the island's coat of arms. The language, cuisine and culture, however, are distinctly French . The island

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1116-423: Is Roman Catholicism . Dutch Sint Maarten favors Protestant denominations, particularly Methodism . The island also has small Jewish, Seventh-day Adventist , Hindu, Muslim, Sikh , Buddhist, and Rastafari communities. The whole island is known for its excellent cuisine. Creole, French, and West Indian cooking are particularly renowned. Popular music on St. Martin includes a variety of styles found throughout

1209-430: Is 1,047 mm (41.2 in), with 142 days of measurable rainfall. Thunderstorms can occasionally occur, with 18 days with thunder per year. Precipitation totals are quite variable from year to year, depending on the number of passing tropical cyclones . Because the island is located within the tropics, it is regularly threatened by Atlantic hurricane activity in the late summer and early fall. On 6 September 2017

1302-448: Is 13 °C (55 °F). The Caribbean sea waters in the vicinity generally maintain a temperature of about 27 °C (81 °F). As of 2017, Saint-Barthélemy had a population of 9,961. Residents, known as Saint-Barthélemois, are French citizens. Most of them are descendants of the first settlers, of Breton , Norman , Poitevin , Saintongeais and Angevin lineage. There is also a big community of Portuguese emigrants mainly from

1395-399: Is a popular tourist destination during the winter holiday season, geared towards the high-end, luxury tourist market. The island was named by Christopher Columbus after his younger brother Bartholomew Columbus in 1493. Before European contact the island was possibly frequented by Eastern Caribbean Taíno and Arawak people, who called the island 'Ouanalao', though it is believed that

1488-802: Is also part of the Diocese of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba ( diocèse de la Caraïbe du Nord-Est et d'Aruba ), which is under the Church of England ( Church in the Province of the West Indies ) that serves a small minority on the island that is centered in the Anglican Church of Saint Bartholomew ( Église anglicane de Saint-Barthélemy ) built between 1853 and 1855. The small Pentecostal Christian community does not have

1581-524: Is an overseas région and overseas département of France. In 2003, the population voted through a referendum in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate overseas collectivity ( collectivité d'outre-mer , or COM ) of France. On 7 February 2007, the French Parliament passed a bill granting COM status to both St. Barthélemy and (separately) to the neighbouring Saint Martin . The new status took effect on 15 July 2007, when

1674-776: Is divided roughly 60:40 between the French Republic (53 km or 20 sq mi) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands (34 km or 13 sq mi), but the Dutch part is more populated than the French. Divided since 1648, the northern French part comprises the Collectivity of Saint Martin and is an overseas collectivity of the French Republic. The southern Dutch part comprises Sint Maarten and

1767-448: Is highly diverse, containing people from more than 70 countries. With so many nationalities present, quite a few languages are spoken. An English-based creole is the main local vernacular. However, the official languages are French for Saint-Martin, with Dutch and English being official for Sint Maarten. Other common languages include various French creoles (spoken by French Caribbean immigrants), Spanish (spoken by immigrants from

1860-454: Is in a remote location and is considered suitable for experienced surfers as the water current is very strong. On the leeward side, the notable beaches are Anse du Gouverneur, Anse du Colombier which is only accessible by foot or by boat, Anse de Grand Galet (Shell Beach), and Anse de Grande Saline which is popular with nudists. The area around the salt ponds near the Anse de Grande Saline beach

1953-693: Is limited to the windward side. Unlike other populations in the Caribbean, language preference between the Créole and Patois is geographically, and not racially, determined. The majority of the population of Saint Barthélemy are Christian ; Saint Barthélemy is considered the most religiously homogeneous territory in the French West Indies, with particular importance given to the Catholic Church . The territory of Saint-Barthélemy forms

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2046-593: Is located south of Anguilla and is separated from that British overseas territory by the Anguilla Channel . Saint Martin is northwest of Saint Barthélemy and is separated from that French overseas collectivity by the Saint-Barthélemy Channel . Neighbouring islands include Saint Barthélemy (French), Anguilla (British), Saba (Dutch), Sint Eustatius "Statia" (Dutch), and Saint Kitts and Nevis (independent, formerly British). With

2139-421: Is marshy and is a habitat for tropical birds. Ile islet, an offshoot of the leeward side, has a white sandy beach. Shell Beach, also called Anse de Grand Galet (in French, 'Anse' means "cove" and Galet means "pebble"), is a beach in the southwestern part of Gustavia. A large number of sea shells are scattered on this beach. This beach was subject to the strong waves of hurricane Lenny in 1999, which resulted in

2232-470: Is northeast of the Dutch islands of Saba and Sint Eustatius , as well as north of the independent country of Saint Kitts and Nevis . Saint Barthélemy was for many years a French commune forming part of Guadeloupe , which is an overseas region and department of France. In 2003 the island voted in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate overseas collectivity ( collectivité d'outre-mer , abbreviated to COM ) of France. The collectivity

2325-533: Is noted for its handicrafts; weaving hats and bags from palm fronds is a low-income economic activity of the Indigenous people. As the terrain is generally arid, the hills have mostly poor soil and support only cacti and succulent plants. During the rainy season, the area turns green with vegetation and grass. The eastern part of the island is greener as it receives more rainfall. A 1994 survey has revealed several hundred indigenous species of plants including

2418-449: Is one of four constituent countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands . Even though the island is an overseas possession of two European Union member states, only the French part of the island is part of the EU. On 1 January 2019, the population of the whole island was 73,777 inhabitants, with 41,177 living on the Dutch side and 32,489 on the French side. Note that the figure for

2511-601: Is one of four territories among the Leeward Islands in the northeastern Caribbean that make up the French West Indies , along with Saint Martin , Guadeloupe (200 kilometres (120 mi) southeast) and Martinique . A volcanic island fully encircled by shallow reefs, Saint Barthélemy has an area of 25 square kilometres (9.7 sq mi) and a population of 9,961 at the Jan. 2017 census. Its capital

2604-567: Is quite pronounced in St. Barthélemy and is promoted by the Environmental Commission. There are as many as 22 public beaches (most beaches on St. Barthélémy are known as "Anse de...") of which 15 are considered suitable for swimming. They are categorized and divided into two groups, the leeward side (calm waters protected by the island itself) and the windward side (some of which are protected by hills and reefs). Windward beaches are popular for windsurfing. The beach of St Jean

2697-454: Is served by many major airlines that daily bring in large jet aircraft, including Boeing 747s and Airbus A340s carrying tourists from across the world. The short main runway at Princess Juliana International Airport and its position between a large hill and a beach cause some spectacular approaches. Aviation photographers flock to the airport to capture pictures of large jets just a few metres above sunbathers on Maho Beach . There

2790-430: Is suitable for water sports and facilities have been created for that purpose. The long beach at Lorient has shade and is a quiet beach as compared to St. Jean. Grand-cul-de-sac is a long beach with facilities for water sports. Anse de Flamands is a very wide sandy beach and Le petit Anse (The little beach), just to the north of Anse de Flamands is very safe and popular with the locals for their children. Anse Toiny beach

2883-691: Is the euro , while Sint Maarten uses the Netherlands Antillean guilder , pegged at 1.79 per US dollar. As a consequence of the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles , the Netherlands Antillean guilder will cease to be legal tender and be replaced by the Caribbean guilder , which was scheduled for circulation in the first half of 2021, but now scheduled for 2024. Almost every store on the island also accepts

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2976-532: Is the most commonly spoken language along with a local dialect . The official languages are French for Saint-Martin, and both Dutch and English for Sint Maarten. Other common languages include various French-based creoles (spoken by immigrants from other French Caribbean islands), Spanish (spoken by immigrants from the Dominican Republic and various South American countries), and Papiamento (spoken by immigrants from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao). Among

3069-527: The COVID-19 pandemic , some protesters against these measures flew this flag with them. In September 2020, these restrictions were lifted, and people from both sides of the island started chanting "One island, one people, one destiny". Some notable supporters of this movement include Albert Fleming, former leader of the Collectivity of Saint Martin, who in 2014 stated his support for the unification of

3162-630: The Dominican Republic , Puerto Rico , and various South American countries), and Papiamento (spoken by immigrants from Aruba , Bonaire and Curaçao ). The island's culture is a blend of its African, French, British, Dutch, Amerindian, and Asian heritage . Although each side's culture is influenced by their respective administering countries, they share enough similar heritage and traditions that it can be difficult to tell where Saint-Martin ends and Sint Maarten begins. The Creole population can trace most of their roots to Africa, France,

3255-571: The ISO 3166-1 code MF in October 2007. In 2010, the Dutch part had its status changed to that of a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and was given the code SX. Saint Martin has a land area of 87 km (34 sq mi), 53 km (20 sq mi) of which is under the sovereignty of the French Republic, and 34 km (13 sq mi) under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of

3348-533: The Leeward Islands meant that this name was accidentally transferred to the island now known as Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten. After jointly reclaiming the island, on 23 March 1648, the Kingdom of France and the Dutch Republic agreed to divide the island between their two territories, and created a formal border with the signing of the Treaty of Concordia . Later conflicts resulted in 16 border changes over

3441-593: The United States dollar , although sometimes a more expensive exchange rate is used. Public buses are the primary mode of transportation for visitors staying on the island. Neither side of the island is part of the Schengen Area ; full border checks are performed when travelling in and out of the island. Passport controls are also exercised when taking the ferry from Marigot or Princess Juliana International Airport to Anguilla . There are rarely checks at

3534-551: The Western Hemisphere Saint Barthélemy ( French : Saint-Barthélemy , [sɛ̃ baʁtelemi] ), officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy , also known as St Barts (English) or St. Barth (French), is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean . The island lies about 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of the island of Saint Martin ; it

3627-421: The euro . It is estimated that the nominal GDP of Saint Barthélemy amounted to 367 million euros in 2014 (US$ 487 million at 2014 exchanges rates; US$ 411 million at Feb. 2022 exchange rates). In that same year the nominal GDP per capita of Saint Barthelemy was 38,994 euros (US$ 51,735 at 2014 exchanges rates; US$ 43,626 at Feb. 2022 exchange rates), which was one of the highest GDP per capita in

3720-496: The green turtles , herbivores , generally about 90 centimetres (35 inches) in diameter and live amidst tall sea grasses. Saint Martin (island) Saint Martin ( French : Saint-Martin ; Dutch : Sint Maarten ) is an island in Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the northeastern Caribbean , approximately 300 km (190 mi) east of Puerto Rico . The 87 km (34 sq mi) island

3813-522: The royal palm , sea grape trees in the form of shrubs on the beaches, and as 5 to 7 metres (16 to 23 feet) trees in the interior areas of the island, aloe or aloe vera (brought from the Mediterranean ), the night blooming cereus , mamillaria nivosa , yellow prickly pear or barbary fig which was planted as barbed wire defences against invading British army in 1773, Mexican cactus , stapelia gigantea , golden trumpet or yellow bell which

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3906-693: The staircases , the outbuildings and the gardens have been protected as historic monuments of France since 28 March 2002. There are two main Catholic churches both dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption or Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption ( the one in Lorient and the one in Gustavia) and a chapel of St. Catherine of Siena ( Chapelle de Sainte Catherine de Sienne ) in Colombier. Saint Barthélemy

3999-489: The 17th and 19th centuries, Swedish ships transported slaves only about 50 times, while there were 34,941 slave transportations across the Atlantic at that time. There are 10 ships in the archive registered as Swedish, and four of them have Swedish origins marked on their hulls. Since Swedish ships accounted for only 0.02% of all slave transport ships and 0.14% of the total number of slave transports, Sweden only participated in

4092-554: The Caribbean, more than double the GDP per capita of the nearby Collectivity of Saint Martin , as well as 85% higher than Guadeloupe and 19% higher than metropolitan France 's GDP per capita in 2014. International investment and the wealth generated by tourists explain the high standard of living on the island. Most of the food is imported from the United States or France. Tourism attracts about 200,000 visitors every year. As

4185-436: The Caribbean. Calypso , merengue , soca , zouk , reggae , and chutney all contribute to the festive culture. St. Martin's Dutch side is known for its festive nightlife, beaches , jewellery, drinks made with native rum -based guavaberry liquors , and casinos . The island's French side is known for its nude beaches , clothes, shopping (including outdoor markets), and French and Indian Caribbean cuisine. English

4278-418: The Dutch side of the island is scheduled to take place in October 2022. Population of the island on 1 January 2017, before Hurricane Irma, was 75,869 (40,535 on the Dutch side, 35,334 on the French side ). Due to a major influx of immigrants searching for better employment and living conditions over the past 30 years, the number of Creoles has been surpassed by the number of immigrants. The island's population

4371-442: The Dutch side of the island, Sint Maarten, was estimated at 2,229 million Antillean guilders (US$ 1,245 million at the official peg) in 2014. The nominal GDP of the entire island was thus US$ 2.01 billion in 2014. The nominal GDP per capita of the entire island stood at US$ 27,923 in 2014. The Dutch side of the island experienced a deep recession in 2017 and 2018 due to the devastation of Hurricane Irma which struck

4464-495: The Dutch side, 35,334 on the French side ). The island's pre-colonial names include Oualichi ( Arawakan , meaning 'the island of women') and Soualiga ( Kalinago , meaning 'the island of salt'). Collectively, the two territories are known as "Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten", or sometimes "SXM", the IATA identifier for Princess Juliana International Airport , the island's main airport. St. Martin (the French portion) received

4557-533: The French West India Company, and initially comprised about 50 to 60 settlers, later augmented by smaller numbers coming from St Kitts . Led by Jacques Gentes, the new arrivals began cultivating cacao . However, the settlement was attacked by Caribs in 1656 and briefly abandoned. De Poincy was the dominant administrator in this period and a member of the Order of Saint John . He facilitated

4650-463: The French side is based on censuses that took place after the devastation of Hurricane Irma in September 2017, whereas the figure for the Dutch side is only a post-censal estimate still based on the 2011 census. The first census since Hurricane Irma on the Dutch side of the island took place in October 2022. The population of the island on 1 January 2017, before Hurricane Irma, was 75,869 (40,535 on

4743-426: The Netherlands and subsequently entered into force on 1 August 2007. Its provisions are not yet implemented as the working group specified in the treaty is not yet installed. The treaty requires a working group that has never been set up, to harmonize external checks at the two main airports. The Dutch side has expressed concern that new and tighter French visa requirements would harm their tourism income. The island

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4836-581: The Netherlands and the British Isles. Only some stones remain from the ruins of the two forts built by the Spanish occupation in its early takeover. But during the colonial period, the British settlers and several military dominations left their idiom as the main language spoken on the island, and have made a large impact on St. Martin's culture. In French Saint-Martin, the most practised religion

4929-484: The Netherlands. This is the only land border shared by the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The main cities are Philipsburg on the Dutch side and Marigot on the French side. The Dutch side is more heavily populated. The most populous settlement on the entire island is Lower Prince's Quarter , which is on the Dutch side. The highest hilltop is the Pic Paradis (424 m, 1,391 ft) in

5022-524: The North of Portugal, around 3000 people. French is the native tongue of the population, though English is understood in most hotels and restaurants; a small population of Anglophones has been resident in Gustavia for many years. The St. Barthélemy French patois is spoken by some 500–700 people in the leeward portion of the island and is superficially related to Quebec French , whereas Créole French

5115-705: The Preliminary Conference on National Symbols at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, in Sint Maarten. This flag was created to represent the people of both halves of the island and the unification of the latter, and is hoisted today on some houses and sometimes by churches and religious groups in Saint Martin. In August 2020, when restrictions and controls were added to the Saint Martin–Sint Maarten border to contain

5208-647: The Swedes declared Gustavia (named after the Swedish king Gustav III who ruled at that time) a free port, convenient for trading by the Europeans for goods, including contraband material. Slavery was practised in St. Barthélemy under the Ordinance concerning the Police of Slaves and free Coloured People of 1787. The last legally owned slaves in the Swedish colony of St. Barthélemy were granted their freedom by

5301-411: The West India Company three-quarters. Section 14 of the company's charter stipulated that it had the right to engage in the slave trade between Africa and the Caribbean . It was a triangular trade : African slaves were shipped to the Caribbean, Caribbean sugar, cotton, and tobacco were shipped to Europe , and European cloth, weapons, and spirits were shipped to Africa . Saint-Barthélemy was designated

5394-536: The border between the two sides of the island. In 1994, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and France signed the Franco-Dutch treaty on Saint Martin border controls , which allows for joint Franco-Dutch border controls on so-called "risk flights" arriving from off-island and only admitting foreigners having permission to travel on both sides of the island. After some delay, the treaty was ratified in November 2006 in

5487-493: The centre of a hill chain on the French side. Both sides are hilly with large mountain peaks. This forms a valley where many houses are located. There are no rivers on the island, but there are many dry gullies. Hiking trails give access to the dry forest that covers tops and slopes. The 1648 Treaty of Concordia was signed on the hill lying on the international border between Marigot and Philipsburg, now known as Mount Concordia, Concordia Hill, or Mont des Accords . The island

5580-511: The company would be chartered on January 1, 1787, for a period of 15 years. The company sought shares from English businessmen, and King Gustav III of Sweden owned 10% of the shares, making him the largest single shareholder. Although the company was headquartered in Stockholm, the main trading activities took place in Gustavia on the island of St. Barthélemy. The main purpose of the company

5673-521: The erosion of the sand. This necessitated supplementing the beach with new sand in 2000. On the north coast, on the far eastern side of the island, there are two lagoons called the Anse de Marigot and Anse du Grand Cul-de-Sac. Morne de Vitet , 286 metres (938 feet) in height, is the highest peak on the island. Hills and valleys of varying topography cover the rest of the island. Notable are Morne Rouge, Morne Criquet, Morne de Grand Fond, Morne de Dépoudré and Morne Lurin. The largest bodies of water on

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5766-468: The exception of Nevis, all of these islands are easily visible on a clear day from St. Martin. It is commonly believed that Christopher Columbus named the island in honour of Saint Martin of Tours when he encountered it on his second voyage of discovery. However, he actually applied the name to the island now called Nevis when he anchored offshore on 11 November 1493, the feast day of Saint Martin. The confusion of numerous poorly charted small islands in

5859-406: The first territorial council was elected, according to the law. The island has a president (elected every five years), a unicameral Territorial Council of nineteen members who are elected by popular vote and serve for five-year terms, and an executive council of seven members. Elections to these councils were first held on 1 July 2007 with the most recent election in 2022. One senator represents

5952-612: The government, signaling that the West India Company's golden period of free trade had passed. On May 22, 1805, the Swedish West India Company was officially dissolved. The company should not be confused with the 17th-century Swedish South Company , also called New Sweden Company , best known for establishing New Sweden in the Delaware region (or much of today's Delaware Valley ), which operated between 1638 and 1655. Saint-Barth%C3%A9lemy in

6045-481: The island are Étang de Saint-Jean, Grande Saline, Grand Étang, and Petit Étang. The population is spread among 40 quartiers , roughly corresponding to settlements. They are grouped into two paroisses (parishes): The island covers an area of 25 square kilometres (10 sq mi). The eastern side is wetter than the western. Although the climate is essentially arid, the rainfall does average 1,000 millimetres (40 inches) annually, but with considerable variation over

6138-425: The island in September 2017. Real GDP experienced a negative growth of -5.8% in 2017 and -6.6% in 2018 (GDP figures after 2018 have not been published yet). GDP of the French side of the island has not been estimated since 2014. The main industry of the island is tourism. In 2000, the island had about one million visitors annually. About 85% of the workforce was engaged in the tourist industry. On 1 January 2019,

6231-648: The island in the Senate , while a deputy jointly elected with Saint Martin represents it in the National Assembly . St. Barthélemy became an overseas territory of the European Union on 1 January 2012, but the island's inhabitants remain French citizens with EU status holding EU passports. France is responsible for the defence of the island and as such has stationed a security force on the island comprising six policemen and thirteen gendarmes (posted on

6324-548: The island was hit by Hurricane Irma ( Category 5 at landfall), which caused widespread and significant damage, estimated at $ 3 billion, to buildings and infrastructure. A total of 11 deaths had been reported as of 9 July 2018. France's Minister of the Interior , Gérard Collomb , said on 8 September 2017 that most of the schools were destroyed on the French half of the island. In addition to damage caused by high winds, there were reports of serious flood damage to businesses in

6417-405: The island was not inhabited permanently due to its lack of fresh water sources and poor soil. Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter the island in 1493. Sporadic visits continued for the next hundred years until formal colonisation began taking shape. By 1648 the island was settled by the French, encouraged by Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy , the lieutenant-governor of

6510-494: The island, part of the Netherlands ) and the Collectivity of Saint Martin (the northern half of the island, part of France). The island has been divided since the signing of the Treaty of Concordia in 1648, which today remains as one of the oldest treaties still in effect. Unification of the island enjoys support from the population of both halves. The Treaty of Concordia allows freedom of movement between both parts of

6603-410: The island, which has promoted a common sentiment among the island's inhabitants, although this is also the reason why some see a formal unification as unnecessary. Other arguments against unification of the island are that neither France nor the Netherlands would allow it and that both sides would require full independence to achieve it. On 31 August 1990, the "Unity Flag" of Saint Martin was adopted at

6696-523: The island. Under the Köppen climate classification , the island has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) with a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from August to December. The precipitation patterns are due to the movement of the Azores High during the year. With the wind direction predominantly from the east or the northeast, northeasterly trades, temperatures remain stable throughout

6789-438: The island. The island's tourism industry, though expensive, attracts 70,000 visitors every year to its hotels and villas; another 130,000 people arrive by boat. It also attracts a labour force from Portugal . A team of analysts have analysed Airbnb 's Luxe offerings in 27 of their most popular luxury locations around the world and concluded that St Barths is the top location for luxury Airbnb accommodation worldwide. Corossol

6882-413: The island. Following a referendum in 1877, Sweden sold the island back to France in 1878, after which it was administered as part of Guadeloupe . Swedish media supported the sale of the island to France, characterizing the island's poverty as a source of national humiliation for Sweden. On 19 March 1946, the people of the island became French citizens with full rights. With few economic prospects on

6975-621: The islands, many men from St. Barthélemy took jobs on Saint Thomas to support their families. Organised tourism and hotels began in earnest in the 1960s and developed in the 1970s onwards, particularly after the building of the island's landing strip that can accommodate mid-sized aircraft. The island soon became renowned as a high-class luxury destination, being frequented by numerous celebrities such as Greta Garbo , Howard Hughes , Benjamin de Rothschild , David Rockefeller , Lorne Michaels , Chevy Chase , Steve Martin , Jimmy Buffett and Johnny Hallyday . The boost in tourist numbers has led to

7068-472: The island’s reputation as a luxury destination. St. Barthélemy has about 25 hotels, most with 15 rooms or fewer; the largest has 58 rooms. Hotels are classified in the traditional French manner; 3 Star, 4 Star and 4 Star Luxe. Of particular note are Eden Rock and Cheval Blanc . Hotel Le Toiny , the most expensive hotel on the island, has 12 rooms. Most places of accommodation are in the form of private villas, of which there are some 400 available to rent on

7161-635: The leading cultural artists of the island are Youth Waves, music band; Isidore "Mighty Dow" York, kaisonian , panman; Roland Richardson, Impressionist painter; Ruby Bute , painter; Nicole de Weever , dancer and Broadway star; Lasana M. Sekou , poet, author, independence advocate; Drisana Deborah Jack , multimedia visual artist, poet; Clara Reyes, choreographer; and Tanny and The Boys, string band music group. News publications on St. Martin include The Daily Herald , Soualiga News Day , Soualiga News , St. Maarten News , SMN News , SXM Island Time , and SXM Talks . The official currency of Saint Martin

7254-528: The naturalized varieties of flora; some grow in irrigated areas while the dry areas are dominated by the cacti variety. Sea grapes and palm trees are a common sight with mangroves and shrubs surviving in the saline coastal swamps. Coconut palm was brought to the island from the Pacific islands . Important plants noted on the island include flamboyant trees , frangipanis , sabal palms , wild trumpet and Manchineel trees . Other trees of note include

7347-973: The nearer Virgin Islands , St. Barthélemy lies immediately southeast of the islands of Saint Martin and Anguilla . St. Barthélemy is separated from Saint Martin by the Saint-Barthélemy Channel . It lies northeast of Saba and St Eustatius , and north of St Kitts . Several smaller uninhabited islands lie offshore, the largest of which are Île Fourchue , Île Coco, Île Chevreau (Île Bonhomme), Île Frégate , Île Toc Vers , Île Tortue , Roche Plate (Table à Diable) and Mancel ou la Poule et les Poussins. There are numerous smaller islets, such as La Petite Islette, L'Îlet au Vent, Île Pelé, Île le Boulanger, Roche le Bœuf, Île Petit Jean, L'Âne Rouge, Les Gros Islets, La Baleine des Gros Islets, Pain de Sucre, Les Baleines du Pain de Sucre, Fourmis, Les Petit Saints, Roches Roubes, Les Baleines de Grand Fond and Les Grenadins. St. Barthélemy forms, with St. Martin, Anguilla, and Dog Island ,

7440-402: The northwest, has a 4 fathoms patch near mid-entrance. In the bight of St. Jean Bay, there is a narrow cut through the reef. The north and east sides of the island are fringed, to a short distance from the shore, by a visible coral reef. Reefs are mostly in shallow waters and are clearly visible. The coastal areas abound with beaches and many of these have offshore reefs, some of which are part of

7533-410: The parish of Our Lady of the Assumption ( Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption ), which in turn depends on the diocese of Basse-Terre and Pointe-à-Pitre ( diocèse de Basse-Terre et Pointe-à-Pitre ) whose see is located in the cathedral of Our Lady of Guadeloupe ( Notre-Dame-de-Guadeloupe ). The presbytery is located in the district of Lorient and dates from 1822. The building, including the masonry terrace,

7626-409: The population of the whole island was 73,777 inhabitants, with 41,177 living on the Dutch side and 32,489 on the French side. Note that the figure for the French side is based on censuses that took place after the devastation of Hurricane Irma in September 2017, whereas the figure for the Dutch side is only a post-censal estimate still based on the 2011 census. The first census since Hurricane Irma on

7719-513: The sea, the females come to the shore to lay eggs and are protected by private societies. Three species of turtles are particularly notable. These are: The leatherback sea turtles are the largest of the type found here, sometimes measuring as much as 3 metres (10 feet) (average is about 1.5 m or 5 ft) and weighing about 450; the hawksbill turtles , are found near reefs, generally about 90 centimetres (35 inches) in diameter and weigh about 60 and their diet consists of crabs and snails ; and

7812-405: The state on 9 October 1847. Since the island was not a plantation area, the freed slaves suffered economic hardships due to lack of opportunities for employment and many left to more prosperous islands, and few people of African descent remain on the island. In 1852, a devastating hurricane hit the island, followed by a fire. The economy suffered, and thus Sweden sought to relieve themselves of

7905-722: The terrain. Summer is from May to November, which is also the rainy season. Winter from December to April is the dry season. Sunshine is very prominent for nearly the entire year and even during the rainy season. Humidity, however, is not very high due to the winds. The average temperature is around 25 °C (77 °F) with day temperatures rising to 32 °C (90 °F). The average high and low temperatures in January are 28 °C (82 °F) and 22 °C (72 °F), respectively, while in July they are 30 °C (86 °F) and 24 °C (75 °F). The lowest night temperature recorded

7998-693: The transfer of ownership from the Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique to the Order. He continued to rule the island until he died in 1660. Five years later, it was bought by the French West India Company along with the Order's other possessions in the Caribbean. By 1674, the company was dissolved and the islands became part of the French Kingdom and added to the colony of Guadeloupe . The island proved economically unsuccessful, and

8091-483: The village of Marigot . Looting was also a serious problem. Both France and the Netherlands sent aid as well as additional police and emergency personnel to the island. The Washington Post reported that 95% of the structures on the French side and 75% of the structures on the Dutch side were damaged or destroyed. Some days after the storm had abated, a survey by the Dutch Red Cross estimated that nearly

8184-480: The year and temperatures rarely exceed 34 °C (93 °F) or fall below 20 °C (68 °F). Temperatures remain steady throughout the year with an average mean temperature of 27.2 °C (81.0 °F). The average sea temperature is 27.2 °C (81.0 °F) ranging from a low of 25.9 °C (78.6 °F) in February to a high of 28.4 °C (83.1 °F) in October. The total average yearly rainfall

8277-406: The years, but it has been stable since 1816. The French side has 21 square miles (54 km ) and the Dutch side, 16 square miles (41 km ). There currently is a movement aiming to unite the Dutch and French halves of the island of Saint Martin. A "Unity Flag" for representing this unification was created in 1990. Currently, the island is divided into Sint Maarten (the southern half of

8370-623: Was elected for its administration, which has provided the island with a certain degree of autonomy. A senator represents the island in Paris . St. Barthélemy has retained its free port status. Saint Barthélemy ceased being an outermost region and left the EU , to become an OCT, (Overseas Country or Territory) on 1 January 2012. The island sustained damage from Hurricane Irma in September 2017 but recovered quickly, and by early 2018 transport and electricity were largely operational. Approximately 250 kilometres (160 mi) east of Puerto Rico and

8463-462: Was not only to open trade between Sweden and the remaining forces of New Sweden in the Caribbean and North America , but also to monopolize that trade. Because the West India Company also interfered in colonial affairs and violated the colonial administration's power to profit from trade, the two sides had many disputes. The profits from the trade were divided, with the King receiving one-quarter and

8556-434: Was originally from South America, bougainvillea and others. Marine mammals are many, such as dolphins , porpoises and whales , are seen here during the migration period from December until May. Turtles are a common sight along the coastline of the island. They are a protected species and on the endangered list. It is stated that it will take 15–50 years for this species to attain reproductive age. Though they live in

8649-530: Was subject to the activities of pirates (most notably Daniel Montbars aka 'Montbars the Exterminator'). In 1744, British forces captured the island, holding it until 1764 when it reverted to French control. Thus deeming it to be of little worth, King Louis XVI traded the island to Sweden in 1784 in return for trading privileges in Gothenburg . This change of control saw progress and prosperity as

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