| Country name | conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours because the 11 November 1493 day of discovery was the saint's feast day |
| Dependency status | overseas collectivity of France note: the only French overseas collectivity that is part of the EU |
| Government type | parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France |
| 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: marigot is a French term referring to a body of water, a watercourse, a side-stream, or a tributary rivulet; the name likely refers to a stream at the site of the city's original founding |
| Independence | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
| National holiday | Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is Schoelcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848), as well as St. Martin's Day, 11 November (1985), which commemorates the discovery of the island by COLUMBUS on Saint Martin's Day, 11 November 1493; the latter holiday celebrated on both halves of the island |
| Constitution | history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendments: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply |
| Legal system | French civil law |
| Citizenship | see France |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age, universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Prefect Serge GOUTEYRON (since 16 December 2020) head of government: President of Territorial Council Daniel GIBBS (since 2 April 2017); First Vice President Valerie DAMASEAU (since 2 April 2017) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council elections/appointments: 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; election last held on 26 March 2017 election results: Daniel GIBBS (TDG) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 18 votes, 4 blank, 1 invalid |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms); Saint Martin elects 1 member to the French Senate and one member (shared with Saint Barthelemy) to the French National Assembly elections: Territorial Council - last held on 18 and 25 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2022) election results: Territorial Council - percent of vote by party (first round) - TDG 49.1%, MJP 13.7%, MVP 12.3%, HOPE 8.7%, Continuons pour Saint-Martin 6.5%, other 9.7%; seats by party - NA; percent of vote by party (second round) - TDG 64.3%, MJP 24.2%, MVP 11.5.5%; seats by party - TDG 18, MJP 4, MVP 1; composition - men 13, women 10, percent of women 43.5% French Senate - held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2020) French National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022) French Senate - 1 seat: UMP 1 French National Assembly - 1 seat: UMP 1 |
| Political parties and leaders | Continuons pour St. Martin [Aline HANSON] En marche vers le progres or MVP [Alain RICHARDSON] Gereration Hope or HOPE [Jules CHARVILLE] Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP [Louis MUSSINGTON] New Direction [Jeanne VANTERPOOL] Rally Responsibility Success (Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON] Team Daniel Gibbs 2017 or TDG [Daniel GIBBS] Union for Progress (Union Pour le Progres or UPP) [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; affiliated with UMP |
| International organization participation | UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France) |
| Flag description | the flag of France is used |
| National symbol(s) | brown pelican |
| National anthem | name: O Sweet Saint Martin's Land lyrics/music: Gerard KEMPS note: the song, written in 1958, is used as an unofficial anthem for the entire island (both French and Dutch sides); as a collectivity of France, in addition to the local anthem, "La Marseillaise" remains official on the French side (see France); as a constituent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in addition to the local anthem, "Het Wilhelmus" remains official on the Dutch side (see Netherlands) |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
