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Exploring Saint Martin: Distinct Territories Provide Memorable Experiences

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Overview

Introduction

With its fabulous beaches, world-class restaurants, duty-free shopping, casinos and vibrant nightlife, Saint Martin is a traveler’s dream destination.  Since the island is divided into two distinct territories with an unpatroled border, tourists can relax on the white sandy beaches in the French Saint Martin during the day and stroll over to the Dutch Sint Maarten in the evening for an exquisite dinner and its unrivaled nightlife.  Regardless of how you spend your vacation in Saint Martin, it is sure to be a memorable one.

Geography

Saint Martin is an island that lies in the Caribbean Sea at the North end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, 300km southeast of Puerto Rico.  The island’s coastline spans approximately 59km.  The West coast or leeward side of the island experiences lush, green vegetation due to the abundance of rain showers it recieves from the mountain areas while the East Coast is continually swept by warm Trade Winds. The island is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states: The French territory of Saint Martin which occupies 20 square miles and Sint Marteen, the Dutch territory occupying approximately 13 square miles.  

History

The Amerindians were the first settlers of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten and often referred to the island as “Sualouiga” or “Land of Salt” due to the overabundance of salt ponds that lined the island.  Although the Spaniards were the first Europeans to colonize the island in 1493, the Dutch were ultimately responsible for the major exploitation of Saint Martin’s salt deposits in 1631. Despite the island being recaptured by the Spanish in 1633, it was eventually relinquished to the Dutch and French and divided among themselves as was dictated by the Treaty of Concordia in 1648.  The development of sugar plantations in the late eighteenth century gave way to the slave trade until it was finally aborted in 1848.  The islands salt treasure rebounded in 1850 before its eventual decline in 1949.  In 1939, Saint Martin became a free port and with the advent of Princess Juliana Airport in 1943, the island became a popular travel destination for tourists.  The island’s population more than doubled and it’s economy skyrocked in the late 1960’s through the mid 1980’s as a result of the growing tourism industry.  Saint Martin is known to be the friendliest island in the Caribbean and welcomes almost 1 million cruise ship passengers and more than 575,000 land-based travelers each year making it one of the most affluent islands in the region; all thanks to tourism.

Economy

Saint Martin is known to be the friendliest island in the Caribbean and welcomes over 1 million cruise ship passengers and more than 575,000 land-based travelers each year making it one of the most affluent islands in the region; all thanks to tourism industry. Eventhough almost all food must be imported due to the lack of agriculture, the island is known to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean.

Location:
  • Caribbean
  • Saint Martin
Keywords: diving guides, saint martin, sint maartin, grand case, orient bay, philipsburg, sint maarten marine park, reserve sous-marine regionale, hms proselyte, frenchman's reef Author:
Melissa Gwaldis
Related Tags: Diving Guides