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| Country Guide > Caribbean > St Maarten |
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General Information Area 34 sq km (16 sq miles). Population 36,231 (1996). Population Density 1066 per sq km. Capital Philipsburg. Geography Politically, St Maarten is one of three Windward Islands in the Netherlands Antilles, although geographically it is part of the Leeward Group of the Lesser Antilles, and not strictly an island – it occupies just one-third of an island otherwise under French control (the French sector is called St Martin), lying 8km (5 miles) south of Anguilla, 232km (144 miles) east of Puerto Rico and 56km (35 miles) due north of St Eustatius. St Maarten is the southern sector, an area of wooded mountains rising from white sandy beaches. To the west, the mountains give way to lagoons and salt flats. For information on the French sector (St Martin), see the Guadeloupe section. Government Part of the Netherlands Antilles; dependency of The Netherlands since 1630. Head of State: Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, represented locally by Governor General Frits Goedgedrag. Head of Government: Prime Minister Etienne Ys since 2004. The Netherlands Antilles consist of Bonaire, Curaao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten. The capital of the island group is Willemstad, Curaao. Language Dutch is the official language. Papiamento (a mixture of African, Dutch, English, Portuguese and Spanish) is the commonly used lingua franca. English and Spanish are also widely spoken. Religion Protestant, with Roman Catholic and Jewish minorities. Time GMT - 4. Electricity 110/220 volts AC, 60Hz. Communications Telephone Fully automatic system with good IDD. Country code: 599. Outgoing international code: 00. Calls made through the operator are more expensive and include a 15 per cent tax. Mobile telephone TDMA digital network operated by Telcell (e-mail: telcell@telem.an). Compatible with most US handsets but not with GSM handsets. Phone hire is available at Telcell’s customer care centre in Philipsburg. Roaming exists (member of the Pan American Roaming Corporation). East Caribbean Cellular (website: www.eastcaribbeancellular.com) operates digital and analogue networks, system B. Networks cover Saba, St Barthelemy, St Maarten, St Martin and the surrounding waters. Most US handsets can be used, and can be activated with a temporary number before or after arrival on the island. Visitors should register online or dial 0 when in an ECC coverage area. Handsets can be hired from ECC in Philipsburg. Fax Some hotels provide facilities. Internet ISPs include TelNet (website: www.sintmaarten.net). Telegram Services operated by ANTELCOM and TELEM. Post Airmail to Western Europe takes four to six days, surface mail takes four to six weeks. Press English-language dailies include the Daily Herald and St Maarten Guardian, published on St Maarten. Most other newspapers in the Netherlands Antilles are published in Dutch or Papiamento. Radio BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online. |