Capital: Philipsburg Government: constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Population: 33,609 Currency: Netherlands Antillean Guilder Continent: North America Official language: Dutch, English Area: 37 km2
Sint Maarten is a Dutch territory in the Caribbean. it is the smaller half of the island of St Martin shared by the French. It is offically a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. With a population of 40,120 on an area of 37 km2 it encompasses the southern 40% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the northern 60% of the island constitutes the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Martin.
The Dutch side of the border, is completely different from the French side. With its tourist-friendly nightlife, slew of shopping centers including duty-free shops in capital Philipsburg, casinos, numerous apartment units and sprawling resorts, it can sometimes feel overdeveloped and artificial, but you'll also find a few peaceful, picturesque beaches around Simpson Bay and Little Bay. Sint Maarten has the 15th largest GDP per capita in the world (including territories) when measured by purchasing power parity, over three times as high as its French counterpart. Sint Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport, is also famous for its proximity to the beach, which sees aircraft swoop almost within spitting distance of sunseekers and planespotters.