St. Maarten and Saint Martin.

Dutch St. Maarten & French Saint Martin - Luxury Villas in the Caribbean St. Maarten, home to 140 nationalities, is the smallest island in the world shared by two nations. This sunny Caribbean treasure offers an irresistible blend of French, Dutch and Caribbean culture, beaches and water sports, shopping, fine dining and nightlife.

Geography
The island measures 37 square miles, of which 16 is Dutch territory and 21 square miles belongs to French S.t Martin. Despite its small size, St. Maarten/St. Martin has a varied landscape. To the south, St. Maarten is predominantly low-lying and dotted with salt pans and lagoons. Toward the center and north of the island are hills and valleys and the terrain is more rugged. The highest point on the island is Pic Paradis, with an altitude of 1,400 feet.

On the island of St. Maarten / St. Martin, the vegetation ranges from cacti and palm trees to hibiscus and native Caribbean flowering shrubs and trees. There are still some stands of forest in the hills.

General Information
Population: 41,000 people in Dutch St. Maarten and 36,000 in French St. Martin.
Languages: English is spoken everywhere, but Dutch is the official language of St. Maarten and French of St. Martin. You may also hear Papiamentu in St. Maarten and Creole patois in St. Martin, as well as Spanish, Chinese and Hindi.

Political Organizations on the island of St. Maarten/ St. Martin
St. Maarten is a municipality of the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. St. Martin is a commune of Guadeloupe, one of the French overseas territories.

St. Martin / St. Maarten Currency
US dollars are widely accepted. The official currency of Dutch St. Maarten is The Netherlands’ florin or guilder (NAF) and in French St. Martin it is the Euro. Prices are usually listed in dollars and the local currency.

Caribbean Climate on St. Maarten / St. Martin
Sunshine and warm temperatures throughout the year. The trade winds keep temperatures comfortable and the average is 80 F in the winter and 86°F in the summer.