Saint Martin is a tropical island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 300 km (186 miles) east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km? island is divided roughly in half between France and the Netherlands Antilles; it is the smallest inhabited sea island divided between two nations. The southern Dutch half comprises the Eilandgebied Sint Maarten (Island area of St. Martin) and is part of the Netherlands Antilles. [The five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao).] The northern French half comprises the Collectivite de Saint-Martin (Collectivity of St. Martin) and is an overseas collectivity of France. St. Martin/St. Maarten has been shared by the French and the Dutch in a spirit of neighborly cooperation and mutual friendship for almost 350 years. The border is almost imperceptible. and people cross back and forth without ever realizing they are entering a new country. There are four boundries, Belle Vue / Cole Bay, French Quarter / Dutch Quarter, Low Lands / Copecoy and Oyster Pond, testifying to centuries of peaceful cohabitation and the treaty that made the arrangement possible. All the same, each side has managed to retain much of the distinctiveness of its own national culture. The French tend to emphasize comfort and elegance. The beaches are secluded, the luxury resorts provide lavish accommodations, and the restaurants offer the finest dining experiences anywhere in the Caribbean. The latest French fashions can be found in many of the shops, and the smell of fresh croissants and pastries mixes everywhere with the spicy aromas of West Indian cooking. Small cafes and charming bistros add a decidedly Gaelic and cosmopolitan flair to the place. On the whole the atmosphere remains very relaxed. On the other hand, St. Maarten with its busy cruise port and bustling commercial district, has long been an active center for trade and tourism. More developed and at the same time more informal, it is very Dutch in flavor and still has strong ties with fellow compatriots in the other Netherlands Antilles. Between the two different cultures in St. Martin and St. Maarten, vacationers will be able to find just about every kind of activity they might want for a perfect holiday in the sun. St. Martin is sunny and warm year-round with an average yearly air temperature of 27 °C and sea surface temperature of 26.4°C. The total average yearly rainfall is 995 mm, with 22 days of thunder. The island is buffeted by cooling trade winds that keep things temperate all year long. The main towns are Philipsburg (Dutch side) and Marigot (French side). The island has an approximate resident population of 85,000. he official population on the Dutch side is 50,000 while on the French side this is 35,000. Human density is 3 times that of the Netherlands. n addition there is an average of 1,000,000 tourist visitors per year. The highest hilltop is the Pic Paradis (424 m) on center of a hill chain. There is no river on the island, but many dry guts. Hiking trails give access to the dry forest covering tops and slopes. Saint Martin Native name: Sint Maarten (Dutch); Saint-Martin (French) Geography Location: Caribbean Sea Archipelago: Leeward Islands, Lesser Antilles Area: 37 km2 (14 sq mi) Highest point: Pic Paradis (414 m (1,360 ft)) Population: 85,000 Country: Kingdom of the Netherlands Constituent country: Netherlands Antilles Island area: Sint Maarten Largest city: Philipsburg (1,338) Country: France Overseas collectivity: Saint Martin Largest city: Marigot (5,700) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Martin is a tropical island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 300 km (186 miles) east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km? island is divided roughly in half between France and the Netherlands Antilles; it is the smallest inhabited sea island divided between two nations. The southern Dutch half comprises the Eilandgebied Sint Maarten (Island area of St. Martin) and is part of the Netherlands Antilles. The northern French half comprises the Collectivite de Saint-Martin (Collectivity of St. Martin) and is an overseas collectivity of France. St. Martin/St. Maarten has been shared by the French and the Dutch in a spirit of neighborly cooperation and mutual friendship for almost 350 years. The border is almost imperceptible. and people cross back and forth without ever realizing they are entering a new country. There are four boundries, Belle Vue / Cole Bay, French Quarter / Dutch Quarter, Low Lands / Copecoy and Oyster Pond, testifying to centuries of peaceful cohabitation and the treaty that made the arrangement possible. All the same, each side has managed to retain much of the distinctiveness of its own national culture. The French tend to emphasize comfort and elegance. The beaches are secluded, the luxury resorts provide lavish accommodations, and the restaurants offer the finest dining experiences anywhere in the Caribbean. The latest French fashions can be found in many of the shops, and the smell of fresh croissants and pastries mixes everywhere with the spicy aromas of West Indian cooking. Small cafes and charming bistros add a decidedly Gaelic and cosmopolitan flair to the place. On the whole the atmosphere remains very relaxed. On the other hand, St. Maarten with its busy cruise port and bustling commercial district, has long been an active center for trade and tourism. More developed and at the same time more informal, it is very Dutch in flavor and still has strong ties with fellow compatriots in the other Netherlands Antilles. Between the two different cultures in St. Martin and St. Maarten, vacationers will be able to find just about every kind of activity they might want for a perfect holiday in the sun. St. Martin is sunny and warm year-round with an average yearly air temperature of 27 °C and sea surface temperature of 26.4°C. The total average yearly rainfall is 995 mm, with 22 days of thunder.. The island is buffeted by cooling trade winds that keep things temperate all year long. The main towns are Philipsburg (Dutch side) and Marigot (French side). The island has an approximate resident population of 85,000. he official population on the Dutch side is 50,000 while on the French side this is 35,000. Human density is 3 times that of the Netherlands. n addition there is an average of 1,000,000 tourist visitors per year. The highest hilltop is the Pic Paradis (424 m) on center of a hill chain. There is no river on the island, but many dry guts. Hiking trails give access to the dry forest covering tops and slopes.