St. Martin's Island, also known as St. Maarten Island, is located in the Caribbean. Surprisingly, on this small piece of land two countries are placed - France and the Netherlands. Moreover, this is the smallest inhabited island in the world. All these incredible facts annually attract thousands of tourists here, since the weather promotes quality rest - a warm sea, clean beaches and the sun, which shines almost all year round.
Island location
St. Martin's Island is located among the northern ridge of the Eastern Caribbean Islands. Included in the archipelago of the Lesser
Antilles.The northern part of the coast of the island is occupied by the French overseas community, and the southern part is considered self-governing autonomy, however, it is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Dutch part of the island is called Sint Martin.
Each part has its own capital. The French is called Marigot, and the Dutch is Philipsburg.
It is a remarkable fact that the island received its name from the British. The original local aborigines have always called him Narikel Ginjira, which literally means "coconut island." This is truly a paradise, so it is not for nothing that many tourists around the world are interested in where the island of St. Martin is.
Geography
The smallest inhabited island on the planet is only 87 square kilometers. Most of them belong to the French side - about 53 square kilometers, the remaining 34 - run by the Dutch.
The island of St. Martin features a hilly terrain. There are many mountains and elevations, the highest point is Mount Peak Paradise. Its height is 424 meters above sea level. It is located in the French part of the island. Climbing the mountains is convenient and pleasant; most of the hills are covered with forests and greenery.
Climate
The island has a pronounced marine tropical climate. The rainy season here begins in April and lasts until about November. The rains are heavy, but most often brief.
The island of St. Martin is exposed at this time of year to trade winds that neutralize high humidity. Therefore, even in these months, rest here is comfortable. Not so much due to the wind, the heat is felt.
In the winter months, the temperature drops to 27-29 degrees above zero during the day and 20-22 degrees of heat at night. Humid climate in winter is almost not felt. For tourists on the island there are about 30 beaches, almost all of the white sand, which makes the vacation unforgettable. Tourist places are located both in Dutch and in French territory.
Island history
Before
Columbus discovered America, the island belonged to the Arawak Indians. They called it "Land of Women." It was a peaceful tribe that mainly engaged in agriculture. The first to know where the island of St. Martin, the British. November 11, 1493 it was put on the world map. Until today, this date is considered the main holiday on the island.
French colonists came here only in 1620. They actively began to cultivate tobacco growing. And in 1631 the Dutch founded their base on the island. The first governor was Jan Klaszon van Kampen, who began to extract salt.
In 1633, Saint Martin came under the protectorate of the Spaniards, who held him for several decades, repulsing the attacks of the Dutch. They left him only in 1648, when he ceased to have strategic importance. Under the Munster Treaty, he passed to the Netherlands. Ultimately, the French colonists restored their settlements here.
Population and language
In total, a little less than 75 thousand inhabitants live on the island. Only a quarter of the population is white.
St. Martin is an island of two masters. This name he received is not accidental. Today, both the Dutch and the French coexist peacefully in a small area, having a single spoken language - this is the Saint-Martin dialect of the East Caribbean Anglo-Creole language. At the same time, on the side of the Netherlands, Dutch is considered official, and on the side of France, respectively, French. In addition, papiamento is extremely common in English, Spanish, and Creole.
Island economy
The main revenue item of the island's economy is tourism. The official monetary unit is the euro, but American dollars are freely accepted everywhere, and most of the prices in shops and hotels are indicated in this currency, since the main flow of tourists comes from the USA. Anywhere you can freely pay by credit card, and the standard of living on the island is the same (and even slightly higher) than in Western Europe.
The Dutch part of the island is a famous offshore. A large number of companies are registered in this territory, but they conduct business outside it and are exempt from taxes. Also, the benefit to companies is the absolute absence of real estate tax.
Those who wish to fly to the island of St. Martin - Princess Juliana Airport. It is named after the Dutch princess, who came here a year after its discovery, in 1944.
The airport is very small. The length of the runway is only 2.3 kilometers. Therefore, only experienced and confident pilots fly here.
Landing on the island of St. Martin is considered one of the most difficult in the world. Not only is the length of the runway very short, so in addition it also adjoins the seashore. As a result, a passenger airliner has to be planted literally over the heads of tourists resting on the largest local beach - Maho.
Beaches on the island
Maho is one of the largest beaches that the island of St. Martin is famous for. Description of it always begins with how tourists feel when passenger liners arriving on the island fly 15-20 meters above their heads.
Largely for this reason, Maho is extremely popular among spotters - people who are keen on watching aircraft. The beach itself is small, its length is about 300 meters, and its width is several tens of meters. In one of the eateries, it is imperative that the next aircraft is announced in the loudspeaker. Also everywhere on the beach there are boards on which the schedule of the nearest flights is written with chalk.
Due to the fact that Maho is regularly exposed to strong air currents from airliners, he is completely devoid of vegetation. Also, because of this, there are almost always strong waves on the coast, which, in turn, attracts windsurfers. Being in the central part of the beach while landing the airliner is very dangerous - it is fraught with injuries (deaths are not excluded), as tourists are constantly warned by local administration staff. After all, the wind speed at this time reaches 160 kilometers per hour. However, many deliberately ignore these warnings, wanting to experience the thrill.
In 2008, St. Martin Island was badly damaged by a hurricane. France has done a lot to minimize the damage. Hurricane Omar washed away all the sand from Maho Beach, it had to be re-imported.
Island Attractions
The island has many attractions that attract tourists. For example, a butterfly farm. Under a special canopy you can take a romantic walk accompanied by several hundred of these beautiful creatures. The cost of the tour is low - about $ 12.
Also, tourists are attracted by the highest point of the island - Mount Peak Paradise. It has two viewing platforms, each of which offers an unforgettable view of the Caribbean Sea and the island coast. In order to climb the island, most often use a car, since the road is very steep and rocky. A bicycle or a moped will not pass here.
The island is also popular among nudists. There are many beaches on which wearing clothes is optional. For example, on the Dutch side it is the Kupekoy beach, located at the very foot of the cliff. True, in the Netherlands this is the only such place, on any other beach you will definitely be fined.
In French territory, the favorite nudist beach is Papagayo. This is officially permitted here. On other beaches, topless sunbathers are most often tolerated. Especially if it is a weekday, and there are few visitors.
Football team
One of the most interesting and amazing facts is that the island has its own football team. True, she is not a member of FIFA, therefore, does not participate in qualifying matches for the world championships. But he regularly plays in competitions held under the auspices of CONCACAF - the Football Federation of North and Central America.
The last time the Saint-Martin team tried to break into the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2012. To do this, you had to successfully perform at the Caribbean Cup. However, in the group stage, the team suffered three defeats - 0: 7 from Haiti, 0: 9 from Puerto Rico and 0: 8 from Bermuda.
In general, the team is considered one of the weakest in CONCACAF. It has existed since 1994. At the moment, she has played 26 matches, 17 of which have lost. In 6 meetings, the guys managed to win. The most successful for the team of Saint-Martin was the year 2001, when she defeated the teams of Montserrat and Anguilla with a score of 3: 1. These victories remain the largest in its history.
The largest defeat for the Saint Martens was caused by the Jamaican team in 2004. The game ended with a score of 12: 0.