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The history of the Caribbean is filled with stories of colonial imperialism where islands changed hands form country to country. St. Maarten was no ace in the imperial holdings, but had its share of skirmishes and smoky gun battles which caused the island to change hands many times between the Spanish, Dutch and French powers. The old stone forts which guard many of the islands inlets is proof of the islands turbulent past. The island's true history started peacefully - traces of Stone Age people have been found on the island, dating back to 4,000 BC. Around 800 AD the island, as many of its neighbors was settles by Arawak Indians who arrived from South America to settle down to a life of fishing, hunting and farming. The Arawaks were not alone, however. They were followed in the 14th century by a much more war-like tribe - the cannibalstic Carib Indians. These new arrivals are the ones who gave the region its name, and knew St.Maarten as Soualiga, or "Salt Island" after its main mineral deposit. The remains of the Great Salt Pond can still be seen in Philipsburg today. According to legend, Christopher Columbus sighted Soualiga on the 11th of November in the year 1493, the holy day of St.Martin of Tours, and he named the island after him - hence the name St.Maarten. The 11th of November is celebrated to this day, as St.Martin/St.Maarten's Day. Although Columbus sighted and named the island, the Spanish made no initial attempt to settle here. Around the year 1630 the Dutch and French established small settlements on the island. The Spanish must have not taken to well to this settlement - they saw it as a threat to their influence in the region and attacked the island - driving out both the Dutch and French settlements. The Dutch and French joined forces to repel the Spanish, and finally achieved this goal around 1644 when the Spanish finally abandoned their claims to the Eastern Caribbean altogether. After driving out the Spanish, the Dutch and French signed an accord (in 1648) and agreed to divide the island. Over the next few years, the boundary was the subject of numerous disputes. which were not settled until 1817. In this timeframe the island changed hands between the two powers 16 times. Location/Size The island is in the Caribbean Sea, 18.02 latitude and 63.07 longitude, 150 miles southeast of Puerto Rico. it covers 37 square miles, with Dutch St.Maarten on the South spanning 16 square miles and French Saint Martin on the North covering 21. The island is the smallest land mass to be shared by two separate governments. Capitals Philipsburg on Great Bay is the capital of St.Maarten. Marigot is the capital of Saint Martin. Nationalities As a part of the Netherlands Antilles and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, St.Maarten boasts 77 different nationalities. Saint Martin is a commune of Guadeloupe, an overseas territory of France. Language English is spoken everywhere, but Dutch is the official language of St.Maarten, and French the official language of Saint Martin. On the Dutch side, you can also hear Spanish, Papiamentu, Italian, Hindi, Chinese, and other languages. On the French side, Creole Patois is also spoken Population 41,000 people live on St.Maarten and 36,000 on Saint Martin. Climate Sunny and warm year-round, with some cooling from trade winds. Average temperature during the winter season is 80F (27C) and a few degrees warmer anymore humid in the summer. Occasional showers in late summer and early fall, with average annual rainfall of 45 inches. Airlines Air service from the U.S. to Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten is provided by: American Airlines direct from New York, Miami and San Juan with connecting flights to numerous cities throughout the U.S. Plus seasonally by: TWA from New York with connections to other U.S. cities; by Continental from Newark, N.J., with connecting flights throughout the U.S.; Northwest from Detroit and Minneapolis, with connections to other U.S. cities; and by USAir from Charlotte and Philadelphia with connections to other U.S. cities. In addition, numerous charter flights are available from throughout the continental U.S. Other airlines serving the island include: ALM Antillean Airlines from Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire; LIAT from Antigua, Anguilla, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Tortola; and Windward Islands Airways (WINAIR) from St. Thomas, St. Kitts/Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, Anguilla, St. Barts, Dominica and Tortola. Entry Requirements U.S. citizens need a valid passport or birth certificate with raised seal and photo identification and a return/continuing ticket. Naturalized citizens must show an original naturalization certificate with photo identification. Green Card holders must have a valid passport and a return/continuing ticket. Canadian citizens need a valid passport and a return/continuing ticket. "Landing permit" with valid passport and return/continuing ticket. European Community: Valid passport and a return/continuing ticket St. Maarten is the only completely duty-free port in the Caribbean. No vaccination certificates are required unless arriving from an area experiencing an epidemic. Visas are required for nationals of the following countries. Airport Departure Tax For International destinations, there is a tax of US$20.00 for those age 2 and up. For islands within the Netherlands Antilles, the departure tax is US$6.00. Accommodations Island accommodations range from large, comprehensive resort facilities and condominiums to small, intimate guest houses, timeshares and apartments. With over 2,000 rooms on the island, there is a property to suit every taste. Dining St.Maarten expresses its culinary soul not by creating a single cuisine, but by giving voice to cooking styles from the far-flung corners of the globe. Diners can select from more than 300 restaurants offering French, Dutch, Caribbean, Italian, Chinese, Indonesian, Creole and more. Casinos The island's 12 casinos are all on the Dutch side and offer gaming in the European mode: |
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