Country name:
conventional long form:
Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy
conventional short form:
Saint Barthelemy
local long form:
Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy
local short form:
Saint-Barthelemy
abbreviation:
Saint-Barth (French); St. Barts or St. Barths (English)
etymology:
explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in honor of his brother Bartolomeo's namesake saint in 1493
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
Government type:
parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France
Capital:
name:
Gustavia
geographic coordinates:
17 53 N, 62 51 W
time difference:
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named in honor of King Gustav III (1746-1792) of Sweden during whose reign the island was obtained from France in 1784; the name was retained when in 1878 the island was sold back to France
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August (1572)
Constitution:
history:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
amendments:
amendment procedures of France's constitution apply
(2018)
Legal system:
French civil law
Citizenship:
see France
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Anne LAUBIES (since 8 June 2015)
head of government:
President of Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007)
cabinet:
Executive Council elected by the Territorial Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council
elections/appointments:
French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council indirectly elected by its members for a 5-year term; election last held on 2 April 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
election results:
Bruno MAGRAS (SBA) reelected president; Territorial Council vote - NA
Legislative branch:
description:
unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members elected by absolute majority vote in the first round vote and proportional representation vote in the second round; members serve 5-year terms); Saint Barthelemy indirectly elects 1 senator to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term and directly elects 1 deputy (shared with Saint Martin) to the French National Assembly
elections:
Territorial Council - last held on 19 March 2017 (next to be held in September 2022) French Senate - election last held 24 September 2017 (next to be held in September 2020) French National Assembly - election last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)
election results:
Territorial Council - percent of vote by party - SBA 53.7%, United for Saint Barth 20.6%, Saint Barth Essential 18.1%, All for Saint Barth 7.7%; seats by party - SBA 14, United for Saint Barth 2, Saint Barth Essential 2, All for Saint Barth 1; composition - men 9, women 10, percent of women 52.6%; French Senate - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party UMP 1 French National Assembly - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party UMP 1
Political parties and leaders:
All for Saint Barth (Tous pour Saint-Barth) [Bettina COINTRE]
Saint Barth Essential (Saint-Barth Autrement) [Marie-Helene BERNIER]
Saint Barth First! (Saint-Barth d'Abord!) or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]
Saint Barth United (Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy) [Xavier LEDEE]
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
National symbol(s):
pelican
National anthem:
name:
"L'Hymne a St. Barthelemy" (Hymn to St. Barthelemy)
lyrics/music:
Isabelle Massart DERAVIN/Michael VALENTI
note: local anthem in use since 1999; as a collectivity of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)