Location:
Caribbean, located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; French part of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean Sea; Saint Martin lies east of the US Virgin Islands
Geographic coordinates:
18 05 N, 63 57 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 54.4 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 54.4 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water:
negligible
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
231
Area - comparative:
more than one-third the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 16 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (1):
Sint Maarten 16 km
Coastline:
58.9 km
(for entire island)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
Climate:
temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November
Elevation:
lowest point:
Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Pic du Paradis 424 m
Natural resources:
salt
Population distribution:
most of the population is found along the coast, with a largest concentrations around the capital Marigot, Orleans, and Grand-Case
Natural hazards:
subject to hurricanes from July to November
Environment - current issues:
excessive population pressure (increasing settlement); waste management; salinity intrusions into the main land of the island; fresh water supply is dependent on desalination of sea water; over exploitation of marine resources (reef fisheries, coral and shell); indiscriminate anchoring of boats damages coral reefs,causing underwater pollution and changes the sediment dynamics of Saint Martin's Island
Geography - note:
the southern border is shared with Sint Maarten, a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; together, these two entities make up the smallest landmass in the world shared by two self-governing states
