34 sq km (13 sq miles).
Population:39,689 (2013).
Population density:1,167 per sq km.
Capital:Philipsburg.
Government:Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Head of state:King Willem-Alexander since 2013, represented locally by Governor Eugene Holiday since 2010.
Head of government:Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs since 2014.
Electricity:110 volts AC, 60Hz. (Note that St Martin, the French side of the island, uses 220 volts). American-style plugs with two flat pins (and sometimes a third grounding pin) are used.
Sun-lovers, water babies, sailors and divers alike will find St Maarten an alluring Caribbean getaway. This popular destination in the former Netherlands Antilles is lined with delicious coastline, on which to frolic, bake, or get active.
The most prominent physical feature in St Maarten is Mount Flagstaff, an extinct volcano, but the most important for visitors is the excellent beach that follows the south and west coasts; beach activities and shopping at duty-free centres firmly satisfy most tourists.
St Maarten is also popular with sailing enthusiasts and divers. The excellent diving conditions feature striking coral reefs located close to the shore. One of the most popular dive sites is the wreck of HMS Proselyte, a British man-of-war which sank in 1801. Body boarding is increasingly popular way of enjoying the gleaming waters and getting refreshed in the pouring sunshine.
