Originally, the island, now known as Saint Martin by the French and Sint Maarten by the Dutch,  was inhabited by a tribe of  Arawak Indians from South America, indigenous people of the West Indies who called the island “The Island of Women”. The, eventually named Soualiga or Land of Salt by the cannibalistic Amerindians. With European exploration, Columbus claimed the island for Spain on November 11, 1493 as Isla San Martin. In 1631, a small settlement of Dutch arrived on the island to collect salt. The Spanish captured the island from the Dutch, holding it until 1648 with the Treaty of Westphalia, when the island was divided between the French as Saint-Martin and the Dutch as Sint Maarten, the dividing line, by local folklore, determined by two walkers on the littoral line or shoreline to a point where the two met on the island’s opposite extremity. This is an island in the northeast Caribbean, about 300 kilometers/ 186 miles from Puerto Rico, and a three hour flight from Miami, Florida in the USA. Visible from the island are the  nearby islands of Saint-Barthelemy and Anquilla. Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten, measuring 87 square kilometers/33 square miles  is divided roughly 60/40 between France and The Netherlands.  The French side of the island comprises 53 square kilometers/20 square miles and a population of approximately 36,000, while the Dutch side comprises 34 square kilometers/13  square miles and a slightly larger population of  39,000 residents.  On the French side, the main city is Marigot, while on the Dutch side, the main city is Philipsburg. The two sides of the island also differ culturally. On the French side, shopping, nude beaches, and outdoor markets are popular, while on the Dutch side, a lively nightlife of casinos including a  drink made from native rum, shopping for jewelry, and beaches distinguish the culture. Fortunately, English is the dominant language on the island.

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. A ketch offshore of Saint-Martin. 2. A view of the clear waters of the Caribbean Sea surrounding the island. Center, Top: Villas overlooking Long Bay. Right Column: 1. A variety of pleasure craft offshore Saint-Martin including a catamaran, three ski mobiles, a hobie-cat, and an outboard boat all floating on perfectly clear water. 2. Map of Saint-Martin / Sint Maaten in the Caribbean. The inset illustrates its proximity to Miami, Florida, a three hour flight from the island.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                        BACK TO MAP  PAGE