Sint Maarten
 

1634 - 15 Dec 1959

15 Dec 1959 - 13 Jun 1985

Adopted 13 Jun 1985

Map of Sint Maarten	Hear National Anthem "Wilhelmous van Nassouwe" (William of Nassau)	Hear Local Anthem "Volkslied van Sint Maarten" (St. Martin National Anthem) (a.ka. O Lieve Land van Sint Maarten [O' Sweet Saint Martin's Land]) From c.1958	Constitution (10 Oct 2010)
Capital: Philipsburg (Fort Amsterdam 1631-1633, 1648-1738)	Currency: Caribbean Guilder (XCG); Netherlands Antillean Guilder (ANG) 1848-31 Mar 2025	National Holiday: 27 Apr (1967) King's Day (Koningsdag) ------------------------------------ Local Holiday: 11 Nov (1493) Saint Martin's Day (Sint-Maarten Dag)	Population: 46,215 (2024)
GDP: $1.98 billion (2024)	Exports: $1.50 billion (2023) Imports: $1.48 billion (2023)	Ethnic groups: Saint Maarten 29.9%, Dominican Republic 10.2%, Haiti 7.8%, Jamaica 6.6%, Saint Martin 5.9%, Guyana 5%, Dominica 4.4%, Curacao 4.1%, Aruba 3.4%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.8%, India 2.6%, Netherlands 2.2%, U.S. 1.6%, Suriname 1.4%, Saint Lucia 1.3%, Anguilla 1.1%, other 8%, unspecified 1.7% (2011)
Total Police Force: 180 (2017) Defense is the Responsibility of The Netherlands Merchant marine: None (2024)		Religions: Protestant 41.9% (Pentecostal 14.7%, Methodist 10.0%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.6%, Baptist 4.7%, Anglican 3.1%, other Protestant 2.8%), Roman Catholic 33.1%, Hindu 5.2%, Christian 4.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, Evangelical 1.4%, Muslim/Jewish 1.1%, other 1.3% (includes Buddhist, Sikh, Rastafarian), none 7.9%, no response 2.4% (2011)
International Organizations/Treaties: ACS (associate), AOSIS (observer), Caricom (observer), DLU (cooperation), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, LAES (observer), LAP, OECS (observer), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO

Sint Maarten	Chronology 13 Nov 1493                Once past St. Kitts Spanish explorer Capt.                              Cristóbal Colón may have sighed Saint Martin.                              According to tradition he named the island                              Isla San Martín (a name in fact given to Nevis),                              the native Caribs called the island Sualouiga. 1516                       First mentioned as "Sam Mtim" on the Reinel map.  5-9 Oct 1624              First recorded European landing by Dutch sailor                              Pieter Schouten (d. 1625). Jul/Aug 1629               French captain Giron briefly shipwrecks on St Martin. Aug 1631 -  1 Jul 1633     Dutch settlement in southern end of the island                              (St. Martin/St. Martijn). 24 Jun 1633 - Feb 1648     Spanish invasion and occupation. Dutch surrender on                              and leave 1 Jul 1633 (San Martín). 20 Mar 1644 - 17 Apr 1644  Failed Dutch attack on the Spanish fort by Pieter                              Stuyvesant (b. c.1610 - d. 1672) Curaçao governor. 23 Mar 1648                Divided into French Saint-Martin (north) and Dutch                               Sint Martin (St. Martijn/St. Martyn)(south) parts by                              the Treaty of Concordia (Mont des Accords). 1648 - Apr 1672            Dutch Sint Martin a grantee-concession                              (subordinated to St. Eustatius). Apr 1672 - 15 Jun 1676     French occupy the entire island (see Saint-Martin). 15 Jun 1676 - 30 Jun 1676  Dutch occupy the entire island. 30 Jun 1676 - 27 Jan 1690  French occupy the entire island (see Saint-Martin). 1690 - 1699                No organized administration on the island. 20 Sep 1697                English agree to restore conquered territories                              (incl. Saint Martin) to status quo ante by the                              Treaty of Ryswick (Tractatus Pacis). 1699 - 1702                French control the entire island (see Saint-Martin). 1702 - 10 Apr 1703         Abandoned, both countries having evacuated. 1703 - 16 Mar 1792         Dutch part under the Dutch West India Company                               administration. 1703 - 1802                Part of the Dutch Windward Islands colony                              (Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, and Saba). 10 Apr 1703 - Aug 1715     Dutch control the entire island. 15 May 1733                Philipsburg founded. 14 Jul 1734                Franco-Dutch Treaty of Neutrality of the island of                              Saint Martin in case of war between France and                              the Netherlands. 24 Feb 1779 -  5 Feb 1781  French occupy the Dutch part (see Saint-Martin).    5 Feb 1781 - 27 Nov 1781  British occupy the entire island.  27 Nov 1781 - 11 Feb 1784  French occupy the Dutch part (the Dutch civil                              administration continues). 19 May 1793 -  5 Apr 1795  Dutch control the entire island.   5 Apr 1795 - 24 Mar 1801  French occupy the entire island (the Dutch civil                              administration continues with French commissioners)                              (see Saint-Martin). 24 Mar 1801 -  1 Dec 1802  British occupy the entire island.  1 Dec 1802 - 14 Feb 1810  French and Dutch parts resumed. 17 Jan 1803 - 15 Jan 1821  Saba a dependency of Sint Maarten. 14 Feb 1810 - 24 Jan 1815  British re-occupy the entire island.  9 Jul 1810                Annexed along with Holland by France (not effected). 24 Jan 1815 - 12 Feb 1816  British occupy the Dutch part (and the French part                              Jul 1815 - 22 Nov 1816). 12 Feb 1816                Dutch Sint Martin zone resumed. 12 Feb 1816 - 1828         Part of the Dutch Windward Islands colony (restored)                              (Bovenwindse Eilanden)(Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten,                              and Saba). 1816 - 15 Jan 1821         Sint Maarten, Saba subordinated to Sint Eustatius. 15 Jan 1821 -  1 Aug 1828  Sint Eustatius and Saba dependencies of Sint Maarten.  1 Aug 1828 - 16 Jul 1845  United with other Dutch territories (Sint Eustatius,                              Sint Maarten, Saba, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and                              Dutch Guiana as the Dutch West Indies (see                              under Suriname). 28 Nov 1839                Franco-Dutch Convention confirms the 1648 accords. 27 Jan 1848 - 10 Oct 2010  Dutch islands united under the name of Curaçao and                              Dependencies (from 20 Sep 1948, renamed the                              Netherlands Antilles)(see under Curaçao).  3 Aug 1920 - 31 Mar 1983  Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten united as                              the Netherlands Windward Islands Territory                              (Eilandgebied de Bovenwindse Eilanden)(within the                              Netherlands Antilles). 23 Apr 1936                Dutch part officially adopts the Dutch spelling                               Sint Maarten, by Staatsregeling (Publicatieblad,                              No. 105). 12 May 1940 -  6 Jul 1940  French garrison Sint Maarten (Dutch administration                              continues)(see under Curaçao). 14 Oct 1994                Sint Maarten referendum supports remaining within                              the Netherlands Antilles over becoming an autonomous                              country, 59%-32%. 23 Jun 2000                Sint Maarten referendum supports a "status aparte" as                              a separate entity within The Netherlands by 68.9%.  2 Nov 2006                Sint Maarten and Curaçao sign an agreement with                              The Netherlands on a "status aparte." 10 Oct 2010                Sint Maarten an autonomous country of Netherlands;                              Country of Saint Maarten (Land Sint Maarten).

Dutch Commander
Aug 1631 -  1 Jul 1633     Jan Claeszoon van Campen           (d. 1642)
Spanish Governors
24 Jun 1633 - 1635         Cebrián de Lizarazu
1635 - 1639                Luis de Valdes
1639 - 1648                Diego Guajardo Fajardo
Dutch Commanders
14 Feb 1648 - 1650         Martin (Marten) Thomas (governor)
1650 - 1655                Adriaan de Vos
1655 - 1660                Edmond de Fosse
1667?                      Jan Simpson (Simson)
1672?                      Jan Simonsz. de Buck
Apr 1672 - 15 Jun 1676     French occupation
15 Jun 1676 - 30 Jun 1676  Jacob Binckes                      (b. 1637 - d. 1677)
30 Jun 1676 - 27 Jan 1690  French occupation
1690 - 1699                Vacant
1699 - 1701?               Jean Dyel du Parquet
1701 - 1702                Louis Cacqueray de Valmenière      (b. 1672 - d. 1724)
Vice-commanders (Vice Commandeurs Sint Maarten [Nederlandsch gedeelte])
10 Apr 1703 - 170.         Lucas van Beverhoudt               (b. c.1665 - d. c.1722)
1705?                      Olivier Graval
1708?- 1710                Charles Devezaen
1710 - Feb 1712            François Lemaire
1712 - 1713                Jean Buretel
1713 - 1718                Martinus Meijer (Meyer)(1st time)  (d. 1733)
12 May 1718 - 1720         Louis Guillaume du Repaire
                             (Durepaire)
1720 - 1721                Jan de Windt, Sr.
1721 - 10 Jun 1733         Martinus Meijer (2nd time)         (s.a.)
Jun 1733 - 1735            Jacobus Barry
Commanders
16 Feb 1735 - 17 Jun 1736  John Philips (1st time)            (b. 1691 - d. 1746)
17 Jun 1736 - 22 Jul 1737  Pieter Hassell (acting)            (b. c.1677 - d. 175.)
22 Jul 1737 - 16 Dec 1746  John Philips (2nd time)            (s.a.) 
17 Dec 1746 - 15 Jan 1748  Jan de Wever (acting)
Vice-commander
17 Jan 1748 - 27 Nov 1781  Abraham Heyliger Pzn. (1st time)   (b. 1717 - d. 1783)
 5 Feb 1781 - 26 Nov 1781  Andrew Edhouse -British commander  (b. c.1723 - d. 1788)
Governors
26 Nov 1781 - 23 Jul 1783  Abraham Heyliger Pzn. (2nd time)   (s.a.)
1783 - 1784                Charles Chabert, Jr.               (b. 1761 - d. 1810)
Vice-commanders
11 Feb 1784 -  5 Feb 1785  Councillors (acting)
                           - Thomas Aertsen
                           - Jacob M. Gumbs
 5 Feb 1785 - 26 Sep 1786  Johannes Salomonsz Gibbes          (b. 1733 - d. 1802)
Commanders
26 Sep 1786 - 11 Feb 1790  Johannes Salomons Gibbes           (s.a.)
12 Feb 1790 - 19 Jun 1800  Willem Hendrik Rink (1st time)     (b. 1756 - d. 1848)
1800 - 1801                Rembertus "Remt" Folkerus Muller   (b. 1763 - d. 1827)
20 Jan 1801 - 24 Mar 1801  Willem Hendrik Rink (2nd time)     (s.a.)
24 Mar 1801 -  1 Dec 1802  Robert Nicholson                   (b. 17.. - d. 1810)
Governors (gouverneurs)
 1 Dec 1802 - Aug? 1806    Willem Hendrik Rink (3rd time)     (s.a.)
Aug? 1806 - 14 Feb 1810    Jan Verveer Jzn.                   (b. 1775 - d. 1838)
Commandants
14 Feb 1810 - 1810         George William Richard Harcourt    (b. 1775 - d. 1812)
                             (British commander)
14 Feb 1810 -  3 Apr 1810  John Skinner                       (b. 1752 - d. 1827)
 3 Apr 1810 - Jan 1813     Robert Nicholas                    (b. 17.. - d. 1814)
Jan 1813 - Feb 1814        James Alexander Farquharson        (b. 1772 - d. 1834)
                             (1st time)
Feb 1814 -  5 Apr 1815     William McCaskill                  (b. c.1763 - d. 1815)
Mar 1815 - May 1815        Robert Ferry (acting)
May 1815 - Jul 1815        James Alexander Farquharson        (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
Jul 1815 - Aug 1815        Francis Edden (acting)
Aug 1815 - 12 Feb 1816     Robert Douglas                     (b. 1766 - d. 1828)
Administrators (gezaghebbers)
(to 15 Jan 1821 for Sint Maarten and Saba; 1920-1983 for the Windward Islands:
Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius)
12 Feb 1816 -  5 Feb 1820  Paulus Roelof Cantz'laar           (b. 1771 - d. 1831)
                             (commander)
 5 Feb 1820 -  1 Jan 1840  Diederik Johannes van Romondt      (b. 1781 - d. 1849)
                             (president of Police Council [acting
                             to 15 Jan 1821] to 20 Nov 1833)
 9 Mar 1822 - 15 Mar 1823  Abraham Heijlinger
                             (acting for van Romondt)
 1 Jan 1840 - 12 Jun 1849  Johannes Willem van Romondt        (b. 1805 - d. 1849)
12 Jul 1849 - 16 Apr 1850  Pieter Petersen (acting)
16 Apr 1850 - May 1859     Johannes Didericus Crol            (b. 1806 - d. 1870)
May? 1859 -  1 Nov 1860    Lucas Percival (acting)            (b. 1808 - d. 1877)
 1 Nov 1860 - 25 Oct 1865  Willem Hendrik Johan van Idsinga   (b. 1822 - d. 1896)
 7 May 1864 -  7 Mar 1865  Diederik Chr. van Romondt          (b. 1807 - d. 1865)
                             (acting for Idsinga)
25 Oct 1865 - 23 Feb 1866  Philogène Philippe Maillard        (b. 1806 - d. 1886)
                             (acting)
23 Feb 1866 - 18 Nov 1870  Herman François Gerardus Wagner    (b. 1822 - d. 1904)
18 Nov 1870 - 28 Aug 1871  Robert van Romondt (acting)        (b. 1842 - d. 1878)
28 Aug 1871 - 1883         Edouard Dénis Ernest van den       (b. 1831 - d. 1908)
                             Bossche
 9 Feb 1874 - 19 Feb 1877  Diederik Charles van Romondt       (b. 1835 - d. 1904) 
                             (1st time)(acting for van den Bossche)
1883 -  1 Aug 1883         Diederik Charles van Romondt       (s.a.) 
                             (2nd time) (acting)
 1 Aug 1883 - 17 Sep 1885  Jan Hendrik Rudeloff Beaujon       (b. 1838 - d. 1930)
1885 -  1 Jul 1889         Theophilus George Groebe           (b. 1838 - d. 1919)
 1 Jul 1889 -  7 Jul 1891  Jan Hero Adriaan van Daalen        (b. 1842 - d. 1899)
 7 Jul 1891 - 17 Apr 1893  Frans Johannes Olivier             (b. 1850 - d. 1914)
17 Apr 1893 - 26 Nov 1894  Diederik Charles van Romondt       (s.a.)
                             (3rd time) (acting)
26 Nov 1894 - Dec 1901     Jozef Möller                       (b. 1849 - d. 1909)
18 May 1898 -  1 Dec 1900  Diederik Charles van Romondt       (s.a.)
                             (4th time)(acting for Möller)
Dec 1901 - 28 Sep 1918     Abraham Jan Cornelis Brouwer       (b. 1858 - d. 1919)
28 Sep 1918 -  2 Jun 1919  Frits Koenraad Thielen (acting)    (b. 1875 - d. 1943)
Lieutenant governors for the Windward Islands (Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius)
(gezaghebbers van de Bovenwindse Eilanden)
 2 Jun 1919 - 24 Aug 1920  G.J. Tymstra (acting)
24 Aug 1920 - 29 Dec 1920  A.W. de Haseth (acting)
29 Dec 1920 - 15 Nov 1923  J. van der Zee Rz. (acting)
15 Nov 1923 -  1 Feb 1927  Richard Johannes "Hensi"           (b. 1883 - d. 1959)
                             Beaujon, Jr.
 1 Feb 1927 - 28 Jul 1927  Carel Frederik Boskaljon (acting)  (b. 1901 - d. 1929)
28 Jul 1927 - 21 May 1930  Willem Frederik Meinhardt Lampe    (b. 1896 - d. 1973)
                             (interim)
17 Jul 1930 -  3 Dec 1943  Johann Diedrich Meiners            (b. 1889 - d. 19..)
16 Apr 1938 -  9 Jan 1939  Anthony Hendrik Marinus van Weel   (b. 1900 - d. 1987)
                             (acting for Meiners)
 3 Dec 1943 - 23 Feb 1948  Pieter Hendrik van Leeuwen         (b. 1893 - d. 1953)
16 Mar 1946 - 31 Oct 1946  Maximillian Joseph Huith           (b. 1909 - d. 1993)
                             (acting for Leeuwen)(1st time)
16 Dec 1947 - 23 Feb 1948  Maximillian Joseph Huith           (s.a.)
                             (acting for Leeuwen)(2nd time)
 8 Mar 1948 -  1 Jul 1957  Johannes Christiaan Paap
                             (interim to 10 Nov 1948)
 8 Apr 1953 -  3 Nov 1953  Ir. K.A. van Rijswijk (Ryswick)
                             (acting for Paap)
 1 Jul 1957 - 16 Oct 1957   Walter Granville Buncamper         (b. 1908 - d. 1978)
                             (1st time)(acting)
16 Oct 1957 -  7 Jul 1958  Hendrik Anthonius Hessling         (b. 1901 - d. 1966)
                             (acting for Paap)
 7 Jul 1958 - 10 Aug 1959  Walter Granville Buncamper         (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) (acting)
10 Aug 1959 - 1968         Jan Jacob "Japa" Beaujon           (b. 1921 - d. 1999)
Aug 1968 -  1 Mar 1975     Reinier Oswald van Delden          (b. 1928 - d. 2011)  
                             (acting to 3 Mar 1969)
 1 Mar 1975 - 1981         Theodore Maxwell "Max" Pandt       (b. 1939 - d. 2017)
                             (acting to 1 Sep 1975)
1981 -  1 Apr 1983         Ralph R.H. Richardson              (b. 1937)
Lieutenant governors (gezaghebbers)
 1 Apr 1983 - 1992         Ralph R.H. Richardson              (s.a.)
 1 Mar 1992 - 15 Sep 1994  Wilfred Russell Voges              (b. 1943)
15 Sep 1994 - 22 Sep 2000  Dennis Leroy Richardson            (b. 1946)
22 Sep 2000 - 10 Aug 2010  Franklyn E. Richards               (b. 1950)
31 May 2010 -  8 Jul 2010  Reynold Amando Groeneveldt         (b. 1952 - d. 2022)
                             (1st time)(acting for Richards)
 8 Jul 2010 - 10 Aug 2010  Rachnilda "Nilda" Arduin Lynch (f)
                             (acting for Richards)
10 Aug 2010 - 10 Oct 2010  Reynold Amando Groeneveldt         (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)(acting)
Governors
10 Oct 2010 - 10 Oct 2022  Eugene Bernard Holiday             (b. 1962)
10 Oct 2022 -              Ajamu G. Baly                      (b. 1977)
 

Leaders of the government (of Windward Islands Council 1951-1982)(unofficial post until 1997)
1951 - 1991                Claude Wathey                      (b. 1926 - d. 1998)  DP
                             (= Albert Claudius Wathey)
1991 - 1995                Edgar Hubert Lynch                 (b. 1952)            SPA
1995 -  1 Jul 1999         William Marlin (1st time)          (b. 1950)            SPA 
 1 Jul 1999 -  8 Jun 2009  Sarah A. Wescot-Williams (f)       (b. 1956)            DP
 8 Jun 2009 - 10 Oct 2010  William Marlin (2nd time)          (s.a.)               NA
Prime ministers
10 Oct 2010 - 19 Dec 2014  Sarah A. Wescot-Williams (f)       (s.a.)               DP
19 Dec 2014 - 19 Nov 2015  Marcel Faustiano Augustin Gumbs    (b. 1953)            UPP
19 Nov 2015 - 24 Nov 2017  William Marlin                     (s.a.)               NA
24 Nov 2017 - 15 Jan 2018  Rafael Boasman (acting)            (b. 1953)            USP
15 Jan 2018 - 10 Oct 2019  Leona Marlin-Romeo (f)             (b. 1973)            UD
10 Oct 2019 - 19 Nov 2019  Wycliffe Sylvester Smith (acting)  (b. 1948)            SMCP
19 Nov 2019 -  3 May 2024  Silveria Elfrieda Jacobs (f)       (b. 1968)            NA
 3 May 2024 -              Luc F.E. Mercelina                 (b. 1964)            URSM