Is Saint Maarten part of the Netherlands?

On 10 October 2010 Sint Maarten became a constituent country (Dutch: Land Sint Maarten) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, making it a constitutional equal partner with Aruba, Cura?ao, and the Netherlands proper. Constitution Day (10 October) is celebrated annually as a public holiday.



Sint Maarten is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a unique political status that gives it significant autonomy. While it is not "part" of the European country of the Netherlands in the way a province is, it shares the same Dutch monarch and the Netherlands is responsible for its defense and foreign affairs. In 2026, Sint Maarten (the southern Dutch side) operates as a self-governing nation with its own parliament, prime minister, and customs authority. This is distinct from the northern side of the island, Saint-Martin, which is an Overseas Collectivity of France. For 2026 visitors, this means you are technically stepping into the Kingdom of the Netherlands when you land at Princess Juliana Airport, but you will find a high-value Caribbean culture that uses the Netherlands Antillean Guilder (soon to be the Caribbean Guilder) and the U.S. Dollar rather than the Euro.

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It's a great benefit to be able to access services on either side of the island but also witness the duality in lifestyles. Sint Maarten, the Dutch side, is located at the south of the island and is one of the four constituent countries that comprise the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

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Sint-Maarten is not considered as European territory. It is not part of the Schengen area, it is an independent state that is connected to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. For French citizens arriving at the Grand Case Esperance airport (code SFG), on the French side, a valid identity card is sufficient.

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Three Caribbean polities are countries (Dutch: landen) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. The Netherlands is the fourth and largest constituent country in the Kingdom. Sint Maarten comprises the southern half of the island of Saint Martin.

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In 1986 Aruba pulled out of the Netherlands Antilles - a federation of Dutch Caribbean territories - and obtained separate status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Dutch government controls defence and foreign affairs while the island's government handles local matters.

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km (37 sq. miles), about half the area of Washington, D.C. An island divided between the Netherlands and France, St. Maarten (Sint Maarten) is the Dutch half, and St. Martin is French.

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Signing of the Treaty of Concordia So the island was split into two parts and shared by France and Holland. The French occupied the northern part (20 mi?), the Dutch the southern part (13 mi?). As history tells it, the dividing line was determined by two walkers, a Frenchman and a Dutchman.

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One island and two countries! Between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, St. Martin is half French, half Dutch.

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Between 1627 and 1631, Holland decided to send settlers to St. Martin, to exploit the island's natural salt reserves. The French and the Dutch signed the Treaty of Concordia, also known as the Partition Treaty, on March 23, 1648. So the island was split into two parts and shared by France and Holland.

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Why the two spellings? Well, this 37-square-mile-island is governed by both France and the Netherlands. The French side of the island refers to itself as Saint Martin, while the Dutch side is known as Sint Maarten.

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Martin. The island of Saint Martin / Sint Maarten hosts two overseas European territories. French is the official language in French St. Martin, the northern half of the island, while Dutch is spoken in Sint Maarten, the southern half.

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