Why is it called St Martin?

Christopher Columbus, the famous explorer, sailed past the island on November 11, 1493, St. Martin's Day. He spotted the island and named it after the patron saint.



The island of St. Martin owes its name to the explorer Christopher Columbus, who sighted the island on November 11, 1493, during his second voyage to the Americas. November 11 is the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, a 4th-century Roman soldier turned bishop known for his humility and for famously sharing his cloak with a beggar. Following the tradition of naming discoveries after the saint of the day, Columbus christened the land "Santo Martino." Before the arrival of Europeans, the indigenous Carib and Arawak populations called the island "Soualiga" (Land of Salt) or "Oualichi" (Land of Brave and Beautiful Women). Today, the name reflects the island's dual heritage, divided into the French "Saint-Martin" and the Dutch "Sint Maarten," a partition that has existed peacefully since the 1648 Treaty of Concordia.

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The Spanish finally relinquished Saint Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it between themselves in 1648. Friction between the two sides caused the border to frequently fluctuate over the next two centuries, with the French eventually holding the greater portion of the island (about 61%).

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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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The 87-square-kilometre (34 sq mi) island is divided roughly 60:40 between the French Republic (53 km2, 20 sq mi) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands (34 km2, 13 sq mi) by the 16 km (10 mi) border.

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SXM has become a leader in Caribbean aviation. It is far more than just a facility; for many, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, from the stunning approach to the runway - with its spectacular landing and take-off, which has made it world-famous for plane-spotters - to its unique character and sense of place.

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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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The tap water in Sint Maarten/St. Martin is safe to drink in most places. Many establishments serve desalinated water. Bottled water is inexpensive if you do not like the taste of the tap water.

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There is no physical border between the French and Dutch territories and people and goods may travel freely between both sides of the island. The Dutch side's official currency is the Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) while the official currency of the French side is the euro (EUR).

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Saint Martin/Sint Maarten has two airports – Princess Juliana International Airport which is located on the Dutch side of the island and the other located on the French side and it is called Saint Martin Grand Case Airport.

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