Land Sint Maarten

Political Status: Former Dutch dependency; from 1948 a component of the Netherlands Antilles, which became autonomous in internal affairs, under charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, effective December 29, 1954; achieved separate autonomous status in internal affairs upon dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on October 10, 2010.

Area: 13.1 sq. mi. (34 sq. km).

Population: 39,088 (2012E—U.S. Census).

Major Urban Center (2010E): PHILIPSBURG (1,228), Lower Prince’s Quarters (8,123).

Official Languages: Dutch and English.

Monetary Unit: Netherlands Antilles Guilder (official rate November 5, 2012: 1.79 guilders = $1US). The guilder is pegged to the U.S. dollar. A new Caribbean guilder, likewise pegged to the dollar, is to be introduced jointly by St. Maarten and Curaçao in January 2012.

Sovereign: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard.

Governor: Eugene HOLIDAY; nominated ...