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General Information

The dual-nation island of St. Maarten/St. Martin occupies about 35 square miles in the Southeastern Caribbean. The island is home to St. Maarten (Dutch), and Sint Martin (French). The French side has a population of 40,000, while 35,000 live on the Dutch side.

Many nationalities make up the island's population, a testament to the rich history and sometimes turbulent past. There are many cultures and languages represented, although English, Dutch, French and Spanish are the most common.

Sint Martin has numerous beaches and some of the finest restaurants in the Caribbean, while St. Maarten is renowned for the nightlife and casinos. Each side has its own unique style and flavor, offering some of the most beautiful beaches and scenery to be experienced anywhere.

History

Like many of the islands in the Caribbean, St. Maarten traces its history as far back as around 1500 B.C. Evidence suggests that the Arawak Indians were some of the original inhabitants who migrated up from South America. They were later displaced by the more fierce and warlike Carib Indians. The Caribs named the island Soualiga (Salt Island) after discovering the many salt deposits on the island.

Although Christopher Columbus landed on Soualiga in 1493, there were no permanent settlements until around 1630 when both the French and Dutch established trading posts on the island. Spain attempted to assert control of the island, but by 1644 the French and Dutch had successfully assumed full control. In 1648, the French and Dutch signed the Treaty of Concordia which divided the island in into two parts. Although possession changed back and forth between the two powers many times over the next 150 years, the island remains today as the home of two nations, Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin.

During slavery, the island flourished as a producer of sugar cane, tobacco, salt, and cotton. With the abolishment of slavery in the 1800's, the dual nation island struggled to develop profitable industries. It was not until the 1950's that the first tourists from North America began arriving on a regular basis. Since then, the island had established tourism as the main source of foreign income, and now hosts well over a million visitors each year.

	Featured Accommodations in Sint Maarten / St. Martin
	Club Orient
	http://www.cluborient.com/cluborient-ang/homepage.htm
	Email: clubo@cluborient.com
	Club Orient is the premier clothing optional resort on the Caribbean Island of St.Martin, French West Indies.more...

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