In 2003 the island voted in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate overseas collectivity (collectivité d'outre-mer, abbreviated to COM) of France.

The collectivity is one of four territories among the Leeward Islands in the northeastern Caribbean that make up the French West Indies, along with Saint Martin, Guadeloupe (200 kilometres (120 mi) southeast) and Martinique.

A volcanic island fully encircled by shallow reefs, Saint Barthélemy has an area of 25 square kilometres (9.7 sq mi)[note 1][3] and a population of 9,961 at the Jan. 2017 census.

[16] This change of control saw progress and prosperity as the Swedes declared Gustavia (named after the Swedish king Gustav III who ruled at that time) a free port, convenient for trading by the Europeans for goods, including contraband material.

[citation needed] Organised tourism and hotels began in earnest in the 1960s and developed in the 1970s onwards, particularly after the building of the island's landing strip that can accommodate mid-sized aircraft.

[citation needed] The island soon became renowned as a high-class luxury destination, being frequented by numerous celebrities such as Greta Garbo, Howard Hughes, Benjamin de Rothschild, David Rockefeller, Lorne Michaels, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Jimmy Buffett and Johnny Hallyday.

[22] Saint Barthélemy was for many years a French commune forming part of Guadeloupe, which is an overseas region and department of France.

[24][25] Saint Barthélemy ceased being an outermost region and left the EU, to become an OCT, (Overseas Country or Territory) on 1 January 2012.

[26] The island sustained damage from Hurricane Irma in September 2017 but recovered quickly, and by early 2018 transport and electricity were largely operational.

[27] St. Barthélemy forms, with St. Martin, Anguilla, and Dog Island, a distinct group that lies upon the western edge of a flat bank of soundings composed chiefly of shells, sand, and coral.

[24] The marine reserve, founded in 1999, covers more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of protected and vulnerable habitats, bays, and islands, and includes a zone that is restricted to scientific observations only.

Anse Toiny beach is in a remote location and is considered suitable for experienced surfers as the water current is very strong.

The area around the salt ponds near the Anse de Grande Saline beach is marshy and is a habitat for tropical birds.

The building, including the masonry terrace, the staircases, the outbuildings and the gardens have been protected as historic monuments of France since 28 March 2002.

[44] The small Pentecostal Christian community does not have a church building of its own and therefore offers religious services at St Barth's Beach Hotel.

In 2003, the population voted through a referendum in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate overseas collectivity (collectivité d'outre-mer, or COM) of France.

[46] On 7 February 2007,[47] the French Parliament passed a bill granting COM status to both St. Barthélemy and (separately) to the neighbouring Saint Martin.

[citation needed] Saint Barthélemy is renowned for its high-end villas and luxury real estate market, attracting both short-term visitors and permanent residents.

Real estate agencies specialize in offering exclusive villa rentals and property sales, further enhancing the island’s reputation as a luxury destination.

[24] The island's tourism industry, though expensive, attracts 70,000 visitors every year to its hotels and villas; another 130,000 people arrive by boat.

[53] Corossol is noted for its handicrafts; weaving hats and bags from palm fronds is a low-income economic activity of the Indigenous people.

Sea grapes and palm trees are a common sight with mangroves and shrubs surviving in the saline coastal swamps.

[17]: 7 Other trees of note include the royal palm, sea grape trees in the form of shrubs on the beaches, and as 5 to 7 metres (16 to 23 feet) trees in the interior areas of the island, aloe or aloe vera (brought from the Mediterranean),[17]: 8  the night blooming cereus, mamillaria nivosa, yellow prickly pear or barbary fig which was planted as barbed wire defences against invading British army in 1773, Mexican cactus, stapelia gigantea, golden trumpet or yellow bell which was originally from South America, bougainvillea and others.

[24][17]: 11–12 Avifauna in the wild, both native and migrating include brown pelican along the shoreline, magnificent frigatebirds with long wingspans of up to 1.8 metres (6'), green herons, snowy egrets, belted kingfishers; bananaquits; broad-winged hawks; two species of hummingbirds, the green-throated carib and Antillean crested hummingbird; and zenaida doves.

The Reserve is designed to protect the islands' coral reefs, seagrass, and endangered marine species including sea turtles.

The island's history relating to the French, Swedish and British periods of occupation is well presented in the museum with photographs, maps, and paintings.

[9] Feast of St Louis[verification needed] is held on 1 November when thousands of candles are lit in the evening hours, which is a public holiday.

[17]: 206  In West Indian cuisine, steamed vegetables with fresh fish is common; Creole dishes tend to be spicier[17]: 206  The island hosts gastronomic events throughout the year, with dishes such as spring roll of shrimp and bacon, fresh grilled lobster, Chinese noodle salad with coconut milk, and grilled beef fillet, etc.

[17]: 588 The Transat AG2R Race, held every alternate year, is an event that originates in Concarneau in Brittany, France, reaching St. Barthélemy.

A traffic peak of 280 aircraft movements per day was recorded on 2 January 2022, and 323 aircraft on 2 January 2023; 58% of the passengers for destination St. Barth arrive on international commercial airlines and large private jets mainly via the neighboring island Sint Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport, while 15% arrive via San Juan, Puerto Rico, and 13% via Guadeloupe.