Sint Maarten (Dutch pronunciation: [sɪntˈmaːrtə(n)] ⓘ) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean region of North America.

Sint Maarten had been inhabited by the Amerindian peoples for many centuries, with archaeological finds pointing to a human presence on the island as early as 2000 BC.

[11] It is commonly believed that Christopher Columbus named the island in honor of Saint Martin of Tours when he encountered it on his second voyage of discovery.

While the French wanted to colonize the islands between Trinidad and Bermuda, the Dutch found San Martín a convenient halfway point between their colonies in New Amsterdam (present day New York) and New Holland.

Tensions between the Netherlands and Spain were already high due to the ongoing Eighty Years' War, and in 1633 the Spanish captured St Martin and drove off the Dutch colonists.

To work the new cotton, tobacco, and sugarcane plantations, the French and Dutch began importing large numbers of African slaves, who soon came to outnumber the Europeans.

[citation needed] Tourism began growing from the 1950s onward, and Princess Juliana International Airport became one of the busiest in the Eastern Caribbean.

Immigration from the neighbouring Lesser Antilles, Curaçao, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the United States, Europe, and Asia turned the native population into a minority.

Hurricane Luis in late August and early September 1995 hit the island, causing immense destruction and resulting in 12 deaths.

[25] A survey by the Dutch Red Cross estimated that nearly a third of the buildings in Sint Maarten had been destroyed and that over 90% of structures on the island had been damaged.

[26] The prime minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, told the news media on 8 September that the airport in Sint Maarten was ready to receive emergency flights and that aid, as well as police officers and military personnel, were on their way.

[27] The prime minister of Sint Maarten, William Marlin, had already asked the Dutch government for extended relief assistance which began to arrive on 8 September.

[30] The government estimated that on 9 September, 70% of houses were badly damaged or destroyed and much of the population was living in shelters ahead of the arrival of Jose.

On that date, Royal Caribbean International said that the company was sending its Adventure of the Seas to Sint Maarten and to St. Thomas to provide supplies and to offer evacuation services.

[33] The ship arrived on the island on 10 September with water, ice, garbage bags, clothing, and canned food, and evacuated 320 people.

Later in the month, it was revealed that the EU would allocate €2 billion in emergency funds for immediate disaster relief to restore basic essentials on Sint Maarten, such as drinking water and sanitation.

[36] In addition to the EU's contribution, Red Cross, the government of the Netherlands, and Dutch citizens of the mainland raised money via donations and crowdfunding for the recovery efforts.

[49] Sint Maarten is classified as an Overseas Country and Territory (OCT)[50] in Annex II of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

[64] Sint Maarten is home to many distinctive plants such as hibiscus, yellow sage (seen on the flag), flamboyant trees, mahogany, and cacti.

Some of the native species are west Indian holly (Tunera ulmifolia), spiny amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus), bell pepper (Capsium pulcherrima), salt heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum), bay rum tree (pimento racemose), and sourbush (pluchea carolinesis).

[72] Sint Maarten's population is descended from various people groups including Afro-Caribbeans, Europeans, Latin-Americans, Levantine Arabs, South-Asians, Jews, East Asians and many others.

Sint Maarten is a polyglot society, most are simultaneously bilingual in Dutch and English, and among them are also speakers of Spanish and French, the latter of which is official on the other side of the island (Saint-Martin).

[6] The economy is heavily dependent on tourism, either from long-stays or day-trippers from the many cruise lines that dock in the Philipsburg Harbour; around 80% of the workforce is employed in this sector.

Among the leading cultural artists of the island are Isidore "Mighty Dow" York (kaisonian, panman), Roland Richardson (Impressionist painter), Nicole de Weever (dancer, broadway star), Ruby Bute (painter, storyteller, poet), Clara Reyes (choreographer), Susha Hien (choreographer), Lasana M. Sekou (poet, author, independence advocate), Drisana Deborah Jack (visual artist, poet), and Tanny and The Boys (string band music group).

The annual St. Martin Book Fair takes place during the first weekend of June, featuring emerging and famous authors from the island, the Caribbean region, and from around the world.

After an initial period of popularity during the 1990s, including an appearance at the 1993 Caribbean Cup, interest in football declined, with the national team playing its last official match in 2000 (against Dominica).

[90] Carty was the man of the final at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, and was later described by the prime minister, William Marlin, as having "brought the name of St Maarten to international acclaim".

[92] Several Sint Maarteners have passed through the American baseball system, playing at college level or in the minor leagues.

Countries that are part of the ECVA are: Anguilla, Antigua, Bermuda, Virgin Islands, Dominica, Dutch Sint.Maarten, French St. Martin, Grenada, Montserrat, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

As of February 2019[update], Philipsburg Jubilee Library still lacks the funding necessary for it to be rebuilt,[105] but has recently reopened in a temporary location until further notice.