History of Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten
In 1493, Christopher Columbus, an Italian sea captain financed by Spanish royalty, embarked on his second voyage to the New World. According to legend, Columbus sighted and perhaps anchored at the island of Saint Martin on November 11, 1493, the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours. In his honor, Columbus named the island San Martin. It is now more commonly known as Sint Maarten (Dutch), Saint-Martin (French), and Saint Martin (English).
When Columbus sailed these seas, St. Martin was populated, if populated at all, by Arawak or Carib Indians. The Arawaks were subjugated by the warlike Carib Indians from South America a short time before the arrival of the Spanish who followed in Columbus’ wake. The English word ‘cannibal’, we note in passing, is derived from an Arawak word which referred to the Caribs. The Arawaks were a relatively cultured people who introduced agriculture, fashioned pottery and whose social organization was headed by hereditary chieftains who derived their power from personal deities called zemis. The Caribs, on the contrary, concentrated on warfare. They killed and, allegedly, ate the Arawak men, then married the Arawak women.
Related Travel Information
Saint Martin is a tropical island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 150 miles east of Puerto Rico. The 88 kmē (38 square-mile) island is divided roughly in half between France and the Netherlands: the southern, Dutch half is called Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; the northern, French half is called Saint-Martin and is part of the French overseas department of Guadeloupe. Collectively, the two territories are known as, "St.-Martin/St. Maarten", "St. Martins", or simply, "SXM". (SXM is the IATA identifier for Princess Juliana International Airport, the island's main airport.)
Political status
France and the Netherlands agreed to divide the island on November 11, 1648.
Sint Maarten is part of the Netherlands Antilles, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands though not in the European Union. Its currency is the Antillean Guilder. A proposed restructuring of the Netherlands Antilles would see Sint Maarten become an independent component of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in its own right.
Saint-Martin is part of Guadeloupe, which is an overseas department of France and therefore in the European Union. The official currency in Saint-Martin is the Euro. In 2003 the population of the French part
History of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Originally colonies of the United Kingdom, Saint Kitts and Nevis along with Anguilla, became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. St. Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In August 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from St. Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. In late September 1998, Hurricane Georges caused approximately $445 million in damages and limited GDP growth for the year.
History of Saint Lucia
Arawak Amerindians first settled on the island in the 3rd century AD, while the Caribs later took over. European discovery of the island is somewhat vague, but it was probably discovered around 1500 by the Spanish explorer Juan de la Cosa. After some early failed attempts to settle there, the French and British fought over the island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, during the 17th and 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times), until Britain finally obtained control in 1814. The island was a province of the short-lived West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962. The
Sint Maarten, the "Dutch side", is known for its festive nightlife, fun beaches, and plentiful casinos, while Saint-Martin, the "French side", is known more for its sexy daylife of world-famous nude beaches, jewelry and clothes shopping, exotic drinks made with native rum-based Guavaberry liquors, and rich French Caribbean cuisine.
The island is served by many major airlines that bring in large jets, including Boeing 747s, carrying tourists from across the world on a daily basis. This fuels the island's largest revenue source, tourism. The airport is famous for its short landing strip - only 2130 meters, which is barely enough for
