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A
fact so charming, it always has to be mentioned
first: The island of Sint Maarten-Saint Martin is the smallest land mass
in the world to be shared by two different nations. Only 37 square miles
are owned by France and the Netherlands Antilles. The French territory
covers about two thirds of the island and is technically a part of Europe
and the European Community. The Dutch side is a member island of the Netherlands
Antilles and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but not considered
European territory. There is no real border, just modest monuments and
signs. 
The island is known as an almost perfect holiday environment; beaches
and nightlife are spectacular, shopping and dining the best in the Caribbean.
To
get a feel of the area covered by St. Martin, multiply 6 miles
by 6 miles. You got already 36 square miles... But not to worry, this
is the biggest small island in the world. Without visiting, its impossible
to imagine the variety of landscape, cultures and entertainment to be
found here. St. Martin just doesn't FEEL that small... Its central mountain
range provides for a rugged and interesting terrain, with winding roads
up and down the hills, through small villages and still plenty of untouched
land.
The Caribbean's largest lagoon is the Simpson Bay Lagoon, landlocked
with the exemption of two narrow channels with draw bridges. The Lagoon
is large enough to have a real sail and is home to a giant fleet of yachts,
which are either berthed in one of the luxury marinas or anchored in the
sheltered waters. St. Maarten has become the yachting center of the Caribbean,
homeport to some of the world's most outrages megayachts.
St.
Martin is the ultimate micro cosmos, home to residents from over
90 different nations. The island has broken out of the Antillean group
of third-world economies and societies and became the exiting, active,
bustling economic center of the Northeastern Caribbean. To be sure, there
are problems associated with its rapid growth, but there are also stunning
success stories to be told. One is the Concordia Agreement: The Dutch
and the French side agreed more than 350 years ago that residents of either
side of the island can be commercially active on the other side without
any Red Tape or border difficulties. This contract of peaceful coexistence
turns out to be the oldest active, undisputed treaty on our planet!
St.
Martin entered the "Big Time" during the Eighties when
investor friendly policies on the Dutch side lead to a rapidly developing
tourism industry. The French side soon followed with special tax incentives
for French citizens to invest into tourism and charter boats
Read
more about our island through the quality
web links we have selected for you. And once you have completed our
survey, you will receive the most complete information package covering
St. Maarten ever produced within days by mail.
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