CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(4 fields)
Broadcast media
2 local TV broadcasters; 5 FM radio channels (2021)
Internet country code
.bl; note - .gp, the Internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr, the Internet country code for France, might also be encountered
Internet users
total: 7,077 (2022 est.) percent of population: 71.3% (2022 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: fully integrated access; 4G and LTE services (2019) domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems, 3 FM channels, no broadcasting (2018) international: country code - 590; landing points for the SSCS and the Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cables providing voice and data connectivity to numerous Caribbean Islands (2019)
◆ ECONOMY(6 fields)
Economic overview
high-income French Caribbean territorial economy; duty-free luxury commerce and tourism industries; import-dependent for food, water, energy, and manufacturing; large Brazilian and Portuguese labor supply; environmentally fragile
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.) 0.893 (2019 est.)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, fruit juice, precious metal watches, beauty products, special pharmaceuticals (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners
Nigeria 98%, Suriname 1%, France 0%, Switzerland 0%, Poland 0% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - commodities
precious metal watches, base metal watches, jewelry, refined petroleum, cars (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
Switzerland 37%, Italy 14%, Portugal 11%, Suriname 9%, Brazil 5% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
◆ ENERGY(1 fields)
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
◆ ENVIRONMENT(2 fields)
Climate
tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)
Environment - current issues
land-based pollution; urbanization; with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and is provided by the desalination of sea water, the collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker; overfishing
◆ GEOGRAPHY(12 fields)
Area
total : 25 sq km land: 25 sq km water: negligible
Area - comparative
less than one-eighth the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)
Elevation
highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
Geographic coordinates
17 90 N, 62 85 W
Geography - note
a 1,200-hectare marine nature reserve, the Reserve Naturelle, is made up of five zones around the island that form a network to protect the island's coral reefs, seagrass, and endangered marine species
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Location
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean; located in the Leeward Islands (northern) group; Saint Barthelemy lies east of the US Virgin Islands
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Natural resources
few natural resources; beaches foster tourism
Population distribution
most of the populace concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island periphery
Terrain
hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with plentiful beaches
◆ GOVERNMENT(19 fields)
Capital
name: Gustavia geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named in honor of King Gustav III (1746-1792) of Sweden during whose reign the island was obtained from France in 1784; the name was retained when in 1878 the island was sold back to France
Citizenship
see France
Constitution
history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) amendments: amendment procedures of France's constitution apply
Country name
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy local long form: Collectivit d'outre mer de Saint-Barth lemy local short form: Saint-Barth lemy abbreviation: Saint-Barth (French)/ St. Barts or St. Barths (English) etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in honor of his brother Bartolomeo's namesake saint in 1493
Dependency status
overseas collectivity of France
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Executive branch
chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Vincent BERTON (since 28 March 2022) head of government: President of Territorial Council Xavier LEDEE (since 3 April 2022) cabinet: Executive Council elected by the Territorial Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of French Ministry of Interior; president of Territorial Council indirectly elected by its members for a 5-year term; election last held on 27 March 2022 (next to be held in 2027) election results: 2022: Xavier LEDEE (Saint Barth United) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 13 votes for, 6 blank votes 2017: Bruno MAGRAS (Saint Barth First!) elected president; Territorial Council vote - 14 out of 19 votes
Flag description
the flag of France is used
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France
Independence
none (overseas collectivity of France)
International organization participation
ACS (associate), UPU
Legal system
French civil law
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members elected by absolute majority vote in the first-round vote and proportional representation vote in the second round; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Territorial Council - first round held on 20 March 2022 and second round held on 27 March 2022 (next to be held in 2027) French Senate - election last held on 24 September 2023 (next to be held on 30 September 2026) French National Assembly - election last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held by June 2027) election results: Territorial Council - percent of vote by party in first round - SBA 46.2%, Saint Barth Action Equilibre 27.1%, Unis pour Saint Barthelemy 26.8%; percent of vote by party in second round - Saint Barth Action Equilibre and Unis pour Saint Barthelemy 50.9%, SBA 49.2%, seats by party - Saint Barth Action Equilibre and Unis pour Saint Barthelemy 13, SBA 6; composition - men NA, women NA, percentage women NA% French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1 French National Assembly - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - UMP 1 note: 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy (shared with Saint Martin) is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a five-year term
National anthem
name: "L'Hymne a St. Barthelemy" (Hymn to St. Barthelemy) lyrics/music: Isabelle Massart DERAVIN/Michael VALENTI note: local anthem in use since 1999; as a collectivity of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)
National holiday
F te de la F d ration, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August (1572)
National symbol(s)
pelican
Political parties
All for Saint Barth (Tous pour Saint-Barth) Saint Barth Action Equilibre Saint Barth First! (Saint-Barth d'Abord!) or SBA (affiliated with France's Republican party, Les Republicans) Saint Barth United (Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy)
Suffrage
18 years of age, universal
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
Background
In 1493, Christopher COLUMBUS named Saint Barthelemy for his brother Bartolomeo, but the island was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, France sold the island to Sweden, which renamed the largest town Gustavia after the Swedish King GUSTAV III and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1877 and took control the following year, placing it under the administration of Guadeloupe. Saint Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appellations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the islanders voted to secede from Guadeloupe, and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity. In 2012, it became an overseas territory of the EU, allowing it to exert local control over the permanent and temporary immigration of foreign workers, including non-French European citizens. Hurricane Irma hit the island in 2017 and caused extensive damage.
◆ MILITARY AND SECURITY(1 fields)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France
◆ PEOPLE AND SOCIETY(25 fields)
Age structure
0-14 years: 13.9% (male 506/female 479) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 2,413/female 2,057) 65 years and over: 23% (2024 est.) (male 818/female 813)
Birth rate
9.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate
NA
Current health expenditure
NA
Death rate
9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 30.8 youth dependency ratio: 17.5 elderly dependency ratio: 13.3 potential support ratio: 7.5 (2021)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: NA total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: NA total: 0% of population (2020)
Education expenditures
NA
Ethnic groups
French, Portuguese, Caribbean, Afro-Caribbean
Gross reproduction rate
0.79 (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
French (primary), English major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 81 years (2024 est.) male: 78 years female: 84.2 years
Literacy
total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Median age
total: 47.4 years (2024 est.) male: 47 years female: 47.8 years
Net migration rate
-1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Physician density
NA
Population
total: 7,086 male: 3,737 female: 3,349 (2024 est.)
Population distribution
most of the populace concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island periphery
Population growth rate
-0.11% (2024 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witnesses
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: NA total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: NA total: 0% of population (2020)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.64 children born/woman (2024 est.)
◆ TRANSPORTATION(3 fields)
Airports
1 (2024)
Roadways
total: 40 km
Transportation - note
nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located on Sint Maarten