One island, two people
The Northern part of the island is French with 21 square miles (54 km 2) of land and is called St.Martin. The Southern part of the island is Dutch with 16 square miles (41 km 2) of land and is called St. Maarten. Collectively, the two territories are known as "St. Maarten/St. Martin".
Travelers can go from one end to the other without restrictions. No questions are asked. But culturally the two areas are different, where the Dutch side is more "lenient" and the French side is more "strict"
The Border Monument
As seen from the St. Maarten map, you'll notice that the French part is bigger than the Dutch side. In 1648 two nations agreed to divide the island with the signing of the Treaty of Concordia. Folklore claims that two individuals, one French and Dutch, started walking towards each other from opposite ends of the island, and where they met the monument would be erected.
In the end, the French individual walked faster than the Dutch counterpart. In 1948 a border monument with the usual flags was erected on the main highway between Philipsburg and Marigot, celebrating 300 years of coexistence between St. Maarten and St. Martin. Being the smallest landmass in the world shared by two larger nations
The Northern part of the island is French with 21 square miles (54 km 2) of land and is called St.Martin. The Southern part of the island is Dutch with 16 square miles (41 km 2) of land and is called St. Maarten. Collectively, the two territories are known as "St. Maarten/St. Martin".
Travelers can go from one end to the other without restrictions. No questions are asked. But culturally the two areas are different, where the Dutch side is more "lenient" and the French side is more "strict"
The Border Monument
As seen from the St. Maarten map, you'll notice that the French part is bigger than the Dutch side. In 1648 two nations agreed to divide the island with the signing of the Treaty of Concordia. Folklore claims that two individuals, one French and Dutch, started walking towards each other from opposite ends of the island, and where they met the monument would be erected.
In the end, the French individual walked faster than the Dutch counterpart. In 1948 a border monument with the usual flags was erected on the main highway between Philipsburg and Marigot, celebrating 300 years of coexistence between St. Maarten and St. Martin. Being the smallest landmass in the world shared by two larger nations
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