Relationship dossier
Saint-Martin
Sint Maarten
Relationship assessment
Practical cross-border cooperation between the two self-governing parts of Saint Martin
Saint-Martin toward Sint Maarten
+35Saint-Martin’s authorities participate in cross-border arrangements with Sint Maarten, including cooperation on shared island concerns and emergency response. The Treaty of Concordia provides a longstanding framework for managing the island’s division and shared use.
Sint Maarten toward Saint-Martin
+35Sint Maarten’s authorities participate in cross-border arrangements with Saint-Martin, including cooperation on shared island concerns and emergency response. The Treaty of Concordia provides a longstanding framework for managing the island’s division and shared use.
Overall relationship
+40The relationship is structured by the island’s division under the Treaty of Concordia and by practical local cooperation on issues that cross the boundary. Saint-Martin’s status within France and Sint Maarten’s status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands shape their respective authority and constrain the bilateral relationship.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Saint-Martin, a French overseas collectivity, and Sint Maarten, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, share a single island and have practical cross-border cooperation. The 1648 Treaty of Concordia established arrangements for the island’s division and joint use, and local authorities have cooperated on matters such as public services and disaster response. Cooperation is shaped by their different constitutional ties to France and the Netherlands.
Key developments
The Treaty of Concordia established arrangements dividing the island between France and the Netherlands and providing for cooperation and shared use.
Saint-Martin became a French overseas collectivity, while Sint Maarten became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and current implementation of local cross-border arrangements are unclear.
- Details of recent joint work by the two governments are limited.