Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy
conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy
local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy
local short form: Saint-Barthelemy
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
Capital:
name: Gustavia
geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August (1572)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French civil law
Citizenship:
see France
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Anne LAUBIES (since 8 June 2015)
head of government: President of Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007)
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 0n 2 April 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
election results: Bruno MAGRAS (SBA) reelected president; Territorial Council vote - NA
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: last held on 19 March 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 53.7%, United for Saint Barth 20.6%, Saint Barth Essential 18.1%, All for Saint Barth 7.7%; seats by party - SBA 14, United for Saint Barth 2, Saint Barth Essential 2, All for Saint Barth 1
note: Saint Barthelemy holds 1 seat in the French Senate; election last held in September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2017); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party UMP 1; Saint Barthelemy elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly shared with Saint Martin; election last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party UMP 1
Political parties and leaders:
All for Saint Barth (Tous pour Saint-Barth) [Bettina COINTRE]
Saint Barth Essential (Saint-Barth Autrement) [Marie-Helene BERNIER]
Saint Barth First! (Saint-Barth d'Abord!) or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]
Saint Barth United (Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy) [Xavier LEDEE]
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
National symbol(s):
pelican
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)