Gustavia
Saint Barthelemy
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7,079 (2025 est.)
25 sq km
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
🧭 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.
🗺️ Geography
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
17 90 N, 62 85 W
Central America and the Caribbean
25 sq km
25 sq km
Negligible
Less than one-eighth the size of Washington, D.C.
0 km
Tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)
Hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with plentiful beaches
Morne du Vitet 286 m
Caribbean Sea 0 m
Few natural resources; beaches foster tourism
0% (2022 est.)
8.5% (2022 est.)
91.5% (2022 est.)
Most of the populace is concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island's periphery
A 1,200-hectare (3,000-acre) 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
👥 People and Society⬆️ Top
7,079 (2025 est.)
3,730
3,349
French, Portuguese, Caribbean, Afro-Caribbean
French (primary), English
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
13.9% (male 506/female 479)
63.1% (male 2,413/female 2,057)
23% (2024 est.) (male 818/female 813)
60.1 (2025 est.)
22 (2025 est.)
38 (2025 est.)
2.6 (2025 est.)
47.7 years (2025 est.)
47 years
47.8 years
-0.08% (2025 est.)
9.32 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
9.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Most of the populace is concentrated in and around the capital of Gustavia, but scattered settlements exist around the island's periphery
1.06 male(s)/female
1.06 male(s)/female
1.17 male(s)/female
1.01 male(s)/female
1.12 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
7.6 deaths/1,000 live births
5.3 deaths/1,000 live births
81 years (2024 est.)
78 years
84.2 years
1.64 children born/woman (2025 est.)
0.79 (2025 est.)
Urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
🌿 Environment⬆️ Top
Land-based pollution; urbanization; limited freshwater resources; overfishing
Tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)
0% (2022 est.)
8.5% (2022 est.)
91.5% (2022 est.)
🏛️ Government⬆️ Top
Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy
Saint Barthelemy
Collectivité d'outre mer de Saint-Barthélemy
Saint-Barthélemy
Saint-Barth (French)/ St. Barts or St. Barths (English)
Explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in honor of his brother Bartolomeo in 1493
Parliamentary democracy (Territorial Council); overseas collectivity of France
Overseas collectivity of France
Gustavia
17 53 N, 62 51 W
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Named in honor of King GUSTAV III of Sweden, who was ruler when Sweden bought the island from France in 1784; the name was retained when the island was sold back to France in 1878
French civil law
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Amendment procedures of France's constitution apply
See France
18 years of age, universal
President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Cyrille LE VELY (since 15 January 2025)
President of Territorial Council Xavier LEDEE (since 3 April 2022)
Executive Council elected by the Territorial Council; there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council
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
27 March 2022
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
2027
Territorial Council
Unicameral
19 (directly elected)
Mixed
Full renewal
5 years
3/27/2022
Saint Barth Action-Équilibre and Unis pour Saint Barthelemy (13); SBA (6)
2027
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)
None (overseas collectivity of France)
None (overseas collectivity of France)
ACS (associate), UPU
None (overseas collectivity of France)
Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)
The flag of France is used
Pelican
"La Marseillaise"
Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle
Official anthem, as a French collectivity
💹 Economy⬆️ Top
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
Spain 57%, Switzerland 24%, France 6%, Ireland 5%, Canada 2% (2023)
Refined copper, jewelry (2023)
Switzerland 50%, Portugal 14%, Brazil 6%, Japan 5%, Ireland 5% (2023)
Precious metal watches, base metal watches, jewelry, cars, garments (2023)
Euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.924 (2024 est.)
0.925 (2023 est.)
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
⚡ Energy⬆️ Top
100% (2021)
📡 Communications⬆️ Top
2 local TV broadcasters; 5 FM radio channels (2021)
.bl
71.3% (2022 est.)
🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top
1 (2025)
🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top
Defense is the responsibility of France
Source: Factbook JSON archive.