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St. Maarten has a narrow economic base, as tourism accounts for 80% of the economy and about four-fifths of the labor force is engaged in this sector. Nearly 1.8 million visitors came to the island by cruise ship and roughly 500,000 visitors arrived through Princess Juliana International Airport in 2013. Cruise ships and yachts also call on Sint Maarten's numerous ports and harbors. Limited agriculture and local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported. Sint Maarten had the highest per capita income among the five islands that formerly comprised the Netherlands Antilles.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=CIA Factbook : Saint Martin )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=CIA Factbook : Sint Martin )〕 As an island in the Caribbean, Saint Martin enjoys the kind of weather and natural geography that supports tourism. Its proximity to the rest of the Caribbean has also provided economic benefits with the airport serving as the main gateway to the Leeward Islands and the larger post-Panamax cruise ships making regular stops to the island. For more than two centuries, exports have generally been salt and locally grown commodities, like sugar. The island offers duty-free shopping. There are few business restrictions to hinder growth. Though the French (north) and Dutch (south) parts differ slightly in terms of their economies and types of tourists, they share the Caribbean's largest lagoon, which has been populated by yachts. ==History== In the 1630s just after colonization by the Dutch, the Dutch East India Company started major salt mining operations on the island which in turn made the island more attractive to the Spanish (who wanted to control the salt trade, a fifteen-year war ensued). When the Spanish left in 1648, the Dutch and the French re-established their presence. By the late 17th century cotton, tobacco and sugar were cultivated on the island.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Destination of the Week#45 )〕 Until the 1950s, the economic activity of the island is based on two main activities, agriculture (sugar) and the exploitation of salt. At the beginning of 20th century, went through an economic slump because the salt works only provided a living for a limited population and the work was seasonal. The poorer segments of the population migrate to work on neighboring islands. The Second World War took the island out of its isolation. In 1939, the island became duty-free, making transactions inexpensive. During and after the war, the trade with the USA intensified to the point that they became the sole provider of the island because of the blockade of the Allied Forces. This period was prosperous for many traders of merchandise such as cigarettes, fabrics, and food. When peace returned, the island took advantage of an American tourism market attracted by the Caribbean climate and environment. From 1950 to 1970, the hotel development was mainly in the Dutch part. Then, tax exemption laws allowed a real estate boom on the French side. The main commercial centers are Philipsburg and Simpson Bay on Dutch/South side and Marigot and Grand Case on the French/North side of the island. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Economy of Saint Martin」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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