France, Netherlands ink deal on Caribbean 'footrace frontier'

Map of of the island of St Martin, with political division between the French Saint Martin (N) and the Dutch Sint Maarten (S). © Creative Commons

France and the Netherlands have signed a historic accord demarcating the border between the two countries on the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean.

Around 400 years ago, two groups of runners -- one Dutch, one French -- are said to have set off from the same point on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin to trace the border between their nations.