Martinique

Department of MartiniqueDepartement de la Martinique

NAIndependence none (overseas department of France)

Martinique as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 113 fields, one of 17 editions from 1990 to 2006.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalFort-de-France, UTC-4

Position14 40 N, 61 00 W

Area1,100 sq km

LocationCaribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

2006

Every edition of Martinique

Populationas each edition published it

436,131 people July 2006 est. · 340,381 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.72% 2006 est. · 1.21% in 1993

Median ageyears

34.1 years 2006 est. · 32.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

79.18 years 2006 est. · 77.82 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.79 children per woman 2006 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

6.95 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 11 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$14,400 2003 est. · $6,000 in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

The French began to settle this island in 1635, overcoming resistance from the local Carib inhabitants. In 1660, the suviving natives were rounded up and permanently expelled. The island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation.

Geography

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

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Land useshare of 1,100 sq km

arable land 9.09%permanent crops 10%other 80.91% (2005)irrigated 70 sq km (2003)

Area

1,100sq km

land: 1,060 sq kmwater: 40 sq kmslightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

350km

land boundaries: 0 kmterritorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Highest point

1,397m

Montagne Peleelowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates

14 40 N, 61 00 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Climate

tropical;
moderated by trade winds;
rainy season (June to October);
vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average;
average temperature 17.3 degrees C;
humid

Terrain

mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Natural resources

coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Natural hazards

hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years)

Environment - current issues

Geography - note

the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)

20,791

65 and over10.6%

25,275

147,082

15-6467.3%

146,470

48,988

0-1422.1%

47,525

MaleFemale

Population

436,131

(July 2006 est.)growth rate: 0.72% (2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth

13.74Death

6.48Net migration

-0.03

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2006 est.)79.18

79.5 · 78.85Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)6.95

4.68 · 9.27

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)97.7%

97.4% · 98.1%Median age years (2006 est.)34.1

33.4 · 34.8

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%white 5%East Indian and Chinese less than 5%

Religions(1997)

Roman Catholic 85%Protestant 10.5%Muslim 0.5%Hindu 0.5%other 3.5% (1997)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS - deaths

Nationality

noun:: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective:: Martiniquais

Languages

French, Creole patois

Government

NA; President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992)

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General Council, 41 seats, elected March 2000one dot, one seat

MIM 28PPM 9other 4

Country name

conventional long form:: Department of Martinique
conventional short form:: Martinique
local long form:: Departement de la Martinique
local short form:: Martinique

Dependency status

overseas department of France

Government type

Capital

name:: Fort-de-France
geographic coordinates:: 14 36 N, 61 05 W
time difference:: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas department of France)

Independence

none (overseas department of France)

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system

French legal system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995);
Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004);
note - took office 8 February 2004
head of government:: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
cabinet:: NA
elections:: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils for six-year terms

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections:: General Council - last held March 2000 (next to be held in 2006); Regional Council - last held on 28 March 2004 (next to be held by March 2010)
election results:: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2;
note - the PPM won a plurality;
Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%;
seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9, other 4

note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held September 2004 (next to be held September 2008); results - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - PPM 1, left-wing candidate 1; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PMS 1, MIM 1, left-wing candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders

Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT];
Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE];
Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE];
Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU];
Movement of Democrats and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA];
Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE];
Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES];
Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC;
Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR];
Frantz Fanon Circle;
League of Workers and Peasants;
Proletarian Action Group or GAP

International organization participation

UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas department of France)

Flag description

unofficial flag, derives from the civil ensign flown by French merchant ships and dates to 1766;
a blue field quartered by a white cross;
in the center of each rectangle is a white, coiled snake representing the venomous Fer-de-lance;
the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy

The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry.

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GDP, purchasing power parity

$6.117billion

(2003 est.)official exchange rate: NA

GDP per capita, PPP

$14,400

(2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

27.2%

(1998)

Labor force

165,900

(1998)

GDP - composition by sector(1997 est.)

agriculture 6%industry 11%services 83% (1997 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$317.5 millionExpenditures

$317.5 million (1996)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $140 million

Electricity

Electricity production

1.205 billion (2003)Electricity consumption

1.12 billion (2003)

Economy - overview

The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to France.

The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange.

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:: 10%
industry:: 17%
services:: 73% (1997)

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

319,900

(2002)

Internet users

(2006)

Fixed lines

172,000

(2001) · country code .mq

Telephone system

general assessment:: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic:: NA
international:: country code - 596;
microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)