Martinique

Department of MartiniqueDepartement de la Martinique

overseas department of FranceIndependence none (overseas department of France)

Martinique as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 80 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

Area1,100 sq km

LocationCaribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad

1995

Every edition of Martinique

Populationas each edition published it

394,787 people July 1995 est. · 340,381 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.1% 1995 est. · 1.21% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 32.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

78.67 years 1995 est. · 77.82 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.81 children per woman 1995 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

7.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 11 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$10,000 1993 est. · $6,000 in 1993

Geography

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad | and Tobago

13 fields

Area

1,100sq km

land area: 1,060 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

290km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Irrigated land

60sq km

(1989 est.)

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Climate

tropical;
moderated by trade winds;
rainy season (June to October)

Terrain

mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Natural resources

coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Land use

arable land:: 10%
permanent crops:: 8%
meadows and pastures:: 30%
forest and woodland:: 26%
other:: 26%

Environment

current issues:: NA
natural hazards:: hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years)
international agreements:: NA

People

15 fields

Population

394,787

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 1.1% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

16.92Death

5.82Net migration

-0.1

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years78.67

75.94 · 81.53

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy93%

92% · 93%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1982)

Labor force

100,000

by occupation: service industry 31.7%, construction and public works 29.4%, agriculture 13.1%, industry 7.3%, fisheries 2.2%, other 16.3%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 23% (female 44,960; male 46,512)
15-64 years:: 67% (female 134,439; male 130,642)
65 years and over:: 10% (female 22,058; male 16,176) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

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

Ethnic divisions

African and African-Caucasian-Indian mixture 90%, Caucasian 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%

Government

Overseas department of France; President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Prefect Michel MORIN (since NA)

23 fields

Legislature, 41 seatsone dot, one seat

RPR-UDF 16MIM 9PPM 9PCM 5independents 2

Legislature, 2 seatsone dot, one seat

UDF 1PPM 1

Names

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

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government:: Prefect Michel MORIN (since NA);
President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992);
President of the Regional Council Emile CAPGRAS (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Assembly

General Council

elections last held 25 September and 8 October 1988 (next to be held NA);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (44 total) number of seats by party NA;
note - a leftist coalition obtained a one-seat margin

Regional Assembly

elections last held on 22 March 1992 (next to be held by March 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (41 total) RPR-UDF 16, MIM 9, PPM 9, PCM 5, independents 2

French Senate

elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1

French National Assembly

elections last held NA June 1993 (next to be held NA June 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (4 total) RPR 3, FSM 1

Political parties and leaders

Rally for the Republic (RPR), Stephen BAGOE;
Union for a Martinique of Progress (UMP);
Martinique Progressive Party (PPM), Aime CESAIRE;
Socialist Federation of Martinique (FSM), Michel YOYO;
Martinique Communist Party (PCM);
Martinique Patriots (PM);
Union for French Democracy (UDF), Jean MARAN;
Martinique Independence Movement (MIM), Alfred MARIE-JEANNE;
Republican Party (PR), Jean BAILLY

Other political or pressure groups

Proletarian Action Group (GAP);
Alhed Marie-Jeanne Socialist Revolution Group (GRS);
Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance (ARC);
Central Union for Martinique Workers (CSTM), Marc PULVAR;
Frantz Fanon Circle;
League of Workers and Peasants;
Parti Martiniquais Socialiste (PMS);
Association for the Protection of Martinique's Heritage (ecologist)

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas department of France)

US diplomatic representation

the post closed in August 1993 (overseas department of France)

Economy

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

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$10,000

(1993 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

3.9%

(1990)

Unemployment rate

32.1%

(1990)

Budget

Revenues

$610 millionExpenditures

$1.3 billion (1991)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 113,100 kW

Electricity production

700 millionElectricity consumption per capita

1,677 (1993)

The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 10% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 10%. 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 has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. The majority of the work force is employed in the service sector and in administration.

Banana workers launched protests late in 1992 because of falling banana prices and fears of greater competition in the European market from other producers.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.9 billion (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

NA%

Exports

$247 million (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:: refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples
partners:: France 57%, Guadeloupe 31%, French Guiana (1991)

Imports

$1.75 billion (c.i.f., 1992)

commodities:: petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods
partners:: France 62%, UK, Italy, Germany, Japan, US (1991)

External debt

$NA

Industries

construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Agriculture

including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 10% of GDP;
principal crops - pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane for rum;
dependent on imported food, particularly meat and vegetables

Transportation

5 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 2 in all

over 3,047 m

914 to 1,523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

1,680Railroads

Highways: paved: 1,300 km · unpaved: gravel, earth 380 km

Highways

total:: 1,680 km
paved:: 1,300 km
unpaved:: gravel, earth 380 km

Ports

Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Merchant marine

none

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

68,900 telephones; domestic facilities are adequate

local:: NA
intercity:: NA
international:: interisland microwave radio relay links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations