Martinique

Department of MartiniqueDepartement de la Martinique

NAIndependence none (overseas department of France)

Martinique as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 102 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

Position14 40 N, 61 00 W

Area1,100 sq km

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

2000

Every edition of Martinique

Populationas each edition published it

414,516 people July 2000 est. · 340,381 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.96% 2000 est. · 1.21% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 32.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

78.25 years 2000 est. · 77.82 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.8 children per woman 2000 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

7.97 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 11 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$10,700 1996 est. · $6,000 in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation.

Geography

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

16 fields

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 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

1,397m

Montagne Peleelowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Irrigated land

40sq km

(1993 est.)

Location

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

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

Land use

arable land:: 8%
permanent crops:: 8%
permanent pastures:: 17%
forests and woodland:: 44%
other:: 23% (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

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

People

15 fields

Population

414,516

(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 0.96% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

16.1Death

6.38Net migration

-0.09

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)78.25

79.03 · 77.46

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1982 est.)93%

92% · 93%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

0-14 years:: 23% (male 48,578; female 47,283)
15-64 years:: 67% (male 137,724; female 139,241)
65 years and over:: 10% (male 18,508; female 23,182) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

7.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Nationality

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

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%

Government

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

20 fields

General Council, 41 seats, elected NA March 1994one dot, one seat

RPR-UDF 14MIM 13PPM 7left parties 4PMS 3

Country name

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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Jean-Francois CORDET (since NA)
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 seven-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

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

elections:: General Council - last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2004)
election results:: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NA;
note - the PPM won a plurality;
Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3

note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1998 (next to be held September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, independent 1

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders

Combat Worker [Gerard BEAUJOUR];
Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Armand NICOLAS];
Martinique Forces [Maurice LAOUCHEZ];
Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE];
Martinique Patriots or PM [leader NA];
Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Camille DARSIERES];
Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU];
Movement for a Liberated Martinique [Philippe PETIT];
National Council of Popular Committees [Robert SAE];
Rally for Democratic Martinique [Felix HILAIRE-FORTUNE];
Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE];
Republican Party or PR [Jean BAILLY];
Socialist Federation of Martinique or FSM [Jean CRUSOL];
Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN];
Union for the Renewal of Ste. Marie [Guy LORDINOT]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Association for the Protection of Martinique's Heritage (ecologist) [Garcin MALSA];
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;
Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]

International organization participation

FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas department of France)

Flag description

a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross;
in the center of each rectangle is a white snake;
the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy

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

31 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

3.9%

(1990)

Unemployment rate

24%

(1997)

Labor force

170,000

(1997)

Debt - external

$180million

(1994)

GDP - composition by sector(1997 est.)

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

Budget

Revenues

$900 millionExpenditures

$2.5 billion (1996)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $140 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

1.075 billion (1998)Electricity consumption

1 billion (1998)

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 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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.24 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $10,700 (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force - by occupation

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

Industries

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

Agriculture - products

pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane

Exports

$250 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples

Exports - partners

France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (1997)

Imports

$2 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities

petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Imports - partners

France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (1997)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA; note - substantial annual aid from France

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999);
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Fixed lines

155,000

(1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Telephone system

domestic facilities are adequate

domestic:: NA
international:: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)