Martinique

Department of MartiniqueDepartement de la Martinique

NAIndependence none (overseas department of France)

Martinique as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 112 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 between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

2003

Every edition of Martinique

Populationas each edition published it

425,966 people July 2003 est. · 340,381 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.85% 2003 est. · 1.21% in 1993

Median ageyears

32.7 years 2002 · 34.1 yrs in 2006

Life expectancyyears at birth

78.72 years 2003 est. · 77.82 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.79 children per woman 2003 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

7.44 deaths per 1,000 live births 2003 est. · 11 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$10,700 2001 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 between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

17 fields

Land useshare of 1,100 sq km

arable land 9.43%permanent crops 11.32%other 79.25% (1998 est.)irrigated 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Area

1,100sq km

water: 40 sq kmland: 1,060 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

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, 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

Natural hazards

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

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

Population

425,966

(July 2003 est.)growth rate: 0.85% (2003 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2003 est.)

Birth

14.96Death

6.41Net migration

-0.06

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2003 est.)78.72

79.27 · 78.16Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)7.44

4.85 · 10.1

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)97.7%

97.4% · 98.1%Median age years (2002)32.7

32 · 33.3

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions(1997)

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 22.8% (male 49,310; female 47,908)
15-64 years:: 66.9% (male 142,242; female 142,688)
65 years and over:: 10.3% (male 19,656; female 24,162) (2003 est.)

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:: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

Nationality

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

Ethnic groups

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

Government

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

19 fields

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

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

Country name

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

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Michel CADOT (since 21 June 2000)
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
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

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 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); 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 - 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 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 2001 (next to be held September 2004); 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, 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, PS 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 [Pierre SUEDILLE];
Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE];
Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Camille DARSIERES];
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

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.

36 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

3.9%

(1990)

Unemployment rate

27.2%

(1998)

Labor force

165,900

(1998)

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% · other 0% · nuclear 0%

Electricity production

1.151 billion (2001)Electricity consumption

1.07 billion (2001)

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.

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

15,000

(1997)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

170,000

(1997) · country code .mq

Telephone system

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