MARTINIQUE
(overseas department of France)
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 1,100 km2; land area: 1,060 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than six times the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 290 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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%; includes irrigated 5%
Environment: subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic
activity that result in an average of one major natural disaster every
five years
Note: located 625 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea
PEOPLE
Population: 345,180 (July 1991), growth rate 0.9% (1991)
Birth rate: 19 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 80 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1991)
Nationality: noun--Martiniquais (sing. and pl.);
adjective--Martiniquais
Ethnic divisions: African and African-Caucasian-Indian mixture
90%, Caucasian 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Religion: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African
5%
Language: French, Creole patois
Literacy: 93% (male 92%, female 93%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1982)
Labor force: 100,000; service industry 31.7%, construction and
public works 29.4%, agriculture 13.1%, industry 7.3%, fisheries 2.2%,
other 16.3%
Organized labor: 11% of labor force
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Department of Martinique
Type: overseas department of France
Capital: Fort-de-France
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Independence: none (overseas department of France)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch: government commissioner
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and unicameral
Regional Council
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since
21 May 1981);
Head of Government--Government Commissioner Jean Claude ROURE
(since 5 May 1989); President of the General Council Emile MAURICE
(since NA 1988)
Political parties:
Rally for the Republic (RPR), Stephen BAGO;
Union of the Left composed of the Progressive Party of Martinique (PPM),
Aime CESAIRE;
Socialist Federation of Martinique, Michael YOYO;
and
the Communist Party of Martinique (PCM), Armand NICOLAS;
Union for French Democracy (UDF), Jean MARAN
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
General Council--last held on NA October 1988
(next to be held by March 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(44 total) number of seats by party NA;
Regional Assembly--last held on 16 March 1986 (next to be held by
March 1992); results--UDF/RPR coalition 49.8%, PPM/FSM/PCM
coalition 41.3%, other 8.9%;
seats--(41 total) PPM/FSM/PCM coalition 21, UDF/RPR coalition 20;
French Senate--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held
September 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1;
French National Assembly--last held on 5 and 12 June 1988 (next
to be held June 1993); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(4 total) PPM 1, FSM 1, RPR 1, UDF 1
Communists: 1,000 (est.)
Other political or pressure groups: Proletarian Action Group (GAP);
Alhed Marie-Jeanne Socialist Revolution Group (GRS), Martinique
Independence Movement (MIM), Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance (ARC),
Central Union for Martinique Workers (CSTM), Marc Pulvar; Frantz Fanon
Circle; League of Workers and Peasants
Member of: FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation: as an overseas department of France,
Martiniquais interests are represented in the US by France;
US--Consul General Raymond G. ROBINSON; Consulate General at 14 Rue
Blenac, Fort-de-France (mailing address is B. P. 561, Fort-de-France
97206); telephone 590 63-13-03
Flag: the flag of France is used
ECONOMY
Overview: The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and
light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 12% 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. In 1986 per capita GDP was
relatively high at $6,000. During 1986 the unemployment rate was 30% and
was particularly severe among younger workers.
GDP: $2.0 billion, per capita $6,000; real growth rate NA% (1986)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 30% (1986)
Budget: revenues $268 million; expenditures $268 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)
Agriculture: including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 12%
of GDP; principal crops--pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers,
vegetables, and sugarcane for rum; dependent on imported food,
particularly meat and vegetables
Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral
commitments (1970-88), $9.9 billion
Currency: French franc (plural--francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100
centimes
