Map of Martinique | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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


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Location: Caribbean island in the Caribbean Sea north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 14 40 N 61 00 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Comparative: slightly more than six times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 350 km

Maritime claims

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

Elevation

Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches cultivable land

Land use

Irrigated land: 40 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

Geography


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Population: 414,516 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 0.96% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: African and African-white-Indian mixture 90% white 5% East Indian Lebanese Chinese less than 5%

Languages: French Creole patois

Religions: Roman Catholic 95% Hindu and pagan African 5%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.96% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 16.1 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 6.38 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 7.97 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: NA

Capital: Fort-de-France

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: National Day Taking of the Bastille 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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 Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

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]

International organization participation: FZ WCL WFTU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas department of France)
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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: pineapples avocados bananas flowers vegetables sugarcane

Industries: construction rum cement oil refining sugar tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 170,000 (1997)
By occupation agriculture: 10%
By occupation industry: 17%
By occupation services: 73% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 24% (1997)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.9% (1990)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $250 million (f.o.b. 1997)
Commodities: refined petroleum products bananas rum pineapples
Partners: France 45% Guadeloupe 28% (1997)

Imports: $2 billion (c.i.f. 1997)
Commodities: petroleum products crude oil foodstuffs construction materials vehicles clothing and other consumer goods
Partners: France 62% Venezuela 6% Germany 4% Italy 4% US 3% (1997)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $180 million (1994)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

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)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 1.075 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity consumption: 1 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity exports: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricity imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: domestic facilities are adequate

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe