*Martinique, Geography

Location:
  in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Venezuela
Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean, South America
Area:
 total area:
  1,100 km2
 land area:
  1,060 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
  0 km
Coastline:
  290 km
Maritime claims:
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  none
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%
Irrigated land:
  60 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity that result in an
  average of one major natural disaster every five years

*Martinique, People

Population:
  387,656 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  1.21% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  18.07 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  5.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  77.82 years
 male:
  74.68 years
 female:
  81.01 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:   1.94 children born/woman (1993 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%
Languages:
  French, Creole patois
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
 total population:
  93%
 male:
  92%
 female:
  93%
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%

*Martinique, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Department of Martinique
 conventional short form:
  Martinique
 local long form:
  Departement de la Martinique
 local short form:
  Martinique
Digraph:
  MB
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:
  National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Political parties and leaders:
  Rally for the Republic (RPR); Union for a Martinique of Progress (UMP);
  Martinique Progressive Party (PPM); Socialist Federation of Martinique
  (FSM); Martinique Communist Party (PCM); Martinique Patriots (PM); Union for
  French Democracy (UDF)
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
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 French Senate:
  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:
  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
 General Council:
  last held in 25 September and 8 October 1988 (next to be held by 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:
  last held on NA March 1992 (next to be held by March 1998); results -
  percent of vote by party NA; seats - (41 total) UMP 16
Executive branch:
  government commissioner
Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

*Martinique, Government

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)
Member of:
  FZ, WCL
Diplomatic representation in US:
  as an overseas department of France, Martiniquais interests are represented
  in the US by France
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Consul General Raymond G. ROBINSON
 embassy:
  Consulate General at 14 Rue Blenac, Fort-de-France
 mailing address:
  B. P. 561, Fort-de-France 97206
 telephone:   [596] 63-13-03
Flag:
  the flag of France is used

*Martinique, Economy

Overview:
  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 - exchange rate conversion - $2 billion (1988)
National product real growth rate:
  NA%
National product per capita:
  $6,000 (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.9% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
  32.1% (1990)
Budget:
  revenues $268 million; expenditures $268 million, including capital
  expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)
Exports:
  $196 million (f.o.b., 1988)
 commodities:
  refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples
 partners:
  France 65%, Guadeloupe 24%, Germany (1987)
Imports:
  $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
 commodities:
  petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles,
  clothing and other consumer goods
 partners:
  France 65%, UK, Italy, Germany, Japan, US (1987)
External debt:
  $NA
Industrial production:
  growth rate NA%
Electricity:
  113,100 kW capacity; 588 million kWh produced, 1,580 kWh per capita (1992)
Industries:
  construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
Agriculture:
  including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 12% of GDP; principal
  crops - pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane for
  rum; dependent on imported food, particularly meat and vegetables
Economic aid:
  Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
  $10.1 billion
Currency:
  1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
  French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4812 (January 1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421
  (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988)

*Martinique, Economy

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

*Martinique, Communications

Highways:
  1,680 km total; 1,300 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth
Ports:
  Fort-de-France
Airports:
 total:
  2
 useable:
  2
 with permanent-surface runways:
  1
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  0
Telecommunications:
  domestic facilities are adequate; 68,900 telephones; interisland microwave
  radio relay links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; broadcast
  stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

*Martinique, Defense Forces

Branches:
  French Forces, Gendarmerie
Note:
  defense is the responsibility of France