Martinique

Airports

2 total; 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runway 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways less than 2,439 m

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

Highways

1,680 km total; 1,300 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth

Ports

Fort-de-France

Telecommunications

domestic facilities are adequate; 68,900 telephones; interisland radio relay links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Branches

French Forces, Gendarmerie

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 95,235; NA fit for military service

Note

defense is the responsibility of France

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

Budget

revenues $268 million; expenditures $268 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)

Currency

French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $10.1 billion

Electricity

113,100 kW capacity; 588 million kWh produced, 1,703 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates

French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.3801 (January 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)

Exports

$196 million (f.o.b., 1988) commodities: refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples partners: France 65%, Guadeloupe 24%, Germany (1987)

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $2.0 billion, per capita $6,000; real growth rate NA% (1986)

Imports

$1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988) commodities: petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods partners: France 65%, UK, Italy, Germany, Japan, US (1987)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (1989)

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.

Unemployment rate

30% (1986)

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October)

Coastline

290 km

Comparative area

slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Disputes

none

Environment

subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity that result in an average of one major natural disaster every five years

Land area

1,060 km2

Land boundaries

none

Land use

arable land 10%; permanent crops 8%; meadows and pastures 30%; forest and woodland 26%; other 26%; includes irrigated 5%

Maritime claims

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Note

located 625 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea

Terrain

mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Total area

1,100 km2

Administrative divisions

none (overseas department of France)

Capital

Fort-de-France

Communists

1,000 (est.)

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

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 [596] 63-13-03

Elections

General Council: last held in 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

Executive branch

government commissioner

Flag

the flag of France is used

Independence

none (overseas department of France)

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)

Legal system

French legal system

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council

Long-form name

Department of Martinique

Member of

FZ, WCL

National holiday

Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

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

universal at age 18

Type

overseas department of France

Birth rate

19 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

11 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

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%

Languages

French, Creole patois

Life expectancy at birth

75 years male, 81 years female (1992)

Literacy

93% (male 92%, female 93%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)

Nationality

noun - Martiniquais (singular and plural); adjective - Martiniquais

Net migration rate

1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor

11% of labor force

Population

371,803 (July 1992), growth rate 1.4% (1992)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (1992)