1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
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
Environment
subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity that result in an average of one major natural disaster every five years
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; land area: 1,060 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
19 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
African and African-Caucasian-Indian mixture 90%, Caucasian 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Infant mortality rate
10 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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%
Language
French, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth
73 years male, 80 years female (1991)
Literacy
93% (male 92%, female 93%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
Nationality
noun--Martiniquais (sing. and pl.); adjective--Martiniquais
Net migration rate
- 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
11% of labor force
Population
345,180 (July 1991), growth rate 0.9% (1991)
Religion
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Total fertility rate
2.1 children born/woman (1991)
Government
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 [590] 63-13-03
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
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 and unicameral Regional Council
Long-form name
Department of Martinique
Member of
FZ, WCL, WFTU
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
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
Type
overseas department of France
Economy
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 (1970-88), $9.9 billion
Electricity
113,000 kW capacity; 564 million kWh produced, 1,660 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1--5.1307 (January 1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)
Exports
$196 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples; partners--France 65%, Guadeloupe 24%, FRG (1987)
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$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, FRG, 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)
Communications
Airports
2 total; 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 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; stations--1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Military and Security
Branches
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 95,235; NA fit for military service
Note
defense is the responsibility of France _%_