1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 1,100 km2 land area: 1,060 km2 comparative area: slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October)
Coastline
290 km
Environment
subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity that result in an average of one major natural disaster every five years
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
60 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 8% meadows and pastures: 30% forest and woodland: 26% other: 26%
Location
in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Venezuela
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean, South America
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
Terrain
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
People and Society
Birth rate
18.07 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
5.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
African and African-Caucasian-Indian mixture 90%, Caucasian 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Infant mortality rate
10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
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%
Languages
French, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.82 years male: 74.68 years female: 81.01 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1982) total population: 93% male: 92% female: 93%
Nationality
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural) adjective: Martiniquais
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
387,656 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
1.21% (1993 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Total fertility rate
1.94 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
Fort-de-France
Chief of State
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Digraph
MB
Diplomatic representation in US
as an overseas department of France, Martiniquais interests are represented in the US by France
Executive branch
government commissioner
Flag
the flag of France is used
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
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
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
Head of Government
Government Commissioner Jean Claude ROURE (since 5 May 1989); President of the General Council Emile MAURICE (since NA 1988)
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
French legal system
Legislative branch
unicameral General Council
Member of
FZ, WCL
Names
conventional long form: Department of Martinique conventional short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique local short form: Martinique
National holiday
National Day, 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 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)
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
overseas department of 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
Economy
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
Budget
revenues $268 million; expenditures $268 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)
Currency
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, 1,580 kWh per capita (1992)
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)
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
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)
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.9% (1990)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2 billion (1988)
National product per capita
$6,000 (1988)
National product real growth rate
NA%
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.
Unemployment rate
32.1% (1990)
Communications
Airports
total: 2 useable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
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 microwave radio relay links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Military and Security
Branches
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Note
defense is the responsibility of France