1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 1,100 sq km land: 1,060 sq km water: 40 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC
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
Coastline
350 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m
Environment--current issues
NA
Environment--international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
14 40 N, 61 00 W
Irrigated land
40 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 8% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 17% forests and woodland: 44% other: 23% (1993 est.)
Location
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years)
Natural resources
coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
Terrain
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 23% (male 47,933; female 46,957) 15-64 years: 67% (male 136,058; female 138,935) 65 years and over: 10% (male 17,530; female 24,126) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
16.3 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
5.94 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Infant mortality rate
6.76 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
French, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.27 years male: 76.47 years female: 82.13 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 92% female: 93% (1982 est.)
Nationality
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural) adjective: Martiniquais
Net migration rate
-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
411,539 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.03% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.8 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
Fort-de-France
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name
conventional long form: Department of Martinique conventional short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique local short form: Martinique
Data code
MB
Dependency status
overseas department of France
Executive branch
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Dominique BELLION (since NA October 1998) head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
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
Government type
NA
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation
FZ, WCL, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR Political pressure groups and leaders: Proletarian Action Group Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for League of Workers and Peasants; Association for the Protection of
Legal system
French legal system
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) elections: General Council--last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Assembly--last held on NA March 1998 (next to be held by March 2004) election results: General Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA; note--the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 1995 (next to be held September 1998); results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PS 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 2, PS 1, independent 1
National holiday
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane
Budget
revenues: $775 million expenditures: $2.15 billion, including capital expenditures of $118 million (1996)
Currency
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Debt--external
$180 million (1994)
Economic aid--recipient
$NA; note?substantial annual aid from France
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.
Electricity--consumption
855 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
855 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994)
Exports
$200 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities
refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples
Exports--partners
France 57%, Guadeloupe 31%, French Guiana (1991)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$4.24 billion (1996 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 6% industry: 11% services: 83% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$10,700 (1996 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities
petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods
Imports--partners
France 62%, UK, Italy, Germany, Japan, US (1991)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.9% (1990)
Labor force
160,000
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
24% (1997)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios
74,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system
domestic facilities are adequate domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones
209,672 (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations
11 (in addition, there are nine repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
65,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
2 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 2,724 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1994) Ports and harbors: Fort-de-France, La Trinite
Merchant marine
none
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Military--note
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe