Airports [time series]

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 [time series]

no major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Fort-de-France

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of France

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for about 7% of GDP; principal crops--pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, and sugarcane for rum; dependent on imported food, particularly meat and vegetables

Aid [time series]

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $9.8 billion

Budget [time series]

revenues $223 million; expenditures $223 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

108,000 kW capacity; 330 million kWh produced, 990 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

French francs (F) per US$1--5.7598 (January 1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$209 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples; partners--France 65%, Guadeloupe 26% (1986)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$1.3 billion, per capita $3,650; real growth rate NA% (1984)

Imports [time series]

$879 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities--petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods; partners--France 64% (1986)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.4% (1986)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 7% 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, however, 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 1984 the annual per capita income was relatively high at $3,650. During 1985 the unemployment rate was between 25% and 30% and was particularly severe among younger workers.

Unemployment rate [time series]

25-30% (1985)

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

290 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Continental shelf [time series]

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Extended economic zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Note [time series]

located 625 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea

Terrain [time series]

mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

1,100 km2; land area: 1,060 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (overseas department of France)

Capital [time series]

Fort-de-France

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

1,000 (est.)

Constitution [time series]

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

as an overseas department of France, Martiniquais interests are represented in the US by France; US--Consul General Ray ROBINSON; Consulate General at 14 Rue Blenac, Fort-de-France (mailing address is B. P. 561, Fort-de-France); telephone [596] 63-13-03

Executive branch [time series]

government commissioner

Flag [time series]

the flag of France is used

Independence [time series]

none (overseas department of France)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court 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 [time series]

French legal system

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Department of Martinique

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

WFTU

National holiday [time series]

Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

universal at age 18 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%, others 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

Government type (Type) [time series]

overseas department of France

Birth rate [time series]

19 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

11 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

100,000; 31.7% service industry, 29.4% construction and public works, 13.1% agriculture, 7.3% industry, 2.2% fisheries, 16.3% other

Languages (Language) [time series]

French, Creole patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

71 years male, 77 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

over 70%

Nationality [time series]

noun--Martiniquais (sing. and pl.); adjective--Martiniquais

Net migration rate [time series]

- 3 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

11% of labor force

Population [time series]

340,381 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

95% Roman Catholic, 5% Hindu and pagan African

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.1 children born/woman (1990)