Airports [time series]

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 [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 Saint Lucia; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

French Forces, Gendarmerie

Manpower availability [time series]

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

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of France

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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

Economic aid [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

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

Imports [time series]

$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 (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.9% (1989)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 [time series]

30% (1986)

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

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

none

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

Area (Land area) [time series]

1,060 km2

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

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

Maritime claims [time series]

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Area (Total area) [time series]

1,100 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 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

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

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 [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

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

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

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

Department of Martinique

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

FZ, WCL

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

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18

Government type (Type) [time series]

overseas department of France

Birth rate [time series]

19 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

11 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force [time series]

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 [time series]

French, Creole patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

75 years male, 81 years female (1992)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor [time series]

11% of labor force

Population [time series]

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

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.9 children born/woman (1992)