ARCHIVE // MQ // 1993
Martinique
1993 Edition — territory
Communications
Airports
[time series]
total: 2 useable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0
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 microwave radio relay links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Defense Forces
Military and security forces
(Branches)
[time series]
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Note
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture)
[time series]
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
[time series]
revenues $268 million; expenditures $268 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)
Exchange rates
(Currency)
[time series]
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, 1,580 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
[time series]
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
[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
Imports
[time series]
$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
(Industrial production)
[time series]
growth rate NA%
Industries
[time series]
construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
3.9% (1990)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(National product)
[time series]
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2 billion (1988)
Real GDP per capita
(National product per capita)
[time series]
$6,000 (1988)
Real GDP growth rate
(National product real growth rate)
[time series]
NA%
Economic overview
(Overview)
[time series]
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
[time series]
32.1% (1990)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total area: 1,100 km2 land area: 1,060 km2 comparative area: slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October)
Coastline
[time series]
290 km
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
Disputes - international
(International disputes)
[time series]
none
Irrigated land
[time series]
60 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
[time series]
0 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 8% meadows and pastures: 30% forest and woodland: 26% other: 26%
Location
[time series]
in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Venezuela
Map references
[time series]
Central America and the Caribbean, South America
Maritime claims
[time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
[time series]
coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
Terrain
[time series]
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
[time series]
Fort-de-France
Constitution
[time series]
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Digraph
[time series]
MB
Diplomatic representation in the US
(Diplomatic representation in US)
[time series]
as an overseas department of France, Martiniquais interests are represented in the US by France
Executive branch
(Elections)
[time series]
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 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 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 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
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
International organization participation
(Member of)
[time series]
FZ, WCL
Country name
(Names)
[time series]
conventional long form: Department of Martinique conventional short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique local short form: Martinique
National holiday
[time series]
National Day, 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
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
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)
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Government type
(Type)
[time series]
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US
(US diplomatic representation)
[time series]
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
People
Birth rate
[time series]
18.07 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
5.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
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]
10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
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
[time series]
French, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 77.82 years male: 74.68 years female: 81.01 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1982) total population: 93% male: 92% female: 93%
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural) adjective: Martiniquais
Net migration rate
[time series]
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
[time series]
387,656 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
1.21% (1993 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.94 children born/woman (1993 est.)