ARCHIVE // MQ // 1994
Martinique
1994 Edition — territory
Communications
Airports
[time series]
total: 2 usable: 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]
total: 1,680 km paved: 1,300 km unpaved: gravel, earth 380 km
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 10% 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]
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $10.1 billion
Electricity
[time series]
capacity: 113,100 kW production: 588 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,580 kWh (1992)
Exchange rates
[time series]
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.9305 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989)
Exports
[time series]
$201.5 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples partners: France 57.1%, Guadeloupe 31.5%, French Guiana 6.2%
Debt - external
(External debt)
[time series]
$NA
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
Illicit drugs
[time series]
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe
Imports
[time series]
$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods partners: France 62.2%, UK, Italy, Germany, Japan, US
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 - $3.3 billion (1991)
Real GDP per capita
(National product per capita)
[time series]
$9,500 (1991)
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 sq km land area: 1,060 sq km 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]
current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity that result in an average of one major natural disaster every five years international agreements: NA
Disputes - international
(International disputes)
[time series]
none
Irrigated land
[time series]
60 sq km (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]
Caribbean, 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]
none (overseas department of France)
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981) head of government: Prefect Michel MORIN (since NA); President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Emile CAPGRAS (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers
Flag
[time series]
the flag of France is used
Legislative branch
(French National Assembly)
[time series]
elections last held on NA June 1993 (next to be held June 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) RPR 3, FSM 1
Legislative branch
(French Senate)
[time series]
elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1
Legislative branch
(General Council)
[time series]
elections 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
Independence
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Judicial branch
[time series]
Supreme Court
Legal system
[time series]
French legal system
Legislative branch
[time series]
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Assembly
International organization participation
(Member of)
[time series]
FZ, WCL, WFTU
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); Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance (ARC); Central Union for Martinique Workers (CSTM), Marc PULVAR; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Parti Martiniquais Socialiste (PMS)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Rally for the Republic (RPR), Stephen BAGOE; Union for a Martinique of Progress (UMP); Martinique Progressive Party (PPM), Aime CESAIRE and Camille DARSIERES; Socialist Federation of Martinique (FSM), Jean CRUSOL; Martinique Communist Party (PCM); Martinique Patriots (PM); Union for French Democracy (UDF), Jean MARAN; Martinique Independence Movement (MIM), Alfred MARIE-JEANNE
Legislative branch
(Regional Assembly)
[time series]
elections last held on 22 March 1992 (next to be held by March 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (41 total) RPR-UDF 16, MIM 9, PPM 9, PCM 5, independents 2
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]
the post closed in August 1993 (overseas department of France)
People
Birth rate
[time series]
17.96 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
5.95 deaths/1,000 population (1994 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]
10.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 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: 78.01 years male: 74.88 years female: 81.2 years (1994 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 (1994 est.)
Population
[time series]
392,362 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
1.2% (1994 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.92 children born/woman (1994 est.)