ARCHIVE // MQ // 1996
Martinique
1996 Edition — territory
Communications
Military and security forces
(Branches)
[time series]
French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Military - note
(Defense note)
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
Broadcast media
(Radio broadcast stations)
[time series]
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios
[time series]
74,000 (1992 est.)
Telecommunication systems
(Telephone system)
[time series]
domestic facilities are adequate domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines
(Telephones)
[time series]
159,000 (1990 est.)
Broadcast media
(Television broadcast stations)
[time series]
10
Televisions
[time series]
65,000 (1993 est.) Defense
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture)
[time series]
pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane for rum
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $657 million expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Exchange rates
(Currency)
[time series]
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
[time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA note: French aid $600 million (1989-93); EU aid $137 million
Economic overview
[time series]
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. Banana workers launched protests late in 1992 because of falling banana prices and fears of greater competition in the European market from other producers.
Electricity
[time series]
capacity: 113,100 kW production: 761 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,677 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
[time series]
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991)
Exports
[time series]
$218 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples partners: France 57%, Guadeloupe 31%, French Guiana (1991)
Debt - external
(External debt)
[time series]
$180 million (1994)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP)
[time series]
purchasing power parity - $3.95 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
(GDP composition by sector)
[time series]
agriculture: 6% industry: 11% services: 83% (1992 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(GDP per capita)
[time series]
$10,000 (1995 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
(GDP real growth rate)
[time series]
NA%
Illicit drugs
[time series]
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe
Imports
[time series]
$1.76 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods partners: France 62%, UK, Italy, Germany, Japan, US (1991)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
NA%
Industries
[time series]
construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
3.9% (1990)
Labor force
[time series]
121,600 by occupation: agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1992)
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); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid
Coastline
[time series]
350 km
Environment - current issues
(Environment)
[time series]
current issues: NA natural hazards: hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) international agreements: NA
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
14 40 N, 61 00 W
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, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
[time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
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 lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
[time series]
Fort-de-France
Constitution
[time series]
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Data code
[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 (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Jean-Francois CORDET (since NA) was appointed by the French Ministry of the Interior head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Emile CAPGRAS (since 22 March 1992);
Flag
[time series]
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
Legislative branch
(French National Assembly)
[time series]
elections last held 21 March 1993 (next to be held NA June 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) RPR 2, UDF 1, PPM 1
Legislative branch
(French Senate)
[time series]
elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1
Legislative branch
(General Council)
[time series]
elections last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total) number of seats by party NA; note - the PPM won a plurality
Independence
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation
[time series]
FZ, WCL, WFTU
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
Country name
(Name of country)
[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); Association for the Protection of Martinique's Heritage (ecologist)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Rally for the Republic (RPR), Alex URSULET; Union for a Martinique of Progress (UMP); Martinique Progressive Party (PPM), Aime CESAIRE; Socialist Federation of Martinique (FSM), Jean CRUSOL; Martinique Communist Party (PCM), George ERICHOT; Martinique Patriots (PM); Union for French Democracy (UDF), Miguel LAVENTURE; Martinique Independence Movement (MIM), Alfred MARIE-JEANNE; Republican Party (PR), Jean BAILLY
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 of government)
[time series]
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US
(US diplomatic representation)
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
People
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 23% (male 46,851; female 45,300) 15-64 years: 67% (male 132,161; female 135,707) 65 years and over: 10% (male 16,542; female 22,590) (July 1996 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
16.92 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
5.85 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Ethnic groups
(Ethnic divisions)
[time series]
African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Languages
[time series]
French, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 78.81 years male: 76.07 years female: 81.68 years (1996 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.) total population: 93% male: 92% female: 93%
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural) adjective: Martiniquais
Net migration rate
[time series]
-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Population
[time series]
399,151 (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
1.1% (1996 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.81 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
total: 2 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
total: 1,690 km paved: 1,300 km unpaved: 390 km
Merchant marine
[time series]
none
Ports
[time series]
Fort-de-France, La Trinite
Railways
[time series]
0 km