ARCHIVE // MQ // 2003

Martinique

2003 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]
2 (2000)
Internet country code [time series]
.mq
Internet users [time series]
5,000 (2000)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: 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 - main lines in use) [time series]
170,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
15,000 (1997)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane
Budget [time series]
revenues: $900 million expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
euro (EUR)
Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]
EUR
Debt - external [time series]
$180 million (1994)
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
$NA; note - substantial annual aid from France
Economic overview (Economy - 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, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
1.07 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production [time series]
1.151 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source [time series]
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates [time series]
euros per US dollar - 1.06 euros per US dollar - 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998)
Exports [time series]
$250 million f.o.b. (1997)
Exports - commodities [time series]
refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples (2001 est.)
Exports - partners [time series]
France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 6% industry: 11% services: 83% (1997 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2001 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$2 billion c.i.f. (1997)
Imports - commodities [time series]
petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods
Imports - partners [time series]
France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2000)
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]
165,900 (1998)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)
Oil - consumption [time series]
13,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports [time series]
NA (2001)
Oil - imports [time series]
NA (2001)
Oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
27.2% (1998)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 1,100 sq km water: 40 sq km land: 1,060 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
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
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
14 40 N, 61 00 W
Geography - note [time series]
the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants
Irrigated land [time series]
30 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 9.43% permanent crops: 11.32% other: 79.25% (1998 est.)
Location [time series]
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, 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 hazards [time series]
hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years)
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)
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Department of Martinique conventional short form: Martinique local short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique
Dependency status [time series]
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Michel CADOT (since 21 June 2000) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998) cabinet: NA
Flag (Flag description) [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
Government type [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation [time series]
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Judicial branch [time series]
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Legal system [time series]
French legal system
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3 note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)
National holiday [time series]
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Pierre SUEDILLE]; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Camille DARSIERES]; Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 22.8% (male 49,310; female 47,908) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 142,242; female 142,688) 65 years and over: 10.3% (male 19,656; female 24,162) (2003 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
14.96 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate [time series]
6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Chinese less than 5%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 7.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages [time series]
French, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 78.72 years male: 79.27 years female: 78.16 years (2003 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.7% male: 97.4% female: 98.1% (2003 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 32.7 years male: 32 years female: 33.3 years (2002)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural) adjective: Martiniquais
Net migration rate [time series]
-0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Population [time series]
425,966 (July 2003 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
0.85% (2003 est.)
Religions [time series]
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%, other 3.5% (1997)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Illicit drugs [time series]
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe
Transportation
Airports [time series]
2 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 2,105 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000)
Merchant marine [time series]
none (2002 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Fort-de-France, La Trinite
Railways [time series]
0 km
Waterways [time series]
none