Région Martinique
Flag of Martinique	Logo of Martinique
(Unofficial region flag)	(Region logo)
Location
Map of France highlighting the Region of Martinique
Administration
Capital	Fort-de-France
Regional President	Alfred Marie-Jeanne (MIM) (since 1998)
Departments	Martinique
Arrondissements	4
Cantons	45
Communes	31
Statistics
Land area1	1,128 km
Population	(Ranked 24th)
- January 1, 2006 est.	399,000
- March 8, 1999 census	381,427
- Density (2006)	354/km
1 French Land Register data, which exclude lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) as well as the estuaries of rivers

Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, having a land area of 1,128 km². It is an overseas department of France. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is also one of the twenty-six regions of France (being an overseas region) and an integral part of the Republic. As part of France, Martinique is part of the European Union, and its currency is the euro. Its official language is French, although almost all of its inhabitants also speak Antillean Creole (Créole Martiniquais). Martinique is pictured on all euro banknotes, on the reverse at the bottom of each note, right of the Greek ΕΥΡΩ (EURO) next to the denomination.

Overview

• Surface area : 1,128 km² (length 75 km ; width 35 km)
• Status : overseas department since 19 March 1946.
• Prefectorial office : Fort-de-France (a total of 34 habitations).
• Biggest towns : Fort-de-France (94,049 inhab, 25% of the population), Le Lamentin (35,460), Le Robert (21,240), Schœlcher (20,845), Sainte-Marie (20,098)
• Population : 381,427 inhabitants after the census of 1999 (359,572 en 1990) ; estimated 399,000 in January 2005.
• Population density : 338 inhab./km² (1999, estimated 354 in 2006)
• Urban population : 42%
• Life expectancy : 79 years (men) and 82 (women) (2000)
• Official language : French
• Principal religion : Roman Catholicism
• GDP/inhab. : €14,283 (2000)
• Total GDP : €5,496 million
• Exports : €39 million (2002, cover of 14,1%)
• Imports : €275 million euros (2002, deficit of €236 million)
• Principal suppliers : Metropolitan France, European Union, Latin America
• Unemployment rate : 23% (2004, (without taking into account « non-declared » revenues). 26,3% in 2000).

Politics

Main article: Politics of Martinique

All inhabitants of Martinique are French citizens with full political and legal rights.

Martinique sends four deputies to the French National Assembly and two senators to the French Senate.

History

Main article: History of Martinique

The island was under Britain's command during the Seven Years' War from 1762 to 1763; during the French Revolutionary Wars from 1794 to 1802; and again during the Napoleonic wars from 1809 to 1814. The last British governor was General Sir Charles Wale.

Napoleon's wife, Joséphine, was born in Martinique to a family of the wealthy Creole elite. The ruins of the Habitation de la Pagerie where she spent her childhood can still be visited in Trois-Ilets, across the bay from Fort-de-France, the island's capital.

During the French Revolution, severe conflicts rapidly broke out, developing into civil war. In 1789, a slave rebellion was put down. The following year open war broke out when monarchists, who wanted freedom from revolutionary France, massacred troops faithful to the parisian revolutionary government. The royalist faction gained the upper hand in 1791 and declared the independence of Martinique followed by refusal to grant rights to the free people of colour. In 1793, the republican-Parisian faction gained support from the revolutionary government in Saint Lucia, which prompted the monarchists to invite British occupation in 1794.

Slavery was banned in 1848. People from India and China were brought to work the sugar cane plantations.

Mount Pelée erupted in 1902, killing 26,000 to 36,000 people and destroying Saint-Pierre.

During World War II the island was controlled by the Vichy regime from 1940-1943; later it was under the Free French Forces.

An important role in the independence movement was played by Aimé Césaire, a famous poet and essayist. Martinique was the home of Frantz Fanon (July 20, 1925 – December 6, 1961), an author, essayist, psychoanalyst, and anti-colonialist revolutionary, who was strongly influenced by Césaire.

Subdivisions

Main article: Arrondissements of the Martinique department

Further information: Communes of the Martinique department

Environment

The north of the island is mountainous and lushly forested. It features dramatic pitons and mornes. The most dominating of the islands many beautiful mountains is the infamous volcano Mount Pelée. The volcanic ash has created beautiful gray and black sand beaches in the north, contrasting markedly from the white sands of Les Salines in the south.

The south is more easily traversed, though still features some impressive geographic features. Because it is easier to travel and because of the many beautiful beaches, the south receives the bulk of the tourist traffic. The beaches from Pointe de Bout, through Diamant (which features right off the coast the beautiful Roche de Diamant), St. Luce, the town of St. Anne all the way down to Les Salines are very popular.

Demographics

Historical population

Historical population

1700 estimate	1738 estimate	1848 estimate	1869 estimate	1873 estimate	1878 estimate	1883 estimate	1888 estimate	1893 estimate
24,000	74,000	120,400	152,925	157,805	162,861	167,119	175,863	189,599
1900 estimate	1954 census	1961 census	1967 census	1974 census	1982 census	1990 census	1999 census	2005 estimate
203,781	239,130	292,062	320,030	324,832	328,566	359,572	381,427	399,000
Official figures from past censuses and INSEE estimates.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Martinique

As an overseas "département" of France, Martinique's culture blends French and Caribbean influences. The city of Saint-Pierre (destroyed by a volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée), was often referred to as the Paris of the Lesser Antilles. Following traditional French custom, many businesses close at midday, then reopen later in the afternoon. The official language is French, although many Martinicans speak Antillean Creole. Mostly based on French, Martinique's Créole also incorporates a few elements of English, Spanish, Portuguese, and African languages. Originally passed down through oral storytelling traditions, it continues to be used more often in speech than in writing.

Most of Martinique's population is descended from African slaves brought to work on sugar plantations during the colonial era. Today, the island enjoys a higher standard of living than most other Caribbean countries. The finest French products are easily available, from Chanel fashions to Limoges porcelain. Studying in the métropole is common for young adults. For the rest of the French, Martinique has been a vacation hotspot for many years, attracting both upper-class and more budget-conscious travelers.

Martinique has a hybrid cuisine, mixing elements of French, African, and Asian traditions. One of its most famous dishes is the Colombo, a unique curry of chicken, meat or fish with vegetables, spiced with a distinctive masala of Bengali or Tamil origins, acidulated with tamarind and often containing wine, coconut milk, and rum. There is also a strong tradition of créole desserts and cakes, often employing pineapple, rum, and a wide range of local ingredients.

Martinique in Popular Culture

Martinique was the main setting and location of the 1944 film To Have and Have Not starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

Miscellaneous topics

• Economy of Martinique
• Flag of Martinique
• List of media outlets in Martinique
• Communications in Martinique
• Créole Patois
• Holidays in Martinique
• Military defense is the responsibility of France.
  Military branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air force), Gendarmerie
• Transportation in Martinique
• Aimé Césaire
• Scouts de Martinique
• Frantz Fanon
• Édouard Glissant
• Créolité
• Négritude
• Ronny Turiaf
• Philémond-Montout Jimmy
• Patrick Chamoiseau
• Guy Deslaurier

External links

• Martinique Tourism Authority - Official site
• Prefecture Région Martinique - Official site
• Regional Council of Martinique Official site
• Some material from the [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mb.html CIA World Factbook]
• Martinique at Google Maps
• Simon Jean-Joseph - the European rally champion from Martinique

References

•  • [ e] Overseas departments and territories of France
Overseas departments1	French Guiana Guadeloupe Martinique Runion
Overseas collectivities	French Polynesia Mayotte2 Saint Barthelemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Wallis and Futuna
Special status	New Caledonia
Uninhabited lands	Clipperton Island French Southern and Antarctic Lands  (Amsterdam Island • Saint-Paul Island • Crozet Islands • Kerguelen Islands • Adlie Land Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean:  Bassas da India3 • Europa Island3 • Glorioso Islands2, 3, 4 • Juan de Nova Island3 • Tromelin Island5)
1 Also known as overseas regions • 2 claimed by Comoros • 3 claimed by Madagascar • 4 claimed by Seychelles • 5 claimed by Mauritius

•  • [ e] Countries and territories of the Caribbean

•  • [ e] Sovereign states Commonwealth Realms Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Grenada Jamaica St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Commonwealth republics Dominica Trinidad and Tobago Other republics Cuba Dominican Republic Haiti  •  • [ e] Dependencies and other territories British Anguilla British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands Dutch Aruba Netherlands Antilles French Guadeloupe Martinique Saint Barthelemy St. Martin American Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands

•  • [ e] States and dependencies of Middle America
States  —  Dependencies
Anguilla (UK) Antigua and Barbuda Aruba (NL) Bahamas Barbados Belize British Virgin Islands (UK) Cayman Islands (UK) Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guadeloupe (FR) Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique (FR) Mexico Montserrat (UK)Netherlands Antilles (NL) Nicaragua Panama Puerto Rico (US) St.-Barthlemy (FR) St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Martin (FR) St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands (UK) US Virgin Islands (US)

•  • [ e] Member states and observers of La Francophonie
Members	Albania Andorra Belgium (French Community) Benin Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada (New Brunswick Quebec) Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Cyprus1 Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Cte d'Ivoire Djibouti Dominica Egypt Equatorial Guinea Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia France (including French Guiana Guadeloupe Martinique Saint Pierre and Miquelon) Gabon Ghana1 Greece Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Laos Luxembourg Lebanon Madagascar Mali Mauritania Mauritius Moldova Monaco Morocco Niger Romania Rwanda St. Lucia So Tom and Prncipe Senegal Seychelles Switzerland Togo Tunisia Vanuatu Vietnam
Observers	Armenia Austria Croatia Czech Republic Georgia Hungary Lithuania Mozambique Poland Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Ukraine
1 Associate member.

•  • [ e] Outlying territories of European countries
Territories under European sovereignty but closer to or on continents other than Europe (see for further information)
Denmark	Greenland
France	Clipperton Island French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Amsterdam • Saint-Paul • Crozet • Kerguelen • Adlie Land1 • Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean: Bassas da India • Europa Island • Glorioso Islands • Juan de Nova Island • Tromelin Island) Guadeloupe Martinique Mayotte New Caledonia Runion Saint Barthelemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Wallis and Futuna
Italy	Pantelleria Pelagie Islands (Lampedusa • Lampione • Linosa)
Netherlands	Aruba Netherlands Antilles (Bonaire • Curaao • Saba • Sint Maarten • Sint Eustatius)
Norway	Bouvet Island Peter I Island1 Queen Maud Land1
Portugal	Azores Islands Madeira Islands
Russia	Khabomai Ratmanov Island Shikotan
Spain	Canary Islands CeutaIsla de Alborn Isla Perejil Islas Chafarinas Melilla Pen de Alhucemas Pen de Vlez de la Gomera
United Kingdom	Anguilla Ascension Island Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Montserrat Saint Helena Tristan da Cunha Turks and Caicos Islands British Antarctic Territory1 British Indian Ocean Territory Pitcairn Islands South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
1 Claims to sovereignty over territories in Antarctica are currently suspended under the Antarctic Treaty System.

Coordinates: