236 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
236 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
MARTINIQUE
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(overseas department of France)
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 1,100 km2; land area: 1,060 km2
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Comparative area: slightly more than six times the size of
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Washington, DC
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Land boundaries: none
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Coastline: 290 km
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Maritime claims:
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Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
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Territorial sea: 12 nm
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Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to
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October)
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Terrain: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
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Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land
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Land use: arable land 10%; permanent crops 8%; meadows and pastures
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30%; forest and woodland 26%; other 26%; includes irrigated 5%
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Environment: subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic
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activity that result in an average of one major natural disaster every
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five years
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Note: located 625 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea
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PEOPLE
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Population: 345,180 (July 1991), growth rate 0.9% (1991)
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Birth rate: 19 births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 80 years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1991)
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Nationality: noun--Martiniquais (sing. and pl.);
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adjective--Martiniquais
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Ethnic divisions: African and African-Caucasian-Indian mixture
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90%, Caucasian 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
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Religion: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African
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5%
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Language: French, Creole patois
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Literacy: 93% (male 92%, female 93%) age 15 and over can
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read and write (1982)
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Labor force: 100,000; service industry 31.7%, construction and
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public works 29.4%, agriculture 13.1%, industry 7.3%, fisheries 2.2%,
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other 16.3%
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Organized labor: 11% of labor force
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: Department of Martinique
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Type: overseas department of France
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Capital: Fort-de-France
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Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
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Independence: none (overseas department of France)
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Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
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Legal system: French legal system
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National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
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Executive branch: government commissioner
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Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and unicameral
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Regional Council
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Judicial branch: Supreme Court
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Leaders:
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Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since
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21 May 1981);
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Head of Government--Government Commissioner Jean Claude ROURE
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(since 5 May 1989); President of the General Council Emile MAURICE
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(since NA 1988)
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Political parties:
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Rally for the Republic (RPR), Stephen BAGO;
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Union of the Left composed of the Progressive Party of Martinique (PPM),
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Aime CESAIRE;
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Socialist Federation of Martinique, Michael YOYO;
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and
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the Communist Party of Martinique (PCM), Armand NICOLAS;
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Union for French Democracy (UDF), Jean MARAN
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Suffrage: universal at age 18
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Elections:
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General Council--last held on NA October 1988
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(next to be held by March 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(44 total) number of seats by party NA;
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Regional Assembly--last held on 16 March 1986 (next to be held by
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March 1992); results--UDF/RPR coalition 49.8%, PPM/FSM/PCM
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coalition 41.3%, other 8.9%;
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seats--(41 total) PPM/FSM/PCM coalition 21, UDF/RPR coalition 20;
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French Senate--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held
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September 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1;
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French National Assembly--last held on 5 and 12 June 1988 (next
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to be held June 1993); results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(4 total) PPM 1, FSM 1, RPR 1, UDF 1
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Communists: 1,000 (est.)
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Other political or pressure groups: Proletarian Action Group (GAP);
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Alhed Marie-Jeanne Socialist Revolution Group (GRS), Martinique
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Independence Movement (MIM), Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance (ARC),
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Central Union for Martinique Workers (CSTM), Marc Pulvar; Frantz Fanon
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Circle; League of Workers and Peasants
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Member of: FZ, WCL, WFTU
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Diplomatic representation: as an overseas department of France,
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Martiniquais interests are represented in the US by France;
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US--Consul General Raymond G. ROBINSON; Consulate General at 14 Rue
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Blenac, Fort-de-France (mailing address is B. P. 561, Fort-de-France
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97206); telephone 590 63-13-03
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Flag: the flag of France is used
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ECONOMY
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Overview: The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and
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light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 12% of GDP and the small
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industrial sector for 10%. Sugar production has declined, with most of
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the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are
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increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and
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grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade
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deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism
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has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of
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foreign exchange. The majority of the work force is employed in the
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service sector and in administration. In 1986 per capita GDP was
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relatively high at $6,000. During 1986 the unemployment rate was 30% and
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was particularly severe among younger workers.
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GDP: $2.0 billion, per capita $6,000; real growth rate NA% (1986)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (1989)
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Unemployment rate: 30% (1986)
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Budget: revenues $268 million; expenditures $268 million, including
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capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)
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Exports: $196 million (f.o.b., 1988);
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commodities--refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples;
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partners--France 65%, Guadeloupe 24%, FRG (1987)
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Imports: $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
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commodities--petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction
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materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods;
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partners--France 65%, UK, Italy, FRG, Japan, US (1987)
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External debt: $NA
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Industrial production: growth rate NA%
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Electricity: 113,000 kW capacity; 564 million kWh produced,
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1,660 kWh per capita (1990)
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Industries: construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
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Agriculture: including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 12%
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of GDP; principal crops--pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers,
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vegetables, and sugarcane for rum; dependent on imported food,
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particularly meat and vegetables
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Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral
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commitments (1970-88), $9.9 billion
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Currency: French franc (plural--francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100
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centimes
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Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1--5.1307 (January 1991),
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5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261
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(1986), 8.9852 (1985)
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Fiscal year: calendar year
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Highways: 1,680 km total; 1,300 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth
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Ports: Fort-de-France
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Civil air: no major transport aircraft
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Airports: 2 total; 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways;
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1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways less than 2,439 m
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Telecommunications: domestic facilities are adequate; 68,900
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telephones; interisland radio relay links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and
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Saint Lucia; stations--1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth
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stations
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Branches: French Forces, Gendarmerie
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Manpower availability: males 15-49, 95,235; NA fit for military
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service
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Note: defense is the responsibility of France
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