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