The World Factbook (1982)/Martinique

by the Central Intelligence Agency

MARTINIQUE

(See reference map III)

LAND

1,100 km² ; 31% cropland, 16% pasture, 29% forest, 24% wasteland, built on

WATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm (fishing 200 nm; exclusive economic zone 200 nm)

Coastline: 290 km

PEOPLE

Population: 302,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate -0.8%

Nationality: noun—Martiniquais (sing, and pl.); adjective—Martiniquais

Ethnic divisions: 90% African and African-Caucasian—Indian mixture, less than 5% East Indian, Lebanese, and Chinese, 5% Caucasian

Religion: 95% Roman Catholic, 5% Hindu and pagan African

Language: French, Creole patois

Literacy: over 70%

Labor force: 100,000; 23% agriculture, 20% public services, 11% construction and public works, 10% commerce and banking, 10% services, 9% industry, 17% other

Organized labor: 11% of labor force

GOVERNMENT

Official name: Department of Martinique

Type: overseas department of France; represented by three deputies in the French National Assembly and two senators in the Senate

Capital: Fort-de-France

Political subdivisions: 2 arrondissements; 34 communes, each with a locally elected municipal council

Legal system: French legal system; highest court is a court of appeal based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Branches: executive, Commissioner appointed by Paris; legislative, popularly elected council of 36 members and a Regional Council including all members of the local general council and the locally elected deputies and senators to the French parliament; judicial, under jurisdiction of French judicial system

Government leader: Commissioner of the Republic Jean CHEVANCE

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: General Council elections normally are held every five years; last General Council election took place in June 1981

Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR), Emile Maurice; Progressive Party of Martinique (PPM), Aimé Césaire; Communist Party of Martinique (PCM), Armand Nicolas; Democratic Union of Martinique (UDM), Léon-Laurent Valère

Voting strength: RPR, 1 seat in French National Assembly; PPM, 1 seat; UDM, 1 seat

Communists: 1,000 estimated

Other political or pressure groups: Proletarian Action Group (GAP), Socialist Revolution Group (GRS), Martinique Independence Movement (MIM)

ECONOMY

GNP: $1,169 million (1977 at current prices), $3,570 per capita

Agriculture: bananas, sugarcane, and pineapples

Major industries: agricultural processing, particularly sugar milling and rum distillation; cement, oil refining, and tourism

Electric power: 65,000 kW capacity (1981); 250 million kWh produced (1981), 796 kWh per capita

Exports: $166 million (f.o.b., 1978); bananas, refined petroleum products, rum, sugar, pineapples

Imports: $545 million (c.i.f., 1978); foodstuffs, clothing and other consumer goods, raw materials and supplies, and petroleum products

Major trade partners: exports—56% France (1978); imports—62% France, 28% EEC and franc zone, 4.5% US, 5.5% other (1977)

Aid: economic—bilateral ODA and OOF commitments (1970-79) from Western (non-US) countries, $2.6 billion; no military aid

Monetary conversion rate: 4.21 French francs=US$l (1980)

Fiscal year: calendar year

COMMUNICATIONS

Railroads: none

Highways: 1,680 km total; 1,300 km paved, 380 km gravel and earth

Ports: 1 major (Fort-de-France), 5 minor

Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft

Airfields: 3 total; 3 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m

Telecommunications: domestic facilities inadequate; 38,500 telephones (12.2 per 100 popl.); interisland VHF and UHF radio links; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station; 1 AM, 1 FM, and 7 TV stations

DEFENSE FORCES

Military manpower: males 15-49, 77,000; 40,000 fit for military service