:Marshall Islands Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
:Martinique 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
Disputes:
none
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
:Martinique People
Population:
371,803 (July 1992), growth rate 1.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
19 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
11 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
75 years male, 81 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Martiniquais (singular and plural); adjective - Martiniquais
Ethnic divisions:
African and African-Caucasian-Indian mixture 90%, Caucasian 5%, East Indian,
Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Languages:
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
:Martinique 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
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)
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
General Council:
last held in 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
Diplomatic representation:
as an overseas department of France, Martiniquais interests are represented
in the US by France
:Martinique Government
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 [596] 63-13-03
Flag:
the flag of France is used