@Martinique, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Department of Martinique
conventional short form:
Martinique
local long form:
Departement de la Martinique
local short form:
Martinique
Digraph:
MB
Type:
overseas department of France
Capital:
Fort-de-France
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
none (overseas department of France)
National holiday:
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French legal system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government:
Prefect Michel MORIN (since NA); President of the General Council
Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council
Emile CAPGRAS (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Assembly
General Council:
elections last held in 25 September and 8 October 1988 (next to be
held by NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total)
number of seats by party NA; note - a leftist coalition obtained a
one-seat margin
Regional Assembly:
elections last held on 22 March 1992 (next to be held by March 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (41 total) RPR-UDF 16,
MIM 9, PPM 9, PCM 5, independents 2
French Senate:
elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) UDF 1, PPM 1
French National Assembly:
elections last held on NA June 1993 (next to be held June 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) RPR 3, FSM 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Rally for the Republic (RPR), Stephen BAGOE; Union for a Martinique of
Progress (UMP); Martinique Progressive Party (PPM), Aime CESAIRE and
Camille DARSIERES; Socialist Federation of Martinique (FSM), Jean
CRUSOL; Martinique Communist Party (PCM); Martinique Patriots (PM);
Union for French Democracy (UDF), Jean MARAN; Martinique Independence
Movement (MIM), Alfred MARIE-JEANNE
Other political or pressure groups:
Proletarian Action Group (GAP); Alhed Marie-Jeanne Socialist
Revolution Group (GRS); Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance (ARC);
Central Union for Martinique Workers (CSTM), Marc PULVAR; Frantz Fanon
Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Parti Martiniquais Socialiste
(PMS)
Member of:
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (overseas department of France)
US diplomatic representation:
the post closed in August 1993 (overseas department of France)
Flag:
the flag of France is used
@Martinique, Economy
Overview:
The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light
industry. Agriculture accounts for about 10% 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. Banana workers launched
protests late in 1992 because of falling banana prices and fears of
greater competition in the European market from other producers.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $3.3 billion (1991)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$9,500 (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.9% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
32.1% (1990)
Budget:
revenues:
$268 million
expenditures:
$268 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)
Exports:
$201.5 million (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples
partners:
France 57.1%, Guadeloupe 31.5%, French Guiana 6.2%
Imports:
$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
commodities:
petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials,
vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods
partners:
France 62.2%, UK, Italy, Germany, Japan, US
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
113,100 kW
production:
588 million kWh
consumption per capita:
1,580 kWh (1992)
Industries:
construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism
Agriculture:
including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 10% of GDP;
principal crops - pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables,
sugarcane for rum; dependent on imported food, particularly meat and
vegetables
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and
Europe
Economic aid:
recipient:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $10.1 billion
Currency:
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.9305 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993),
5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Martinique, Communications
Highways:
total:
1,680 km
paved:
1,300 km
unpaved:
gravel, earth 380 km
Ports:
Fort-de-France
Airports:
total:
2
usable:
2
with permanent-surface runways:
1
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
0
Telecommunications:
domestic facilities are adequate; 68,900 telephones; interisland
microwave radio relay links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia;
broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
earth stations
@Martinique, Defense Forces
Branches:
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Note:
defense is the responsibility of France
@Mauritania, Geography
Location:
Northern Africa, along the North Atlantic Ocean, between Western
Sahara and Senegal
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
1,030,700 sq km
land area:
1,030,400 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total 5,074 km, Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western
Sahara 1,561 km
Coastline:
754 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or the edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
boundary with Senegal
Climate:
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain:
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Natural resources:
iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate
Land use:
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
38%
forest and woodland:
5%
other:
56%
Irrigated land:
120 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are
contributing to desertification; water scarcity away from the Senegal
which is the only perennial river
natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and
April
international agreements:
party to - Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not
ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Note:
most of the population concentrated along the Senegal River in the
southern part of the country