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'Martinique' is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, having a land area of 1,128 km². It is an overseas department of France. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is also one of the twenty-six regions of France (being an overseas region) and an integral part of the Republic. As part of France, Martinique is part of the European Union, and its currency is the euro. Its official language is French, although almost all of its inhabitants also speak Antillean Creole (''Créole Martiniquais''). Martinique is pictured on all euro banknotes, on the reverse at the bottom of each note, right of the Greek ΕΥΡΩ (EURO) next to the denomination.

Contents

Overview

Politics

History

Subdivisions

Environment

Demographics

Historical population

Culture

Miscellaneous topics

External links

References

Overview

★ Surface area : 1,128 km² (length 75 km ; width 35 km)

★ Status : overseas department since 19 March 1946.

★ Prefectorial office : Fort-de-France (a total of 34 habitations).

★ Biggest towns : Fort-de-France (94,049 inhab, 25% of the population), Le Lamentin (35,460), Le Robert (21,240), Schœlcher (20,845), Sainte-Marie (20,098)

★ Population : 381,427 inhabitants after the census of 1999 (359,572 en 1990) ; estimated 399,000 in January 2005.

★ Population density : 338 inhab./km² (1999, estimated 354 in 2006)

★ Urban population : 42%

★ Life expectancy : 78,8 years (men) and 81,7 (women) (2000)

★ Official language : French

★ Principal religion : Roman Catholicism

★ GDP/inhab. : €14,283 (2000)

★ Total GDP : €5,496 million

★ Exports : €39 million (2002, cover of 14,1%)

★ Imports : €275 million euros (2002, deficit of €236 million)

★ Principal suppliers : Metropolitan France, European Union, Latin America

★ Unemployment rate : 23% (2004, (without taking into account « non-declared » revenues). 26,3% in 2000).

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Martinique

All inhabitants of Martinique are French citizens with full political and legal rights.
Martinique sends four deputies to the French National Assembly and two senators to the French Senate.

History

Main articles: History of Martinique

Before European colonization, Martinique was inhabited by at least two waves of amerindian settlements. Initially, Arawak tribes lived on the island, of which only traces were found^[1]. At the time of European colonization, the Carib Indians had taken over the island.

Christopher Columbus saw the island in 1493, but he didn't set foot on it until 1502 during his fourth voyage. However, Spaniards did not colonize the island.
The first European to inhabit the Martinique island was the Frenchman Pierre Belan d'Esnambuc who founded a settlement on the island in 1635. His nephew, Jacques-Dyel du Parquet, bought the island and developed a rich and wealthy colony. The island became a part of the French crown in 1658. Sugar, indigo, and coffee were the first crops to be grown on the island. Black slaves were brought to the island from West Africa.
The island was under Britain's command during the Seven Years' War from 1762 to 1763; during the French Revolutionary Wars from 1794 to 1802; and again during the Napoleonic wars from 1809 to 1814. The last British governor was General Sir Charles Wale.
Napoleon's wife, Joséphine, was born in Martinique to a family of the wealthy Creole elite. The ruins of the Habitation de la Pagerie where she spent her childhood can still be visited in Trois-Ilets, across the bay from Fort-de-France, the island's capital.
During the French Revolution, severe conflicts broke out in civil war on the island with rapid speed. In 1789, a slave rebellion was put down. The following year open war broke out when monarchists, who wanted freedom from revolutionary France, massacred troops faithful to the parisian revolutionary government. The royalist faction gained the upper hand in 1791 and declared the independence of Martinique followed by refusal to grant rights to the free people of colour. In 1793, the republican - parisian fraction gained support from the revolutionary government in Saint Lucia, which prompted the monarchists to invite British occupation in 1794.
Slavery was banned in 1848. People from India and China were brought to work the sugar cane plantations.
Mount Pelée erupted in 1902, killing 26,000 to 36,000 people and destroying Saint-Pierre.
During World War II the island was controlled by the Vichy regime from 1940-1943; later it was under the Free French Forces.
An important role in the independence movement was played by Aimé Césaire, a famous poet and essayist. Martinique was the home of Frantz Fanon (July 20, 1925 – December 6, 1961), an author, essayist, psychoanalyst, and anti-colonialist revolutionary, who was strongly influenced by Césaire.

Subdivisions

Main articles: Arrondissements of the Martinique department

Environment

The north of the island is mountainous and lushly forested. It features dramatic pitons and mornes. The most dominating of the islands many beautiful mountains is the infamous volcano Mount Pelée. The volcanic ash has created beautiful gray and black sand beaches in the north, contrasting markedly from the white sands of Les Salines in the south.
The south is more easily traversed, though still features some impressive geographic features. Because it is easier to travel and because of the many beautiful beaches, the south receives the bulk of the tourist traffic. The beaches from Pointe de Bout, through Diamant (which features right off the coast the beautiful Roche de Diamant), St. Luce, the town of St. Anne all the way down to Les Salines are very popular.

Demographics

Historical population

Historical population

1700 estimate	1738 estimate	1848 estimate	1869 estimate	1873 estimate	1878 estimate	1883 estimate	1888 estimate	1893 estimate
24,000	74,000	120,400	152,925	157,805	162,861	167,119	175,863	189,599
1900 estimate	1954 census	1961 census	1967 census	1974 census	1982 census	1990 census	1999 census	2005 estimate
203,781	239,130	292,062	320,030	324,832	328,566	359,572	381,427	399,000
Official figures from past censuses and INSEE estimates.

Culture

Main articles: Culture of Martinique

As an overseas "département" of France, Martinique's culture blends French and Caribbean influences. The city of Saint-Pierre (destroyed by a volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée), was often referred to as the ''Paris of the Lesser Antilles''. Following traditional French custom, many businesses close at midday, then reopen later in the afternoon. The official language is French, although many Martinicans speak Antillean Creole. Mostly based on French, Martinique's Créole also incorporates a few elements of English, Spanish, Portuguese, and African languages. Originally passed down through oral storytelling traditions, it continues to be used more often in speech than in writing.
Most of Martinique's population is descended from African slaves brought to work on sugar plantations during the colonial era. Today, the island enjoys a higher standard of living than most other Caribbean countries. The finest French products are easily available, from Chanel fashions to Limoges porcelain. Studying in the ''métropole'' is common for young adults. For the rest of the French, Martinique has been a vacation hotspot for many years, attracting both upper-class and more budget-conscious travelers.
Martinique has a hybrid cuisine, mixing elements of French, African, and Asian traditions. One of its most famous dishes is the Colombo, a unique curry of chicken, meat or fish with vegetables, spiced with a distinctive masala of Bengali or Tamil origins, acidulated with tamarind and often containing wine, coconut milk, and rum. There is also a strong tradition of créole desserts and cakes, often employing pineapple, rum, and a wide range of local ingredients.

Miscellaneous topics

★ Economy of Martinique

★ Flag of Martinique

★ List of media outlets in Martinique

★ Communications in Martinique

★ Créole Patois

★ Holidays in Martinique

★ Military defense is the responsibility of France.
Military branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air force), Gendarmerie

★ Transportation in Martinique

★ Aimé Césaire

★ Scouts de Martinique

★ Frantz Fanon

★ Édouard Glissant

★ Créolité

★ Négritude

★ Ronny Turiaf

★ Philémond-Montout Jimmy

★ Patrick Chamoiseau

★ Guy Deslaurier

External links

★ Martinique Tourism Authority - Official site

★ Prefecture Région Martinique - Official site

★ Regional Council of Martinique Official site

★

★ Some material from the CIA World Factbook

★ Martinique at Google Maps

★ Simon Jean-Joseph - the European rally champion from Martinique

References

1. http://perso.orange.fr/jm.sutour/visite%20enmartinique/histoire/arawak/arawak.htm