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Martinique
Martinique
	— Overseas region of France —
; Flag	; Logo
Country	France
Capital	Fort-de-France
	Government
- President	Alfred Marie-Jeanne (MIM)
	Area
- Total	1,128 km2 (435.5 sq mi)
	Population (2008-01-01)
- Total	402,000
- Density	356.4/km2 (923/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-4 (UTC-4)
GDP/ Nominal	€ 7.65 billion (2006)
GDP per capita	€ 19,050 (2006)
NUTS Region	FR9
Website	cr-martinique.fr

Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of 1,128 km² (436 sq mi). It is an overseas department of France. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is 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 many of its inhabitants also speak Antillean Creole (Créole Martiniquais) and Modern English. 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.

[edit] Geography

Main article: Geography of Martinique

Map of Martinique

[edit] Politics

Main article: Politics of Martinique

The 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.

[edit] History

Main article: History of Martinique

[edit] Subdivisions

Main article: Arrondissements of the Martinique department

Further information: Communes of the Martinique department and Cantons of the Martinique department

Martinique is divided into four arrondissements, 34 communes, and 45 cantons.

[edit] Environment

Tropical forest near Fond St-Denis

Les Salines, wide sand beach at the southern end of the island

The north of the island is mountainous and lushly forested. It features four ensembles of pitons (volcanoes) and mornes (mountains): the Piton Conil on the extreme North, which dominates the Dominica Channel; Mount Pelee, an active volcano; the Morne Jacob; and the Pitons du Carbet, an ensemble of five extinct volcanoes covered with rainforest and dominating the Bay of Fort de France at 1,196 meters. The highest of the island's many mountains, at 1397 meters, is the famous volcano Mount Pelée. Its volcanic ash has created gray and black sand beaches in the north (in particular between Anse Ceron and Anse des Gallets), contrasting markedly from the white sands of Les Salines in the south.

The south is more easily traversed, though it still features some impressive geographic features. Because it is easier to travel and because of the many beaches and food facilities throughout this region, the south receives the bulk of the tourist traffic. The beaches from Pointe de Bout, through Diamant (which features right off the coast of Roche de Diamant), St. Luce, the town of St. Anne and down to Les Salines are popular.

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Martinique

[edit] Historical population

Historical population
1700 estimate	1738 estimate	1848 estimate	1869 estimate	1873 estimate	1878 estimate	1883 estimate	1888 estimate	1893 estimate	1900 estimate
24,000	74,000	120,400	152,925	157,805	162,861	167,119	175,863	189,599	203,781
1954 census	1961 census	1967 census	1974 census	1982 census	1990 census	1999 census	2006 census	2007 estimate	2008 estimate
239,130	292,062	320,030	324,832	328,566	359,572	381,427	397,732	400,000	402,000
Official figures from past censuses and INSEE estimates.

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Martinique

Martinique dancers in traditional costume.

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 to allow a lengthy lunch, then reopen later in the afternoon. The official language is French. Many Martinicans speak Martinican Creole, a subdivision of Antillean Creole that is virtually identical to the varieties spoken in neighboring English-speaking islands of Saint Lucia and Dominica. Mostly based on French and African languages, Martinique's Creole also incorporates elements of English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Used among natives in oral storytelling traditions, it continues to be used more often in speech than in writing. Its use is predominant among friends and close family. Though it is normally not used in professional situations, members of the media and politicians have begun to use it more frequently as a way to redeem national identity and prevent cultural assimilation by mainland France. For the most part, the local Creole is intelligible to speakers of Standard French, as it has lost some of its distinct dialectal qualities.

Most of Martinique's population is descended from enslaved Africans brought to work on sugar plantations during the colonial era, generally mixed with some French, Amerindian(Carib people), Indian (Tamil), Lebanese or Chinese elements. Between 5 to 10% of the population is of Eastern Indian (Tamil) origin. The island also boasts a small Syro-Lebanese community, a small but increasing Chinese community, and the Béké community, descendants of European ethnic groups of the first French and British settlers, who still dominate parts of the agricultural and trade sectors of the economy. Whites represent 5% of the population.^[2] The Béké people (which totals around 5,000 people in the island, most of them of aristocratic origin by birth or after buying the title) generally live in mansions on the Atlantic coast of the island (mostly in the François - Cap Est district). In addition to the island population, the island hosts a metropolitan French community, most of which lives on the island on a temporary basis (generally from 3 to 5 years).

There are an estimated 260,000 people of Martinican origin living in mainland France, most of them in the Paris region.

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 (mainland France, especially Paris) is common for young adults. Martinique has been a vacation hotspot for many years, attracting French of both upper-class and more budget-conscious travelers.

Martinique has a hybrid cuisine, mixing elements of African, French, and Southeast Asian traditions. One of its most famous dishes is the Colombo, a unique curry of chicken (curry chicken), meat or fish with vegetables, spiced with a distinctive masala of Tamil origins, sparked with tamarind, and often containing wine, coconut milk, and rum. A strong tradition of créole desserts and cakes incorporate pineapple, rum, and a wide range of local ingredients.

[edit] In popular culture

Martinique was the main setting of the 1944 film To Have and Have Not starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
The island is mentioned in the song "Uffington wassail" by Half Man Half Biscuit.
In the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, the characters of Angelique Bouchard Collins, Josette du Pres, and Josette's family are from Martinique.
Martinique was featured in the 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, and in the movie Sugar Cane Alley.
Setting of Caridad Bravo Adams' novel Corazón Salvaje.
Much of the 1979 Italian thriller Concorde Affaire '79 took place on and around the island.
The Bugs Bunny cartoon "8 Ball Bunny"' saw Bugs and a showbiz penguin called Playboy stranded on Martinique.
"Martinique Blue" was a popular color used by automotive builder Pontiac, a division of General Motors, on 1978 Firebirds and Trans Ams. Also known as cowl tag color code 24.