1989 Edition

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October)

Coastline

290 km

Comparative area

slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation

Environment

subject to hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity that result in an average of one major natural disaster every five years

Extended economic zone

200 nm

Flag

blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner — orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

Land boundaries

none

Land use

10% arable land; 8% permanent crops; 30% meadows and pastures; 26% forest and woodland; 26% other; includes 5% irrigated

Natural resources

coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Note

located 625 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea

Terrain

mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Territorial sea

12 nm

Total area

1,100 km2; land area: 1,060 km2

Total area

phone (202) 223-4952; US— Representative Samuel B. THOMSEN; US Office at NA address (mailing address is P. O. Box 680, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960); telephone 692-9-3348

Birth rate

19 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

7 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

90% African and African-Caucasian-Indian mixture, 5% Caucasian, less than 5% East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese

Infant mortality rate

1 1 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

100,000; 31.7% service industry, 29.4% construction and public works, 13.1% agriculture, 7.3% industry, 2.2% fisheries, 16. 3% other

Language

French, Creole patois

Life expectancy at birth

7 1 years male, 77 years female (1990)

Literacy

over 70%

Nationality

noun — Martiniquais (sing, and pi.); adjective — Martiniquais

Net migration rate

—3 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

1 1 % of labor force

Population

340,381 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)

Religion

95% Roman Catholic, 5% Hindu and pagan African

Total fertility rate

2.1 children born/ woman (1990) Martinique (continued)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas department of France)

Capital

Fort-de-France

Communists

1,000 (est.)

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Diplomatic representation

as an overseas department of France, Martiniquais interests are represented in the US by France; US— Consul General Ray ROBINSON; Consulate General at 14 Rue Blenac, Fort-de-France (mailing address is B. P. 561, Fort-de-France); telephone [596] 6313-03

Elections

General Council— last held on NA 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 1 6 March 1986 (next to be held by March 1992); results— UDF/ RPR coalition 49.8%, PPM/FSM/PCM coalition 41.3%, others 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

Executive branch

government commissioner

Flag

the flag of France is used

Independence

none (overseas department of France)

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)

Legal system

French legal system

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council

Long-form name

Department of Martinique

Member of

WFTU

National holiday

Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Other political or pressure groups

Proletarian Action Group (GAP); Alhed MarieJeanne 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

Political parties

Rally for the Republic (RPR), Stephen Bago; Union of the Left composed of the Progressive Party of Martinique (PPM), Aime Cesaire; Socialist Federation of Martinique, Michael Yoyo; and the Communist Party of Martinique (PCM), Armand Nicolas; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Jean Maran

Suffrage

universal at age 18

Type

overseas department of France

Agriculture

coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits, copra; pigs, chickens

accounts for about 7% of GDP; principal crops — pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, and sugarcane for rum; dependent on imported food, particularly meat and vegetables

Aid

under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US is to provide approximately $40 million in aid annually

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (197087), $9.8 billion

Budget

revenues $55 million; expenditures NA, including capital expenditures of NA (1987 est.)

revenues $223 million; expenditures $223 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987 est.)

Currency

US currency is used

French franc (plural — francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Electricity

12,000 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 240 kWh per capita (1989)

108,000 kW capacity; 330 million kWh produced, 990 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

French francs (F) per US$1— 5.7598 (January 1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852(1985) Fiscal yean calendar year

Exports

$2.5 million (f.o.b., 1985); commodities— copra, copra oil, agricultural products, handicrafts; partners — NA

$209 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities— refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples; partners — France 65%, Guadeloupe 26% (1986)

External debt

$NA

SNA

Fiscal year

1 October-30 September

GDP

$63 million, per capita $1,500; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)

$1.3 billion, per capita $3,650; real growth rate NA% (1984)

Imports

$29.2 million (c.i.f., 1985); commodities— foodstuffs, beverages, building materials; partners — NA

$879 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities— petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods; partners — France 64% (1986)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

growth rate NA%

Industries

copra, fish, tourism; craft items from shell, wood, and pearl; offshore banking (embryonic)

construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.6% (1981)

3.4% (1986)

Overview

Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy. Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. A few cattle ranches supply the domestic meat market. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry is the primary source of foreign exchange and employs about 10% of the labor force. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. In 1987 the US Government provided grants of $40 million out of the Marshallese budget of $55 million.

The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 7% 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, however, 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. In 1984 the annual per capita income was relatively high at $3,650. During 1985 the unemployment rate was between 25% and 30% and was particularly severe among younger workers.

Unemployment rate

NA%

25-30% (1985)

Airports

5 total, 5 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

2 total; 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways less than 2,439 m

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

Highways

macadam and concrete roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks

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

Merchant marine

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 475,968 GRT/949,888 DWT; includes 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 bulk carrier; note — a flag of convenience registry

Note

defense is the responsibility of the US / .Rfviir* Salee > Le V.uclin

defense is the responsibility of

Ports

Majuro

Fort-de-France

Telecommunications

telephone network — 570 lines (Majuro) and 186 (Ebeye); telex services; islands interconnected by shortwave radio (used mostly for government purposes); stations — 1 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein Defense Forces

domestic facilities are adequate; 68,900 telephones; interisland radio relay links to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and St. Lucia; stations — 1 AM, 6 FM, 10 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations Defense Forces