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Martinique



 
 
Martinique is an island
Island

An island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets....
 in the eastern Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean situated in the mid-latitudes of the Western Hemisphere, bounded to the south and west by the Americas, with the North Atlantic Ocean proper to the northeast and the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest....
, having a land area of 1,128 km². It is an overseas department of France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
. To the northwest lies Dominica
Dominica

The Commonwealth of Dominica, commonly known as Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north/northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique....
, to the south St Lucia. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is also one of the twenty-six regions of France
Régions of France

France is divided into 26 regions or r?gions , of which 21 are in continental metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, and four lie overseas....
 (being an overseas region) and an integral part of the Republic. As part of France, Martinique is part of the European Union
European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European Union member state, located primarily in Europe. It was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community....
, and its currency is the euro
Euro

The euro is the official currency of 16 out of 27 European Union member state of the European Union . The states, known collectively as the Eurozone are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain....
. Its official language is French
French language

French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
, although many of its inhabitants also speak Antillean Creole
Antillean Creole

Antillean Creole is a French language-lexified creole language spoken primarily in the Lesser Antilles. Its grammar and vocabulary also include elements of Carib language and African languages....
 (Créole Martiniquais).






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Encyclopedia


Martinique is an island
Island

An island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets....
 in the eastern Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean situated in the mid-latitudes of the Western Hemisphere, bounded to the south and west by the Americas, with the North Atlantic Ocean proper to the northeast and the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest....
, having a land area of 1,128 km². It is an overseas department of France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
. To the northwest lies Dominica
Dominica

The Commonwealth of Dominica, commonly known as Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north/northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique....
, to the south St Lucia. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is also one of the twenty-six regions of France
Régions of France

France is divided into 26 regions or r?gions , of which 21 are in continental metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, and four lie overseas....
 (being an overseas region) and an integral part of the Republic. As part of France, Martinique is part of the European Union
European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European Union member state, located primarily in Europe. It was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community....
, and its currency is the euro
Euro

The euro is the official currency of 16 out of 27 European Union member state of the European Union . The states, known collectively as the Eurozone are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain....
. Its official language is French
French language

French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
, although many of its inhabitants also speak Antillean Creole
Antillean Creole

Antillean Creole is a French language-lexified creole language spoken primarily in the Lesser Antilles. Its grammar and vocabulary also include elements of Carib language and African languages....
 (Créole Martiniquais). Martinique is pictured on all euro banknotes
Euro banknotes

Euro banknotes are the banknotes of the euro, the currency of the eurozone . They have been in circulation since 2002 and are issued by the European Central Bank , each bearing the signature of the President of the European Central Bank....
, on the reverse at the bottom of each note, right of the Greek
Greek language

Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
 ???O (EURO) next to the denomination.

Geography


Politics

The inhabitants of Martinique are French
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 citizens with full political and legal rights. Martinique sends four deputies
Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a unique title, such as senate, and thus also have unique titles for its members, such as senators....
 to the French National Assembly and two senators to the French Senate. The President of France is Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd President of the French Republic and ex officio List of Co-Princes of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating Socialist Party candidate S?gol?ne Royal ten days earlier....
.

History


Subdivisions


Environment

The north of the island is mountainous and lushly forested. It features 4 ensembles of pitons and mornes: the Piton Conil on the extreme North, which dominates the Dominica Channel, the Mount Pelee, an active volcano, the Morne Jacob, and the Pitons du Carbet, an ensemble of 5 rainforest-covered extinct volcanoes dominating the Bay of Fort de France at 1,196 meters. The most dominating of the island's many mountains, with 1397 meters, is the infamous volcano Mount Pelée
Mount Pelée

Mount Pel?e is a dormant volcano volcano on the northern tip of the France overseas department of Martinique in the Lesser Antilles island arc of the Caribbean....
. The volcanic ash has created grey 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 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 all the way down to Les Salines are popular.

Demographics


Historical population

style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em"| 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
INSEE

INSEE is the France List of national and international statistical services for Statistics and Economic Studies. It collects and publishes information on the Economy of France and society, carrying out the periodic national census....
 estimates.


Culture

As an overseas département of France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
, Martinique's
Martinique

Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, having a land area of 1,128 km?. It is an overseas department of France. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia....
 culture blends French and Caribbean
Caribbean

The Caribbean is a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands , and the surrounding coasts. The region is located southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and Northern America, east of Central America, and to the north of South America....
 influences. The city of Saint-Pierre (destroyed by a volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée
Mount Pelée

Mount Pel?e is a dormant volcano volcano on the northern tip of the France overseas department of Martinique in the Lesser Antilles island arc of the Caribbean....
), was often referred to as the Paris
Paris

Paris is the Capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the ?le-de-France Regions of France ....
 of the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles

The Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees, are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Greater Antilles form the West Indies....
. Following traditional French custom, many businesses close at midday, then reopen later in the afternoon. The official language is French
French language

French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
, although many Martinicans speak Martinican Creole, a subdivision of Antillean Creole
Antillean Creole

Antillean Creole is a French language-lexified creole language spoken primarily in the Lesser Antilles. Its grammar and vocabulary also include elements of Carib language and African languages....
 virtually identical to the varieties spoken in neighbouring English-speaking islands of Saint Lucia and Dominica. Mostly based on French and African languages, Martinique's creole also incorporates a few elements of English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Originally passed down through oral storytelling traditions, it continues to be used more often in speech than in writing. Its use is predominant within friends and the family cell. Though it is normally not to be used in professional situations, it is being increasingly used in the media and by politicians as a way to redeem national identity and by fear from a complete cultural assimilation by mainland France. The local Creole is, for the most part, intelligible to speakers of Standard French, as it has lost some of its distinct dialectal qualities.

Most of Martinique's population is descended from African
Afro-Caribbean

The term Afro-Caribbean applies to Caribbean people of Black people African descent. It may also refer to:*British African-Caribbean community...
 slaves 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
Tamil people

Tamil people , are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the Sri Lankan Tamils of Sri Lanka. They speak Tamil language , with a recorded history going back five millennia....
) origin. The island also boasts a small Syro
Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is an Arab-majority country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north....
-Lebanese
Lebanese people

The Lebanese people are a Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
 community, a small but increasing Chinese
Overseas Chinese

Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese people birth or descent who live outside the territories administered by the rival governments of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China ....
 community, and the "Béké
Beke

There are several people with the name Beke:* Anton du Beke* Charles Beke * Thomas Beck * Zymbolakis & Van Beke * Beke, Ethiopia...
" community, White
European ethnic groups

The European peoples are the various nations and ethnic groups of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
 descendants from the first French and British settlers, which still dominate parts of the Agricultural and Trade sectors. Whites represent 5% of the population. The Béké people (which total 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 Parisian region.

Today, the island enjoys a higher standard of living than most other Caribbean countries. The finest French products are easily available, from Chanel
Chanel

Chanel S.A. ), is a Parisian fashion house created by Coco Chanel. Specializing in luxury goods , the Chanel label has become one of the most recognized names in luxury and haute couture fashion ....
 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 African, French, and 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
Masala

Masala ; ) is a term used in South Asian cuisines to describe a mixture of spices. A masala can either be a combination of dried spices, or a paste made from a mixture of spices and other ingredients--often garlic, ginger and onions....
 of 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.

Martinique in Popular Culture


  • Martinique was the main setting of the 1944 film To Have and Have Not
    To Have and Have Not (film)

    To Have and Have Not is a thriller film romance film war film adventure film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall that is nominally based on the novel To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway....
     starring Humphrey Bogart
    Humphrey Bogart

    Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an United_States_of_America actor and cultural icon. In 1997, Entertainment Weekly magazine named him the number one movie legend of all time....
     and Lauren Bacall
    Lauren Bacall

    Lauren Bacall is an American film and theater actress and Model . Known for her husky voice and sultry looks, she has continued acting to the present day....
    .
  • The island is mentioned in the song Uffington
    Uffington

    Uffington is the name of several places in England:*Uffington, Lincolnshire*Uffington, Oxfordshire*Uffington, Shropshire...
     wassail
    Wassail

    Wassail is a hot, spiced punch often associated with Christmas. Particularly popular in Germanic peoples countries, the term itself is a contraction of the Middle English phrase w?s h?il, meaning "be healthy"....
     by Half Man Half Biscuit
    Half Man Half Biscuit

    Half Man Half Biscuit, often "HMHB", is a United Kingdom rock band from Birkenhead, active since the mid-1980s, known for satirical, sardonic, and sometimes surreal songs....
    .
  • In the gothic soap opera
    Soap opera

    A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in Serial format on television or radio. Programs described as soap operas have existed as an entertainment long enough for audiences to recognize them simply by the term soap....
     Dark Shadows
    Dark Shadows

    Dark Shadows is a Gothic Romanticism soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the American Broadcasting Company television network, from June 27, 1966 to April 2, 1971....
    , the characters of Angelique Bouchard Collins
    Angelique the Witch

    Angelique Bouchard Collins, usually known as simply Angelique, was a villainess on the TV Gothic horror-soap opera Dark Shadows. She is primarily portrayed as a powerful witch driven by her vacillating love and hatred for the series' eventual protagonist, Barnabas Collins....
    , Josette du Pres
    Josette du Pres

    Josette DuPres or Josette Collins was a character played by Kathryn Leigh Scott during the 1795 flashback/alternate timeline on the cult TV serial Dark Shadows....
    , and Josette's family are from Martinique.
  • Martinique was also featured in the 1999 remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair
    The Thomas Crown Affair

    The Thomas Crown Affair is either of two films:* The Thomas Crown Affair , a 1968 film starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway* The Thomas Crown Affair , a 1999 remake of the 1968 film, starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo...
    ," and in the movie "Sugar Cane Alley
    Sugar Cane Alley

    Sugar Cane Alley is a 1983 in film film directed by Euzhan Palcy. It is set in Martinique in the 1930's, where blacks working sugarcane fields were still treated harshly by the white ruling class....
    ".
  • It is also mentioned in the Beach Boys hit "Kokomo
    Kokomo (song)

    "Kokomo" is a song written by John Phillips , Scott McKenzie, Mike Love and Terry Melcher and recorded by The Beach Boys in 1988. It was released as a single in 1988 at Elektra Records and became a No....
    " with the line "To Martinique, that Montserrat mystique"


Miscellaneous topics


  • Economy of Martinique
    Economy of Martinique

    Economy - overview:The economy is based on trade. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum....
  • Flag of Martinique
    Flag of Martinique

    The snake flag of Martinique has no official status on the island. It is a historical flag dating from an edict issued 4 August 1766, specifying that vessels of the French Colony of Martinique and Saint Lucia should fly a version of the French ensign, which at the time was a white cross on a blue field, with L-shaped snakes in each quarte...
  • List of media outlets in Martinique
  • Communications in Martinique
    Communications in Martinique

    Communications in Martinique...
  • Créole Patois
  • Holidays in Martinique
  • Military defense is the responsibility of France
    France

    France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
    .
    Military branches: French forces
    Military of France

    The Military of France encompasses an French Army, a French Navy, an French Air Force and a National Gendarmerie . The President of the French Republic heads the armed forces, with the title of "chef des arm?es" - "chief of the military forces"....
     (Army
    French Army

    The French Army, officially the Arm?e de Terre , is the Army component of the Military of France and its largest. As of 2007, the army employs 134,000 regular soldiers, 15,500 reservists, and 25,750 civilians....
    , Navy
    French Navy

    The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale , is the maritime arm of the French military. It consists of a full range of vessels, from patrol boats to guided missile frigates, and includes one nuclear aircraft carrier and ten nuclear submarines ....
    , Air force
    French Air Force

    The French Air Force is the air force of the Military of France. Formed in 1909 as the Service A?ronautique, it is the world?s oldest military air service....
    ), Gendarmerie
  • Transportation in Martinique
  • Aimé Césaire
    Aimé Césaire

    Aim? Fernand David C?saire was an Black peopleMartinique francophone poet, author and politician....
  • Scouts et Guides de Martinique
  • Frantz Fanon
    Frantz Fanon

    Frantz Fanon was a psychiatrist, philosophy, revolutionary, and author from Martinique. He was influential in the field of post-colonial studies and was perhaps the pre-eminent thinker of the 20th century on the issue of decolonization and the psychopathology of colonization....
  • Édouard Glissant
    Édouard Glissant

    Edouard Glissant is a France writer, poet and literary critic. He is widely recognised as being one of the most influential figures in Caribbean thought and cultural commentary....
  • Créolité
    Créolité

    Cr?olit? is a literary movement first developed in the 1980s by Martinique writers Patrick Chamoiseau, Jean Bernab? and Rapha?l Confiant. The trio published Eloge de la cr?olit? in 1989 as a response to the perceived inadequacies of the n?gritude movement....
  • Négritude
    Négritude

    N?gritude is a literary and political movement developed in the 1930s by a group that included the future Senegalese President L?opold S?dar Senghor, Martinique poet Aim? C?saire, and the French Guiana L?on Damas....
  • Ronny Turiaf
    Ronny Turiaf

    Ronny Turiaf is a France professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. He also plays as a member of the France national basketball team....
  • Philémond-Montout Jimmy
  • Patrick Chamoiseau
    Patrick Chamoiseau

    Patrick Chamoiseau is a France author from Martinique known for his work in the cr?olit? movement....
  • Guy Deslaurier


See also


External links

Government
  • - Official site
  • Official site
General informationTravel
  • - Official siteOther
  • - the European rally champion from Martinique
  • - Documentary by Ali Sattarpour