(2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Marshall Islands

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Marshall Islands

Disputes - international:
claims US territory of Wake Island

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Martinique

Introduction Martinique

Background:
Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a
French possession except for three brief periods of foreign
occupation.

Geography Martinique

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
14 40 N, 61 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 1,100 sq km
water: 40 sq km
land: 1,060 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
350 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October);
vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on
average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Terrain:
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m

Natural resources:
coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Land use:
arable land: 10.38%
permanent crops: 9.43%
other: 80.19% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one
major natural disaster every five years)

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted
and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000
inhabitants

People Martinique

Population:
429,510 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.6% (male 49,245; female 47,845)
15-64 years: 67% (male 143,893; female 143,963)
65 years and over: