evation 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: 8%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 17%
forests and woodland: 44%
other : 23% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)

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

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

@Martinique:People

Population: 402,984 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 46,906; female 45,800)
15-64 years: 67% (male 133,500; female 136,773)
65 years and over : 10% (male 16,890; female 23,115) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.07% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 16.69 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.88 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.98 years
male: 76.21 years
female: 81.83 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective: Martiniquais

Ethnic groups: African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%,
East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%

Languages: French, Creole patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 92%
female: 93% (1982 est.)

@Martinique:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique
local long form : Departement de la Martinique
local short form: Martinique

Data code: MB

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

National capital: Fort-de-France

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)