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)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995); Prefect Jean-Francois CORDET (since NA)
head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE
(since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred
MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
cabinet: NA
elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice
of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
and a unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council-last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA
2000); Regional Assembly-last held on NA March 1998 (next to be held
by March 2004)
election results: General Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats
by party-NA; note-the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly-percent
of vote by party - NA; seats by party-NA
note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last
held 24 September 1995 (next to be held September 1998);
results-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PS 2; Martinique
also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results-percent of vote by
party-NA; seats by party-RPR 2, PS 1, independent 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre
LESUEUR]; Martinique F