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 in the Caribbean Sea, 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: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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% permanent crops: 11% other: 79% (1998 est.)

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: 422,277 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 49,261; female 47,843) 15-64
years: 66.8% (male 140,616; female 141,460) 65 years and over: 10.2%
(male 19,274; female 23,823) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.89% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 15.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 77.92 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.79 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA