Canada (2001) | Martinique (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory* | none (overseas department of France) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
18.95% (male 3,067,102; female 2,918,839) 15-64 years: 68.28% (male 10,846,151; female 10,725,800) 65 years and over: 12.77% (male 1,715,071; female 2,319,842) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 22.8% (male 49,310; female 47,908)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 142,242; female 142,688) 65 years and over: 10.3% (male 19,656; female 24,162) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish | pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane |
Airports | 1,417 (2000 est.) | 2 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
517 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 151 914 to 1,523 m: 244 under 914 m: 89 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
900 1,524 to 2,437 m: 74 914 to 1,523 m: 362 under 914 m: 464 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total:
9,976,140 sq km land: 9,220,970 sq km water: 755,170 sq km |
total: 1,100 sq km
land: 1,060 sq km water: 40 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than the US | slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country. | Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation. |
Birth rate | 11.21 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 14.96 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$126.1 billion expenditures: $125.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.8 billion (2000) |
revenues: $900 million
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996) |
Capital | Ottawa | Fort-de-France |
Climate | varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north | 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 |
Coastline | 243,791 km | 350 km |
Constitution | 17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Canada |
conventional long form: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique local short form: Martinique |
Currency | Canadian dollar (CAD) | euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 7.47 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.9 billion (2000) | $180 million (1994) |
Dependency status | - | overseas department of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Gordon D. GIFFIN embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430 telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470 FAX: [1] (613) 238-5720 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver |
none (overseas department of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael KERGIN chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740 FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Francisco, and San Jose |
none (overseas department of France) |
Disputes - international | maritime boundary disputes with the US (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island) | none |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.3 billion (1999) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA; note - substantial annual aid from France |
Economy - overview | As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. Real rates of growth have averaged nearly 3.0% since 1993. Unemployment is falling and government budget surpluses are being partially devoted to reducing the large public sector debt. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which included Mexico) have touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas, which has been raising the possibility of a split in the federation. Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of professional persons lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense high-tech infrastructure. | The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. 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. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. |
Electricity - consumption | 497.532 billion kWh (1999) | 1.07 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 42.911 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 12.953 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 567.193 billion kWh (1999) | 1.151 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
26.38% hydro: 60% nuclear: 12.31% other: 1.31% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation |
- |
Ethnic groups | British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26% | African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Chinese less than 5% |
Exchange rates | Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.5032 (January 2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996) | euros per US dollar - 1.06 euros per US dollar - 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by the governor general to become prime minister |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Michel CADOT (since 21 June 2000)
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: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president 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 |
Exports | $272.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | motor vehicles and parts, newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, aluminum, telecommunications equipment, electricity | refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples (2001 est.) |
Exports - partners | US 86%, Japan 3%, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China (1999) | France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band | a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $774.7 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
3% industry: 31% services: 66% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 6%
industry: 11% services: 83% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $24,800 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.3% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 60 00 N, 95 00 W | 14 40 N, 61 00 W |
Geography - note | second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 85% of the population is concentrated within 300 km of the US/Canada border | 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 |
Heliports | 18 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
901,902 km paved: 318,371 km (including 16,571 km of expressways) unpaved: 583,531 km (1999) |
total: 2,105 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
2.8% highest 10%: 23.8% (1994) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market | transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe |
Imports | $238.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods, electricity | petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods |
Imports - partners | US 76%, Japan 3%, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea (1999) | France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2000) |
Independence | 1 July 1867 (from UK) | none (overseas department of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.5% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas | construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 7.44 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.6% (2000) | 3.9% (1990) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC | FZ, WCL, WFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 760 (2000 est.) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 7,100 sq km (1993 est.) | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice) | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel |
Labor force | 16.1 million (2000) | 165,900 (1998) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 74%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 3% (2000) | agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997) |
Land boundaries | total:
8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska) |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
5% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 54% other: 38% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 9.43%
permanent crops: 11.32% other: 79.25% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5% | French, Creole patois |
Legal system | based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | French legal system |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (a body whose members are appointed to serve until reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 27 November 2000 (next to be held 2005) election results: percent of vote by party as of January 2001 - Liberal Party 42%, Canadian Alliance 22%, Bloc Quebecois 13%, New Democratic Party 4%, Progressive Conservative Party 4%; seats by party as of January 2001 - Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12 |
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 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3 note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
79.56 years male: 76.16 years female: 83.13 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 78.72 years
male: 79.27 years female: 78.16 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% (1986 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.7% male: 97.4% female: 98.1% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago |
Map references | North America | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,767,259 GRT/2,633,290 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 67, cargo 13, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 17, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Canadian Forces (includes Land Forces Command or LC, Maritime Command or MC, Air Command or AC, Communications Command or CC, Training Command or TC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) | no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $7.5 billion (FY00/01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% (FY00/01) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
8,325,084 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
7,114,851 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
215,627 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Independence Day/Canada Day, 1 July (1867) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun:
Canadian(s) adjective: Canadian |
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective: Martiniquais |
Natural hazards | continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow | hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) |
Natural resources | iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower | coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land |
Net migration rate | 6.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | crude and refined oil 23,564 km; natural gas 74,980 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Canadian Alliance [Stockwell DAY]; Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN]; New Democratic Party [Alexa MCDONOUGH]; Progressive Conservative Party [Joe CLARK] | Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Pierre SUEDILLE]; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Camille DARSIERES]; Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP |
Population | 31,592,805 (July 2001 est.) | 425,966 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.99% (2001 est.) | 0.85% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor | Fort-de-France, La Trinite |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 535, FM 53, shortwave 6 (1998) | AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 32.3 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
36,114 km; note - there are two major transcontinental freight railway systems: Canadian National (privatized November 1995) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service provided by government-operated firm VIA, which has no trackage of its own standard gauge: 36,114 km 1.435-m gauge (156 km electrified) (1998) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 40%, other 18% | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%, other 3.5% (1997) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
excellent service provided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) |
general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 18.5 million (1999) | 170,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 4.207 million (1997) | 15,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 80 (plus many repeaters) (1997) | 11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast | mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano |
Total fertility rate | 1.6 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6.8% (2000 est.) | 27.2% (1998) |
Waterways | 3,000 km (including Saint Lawrence Seaway) | none |