Martinique (2006) | Mayotte (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas department of France) | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 22.1% (male 48,988/female 47,525)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 147,082/female 146,470) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 20,791/female 25,275) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 46.2% (male 44,926/female 44,521)
15-64 years: 52.1% (male 54,713/female 46,156) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,666/female 1,651) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra |
Airports | 2 (2006) | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
- |
Area | total: 1,100 sq km
land: 1,060 sq km water: 40 sq km |
total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The French began to settle this island in 1635, overcoming resistance from the local Carib inhabitants. In 1660, the suviving natives were rounded up and permanently expelled. The island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation. | Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence. |
Birth rate | 13.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 41.58 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $317.5 million
expenditures: $317.5 million; including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1991 est.) |
Capital | name: Fort-de-France
geographic coordinates: 14 36 N, 61 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Mamoutzou |
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 | tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) |
Coastline | 350 km | 185.2 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique local short form: Martinique |
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte |
Death rate | 6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $180 million (1994) | $NA |
Dependency status | overseas department of France | territorial collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas department of France) | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas department of France) | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | none | claimed by Comoros |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA; note - substantial annual aid from France (1998) | $107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995) |
Economy - overview | 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. | Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.12 billion kWh (2003) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | - |
Electricity - production | 1.205 billion kWh (2003) | NA kWh |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian and Chinese less than 5% | NA |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) | euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004); note - took office 8 February 2004
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 for six-year terms |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI (since NA 2004) 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 the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $3.44 million f.o.b. (1997) |
Exports - commodities | refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples | ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon |
Exports - partners | France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2004) | France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | unofficial flag, derives from the civil ensign flown by French merchant ships and dates to 1766; a blue field quartered by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white, coiled snake representing the venomous Fer-de-lance; the flag of France is used for official occasions | the flag of France is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 6%
industry: 11% services: 83% (1997 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 14 40 N, 61 00 W | 12 50 S, 45 10 E |
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 | part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands |
Highways | - | total: 93 km
paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe | - |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $141.3 million f.o.b. (1997) |
Imports - commodities | petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods | food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals |
Imports - partners | France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2004) | France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.) |
Independence | none (overseas department of France) | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism | newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction |
Infant mortality rate | total: 6.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 62.4 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 68.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 56.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | NA% |
International organization participation | UPU, WCL, WFTU | UPU |
Irrigated land | 70 sq km (2003) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel | Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel |
Labor force | 165,900 (1998) | 48,800 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 10%
industry: 17% services: 73% (1997) |
- |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 9.09%
permanent crops: 10% other: 80.91% (2005) |
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
Languages | French, Creole patois | Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population |
Legal system | French legal system | French law |
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 Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held March 2000 (next to be held in 2006); Regional Council - last held on 28 March 2004 (next to be held by March 2010) 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 Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%; seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9, other 4 note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held September 2004 (next to be held September 2008); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 1, left-wing candidate 1; 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, PMS 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) |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election in June 2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.18 years
male: 79.5 years female: 78.85 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 61.39 years
male: 59.22 years female: 63.62 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.7% male: 97.4% female: 98.1% (2003 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Gendarmerie | - |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective: Martiniquais |
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
Natural hazards | hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) | cyclones during rainy season |
Natural resources | coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land | NEGL |
Net migration rate | -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 5.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT]; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE]; 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] | Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; FARC [leader NA]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR (UMP) [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | 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 | NA |
Population | 436,131 (July 2006 est.) | 193,633 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.72% (2006 est.) | 3.93% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Dzaoudzi |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%, other 3.5% (1997) | Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) |
Sex ratio | 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: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 172,000 (2001) | 10,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 319,900 (2002) | 21,700 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997) | 3 (2001) |
Terrain | mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano | generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 5.89 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 27.2% (1998) | 38% (1999) |