The Martinique is at the same time a area of overseas and a Overseas department (number 972 ) French. This island was called “Madinina” - literally “the island with the flowers”. It became French in 1635. It belongs to the archipelago of the the Antilles is located in the Caribbean Sea, to approximately 450 km in the North-East of the coasts of the South America, and approximately 700 km in the south-east of the Dominican Republic.

History

See also: History of Martinique

The settlement of Martinique is relatively recent. Its history is largely marked by that of the colonization of America, the wars of influence between the old European colonial empires, the evolution of the agricultural activities, the eruption of the Peeled Mountain of 1902 and the calamities climatic, as well as modern independence claims.

Administration

See also: Political of Martinique, Common of Martinique

The prefecture of the department is Fort-de-France. Martinique constitutes with the Guadeloupe, located at approximately 150 km more at north, and the Guyana located on the continent at the north of South America, the French departments of America (DFA).

The area of Martinique east one of the nine ultraperipheric areas of the European Union.

A new organization was considered, in which the regional institution and the departmental institution would amalgamate in a single institution. This proposal was disallowed to 50,48% during the consultation of December 7th, 2003, just as in Guadeloupe and Guyana, but was approved in the old islands of the North of the Guadeloupe (St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre and Saint Martin's day) which were since then detached from the Guadeloupe to become communities of overseas distinct, an effective separation since July 2007.

Geography

Physical geography

Of an total surface area of 1  128  km ², Martinique is stretched in the north-western axis - south-east on approximately 60 km. The culminating point is the Volcan of the Peeled Montagne (1  397 m). As the remainder of the Lesser Antilles, Martinique is subjected to the seismic risk: thus, the November 29th 2007 to 3 p.m., local time, a Séisme of Magnitude 7,3 on the scale of Richter took place in broad island. Its coordinates are 14°40" NR, 61°00" W.

One generally separates Martinique in two distinct zones. On the one hand, a zone located at the North of an axis Fort-de-France - the Robert, wetland with the luxuriant vegetation and the important relief. The Peeled Mountain, the Pitons of Carbet occupies the center of this zone, covered with a forest of the Amazonian type. And so in the east of these reliefs, the climate is windy and wet, swept by the Alizé S of the Atlantic, the west profits from a protection and a climate much drier, in particular in the neighborhoods of Carbet.

In the south, one finds a zone with the less important reliefs, with the less abundant vegetation, the drier climate and which comprises the majority of the tourist installations of the island.

Situation

Martinique is an island of the archipelago of the Lesser Antilles, located between the island of the Dominique at North and the island of St Lucia in the South, between the latitudes 14° 50 ' NR and 14° 23 ' NR and with the average longitude of 64° 12 ' W. It is to 7000 km of the European coasts and 400 km of the coasts Sud-américaines (Venezuela).

Its North-South length is of approximately 60 km whereas its greater width, on the level of the peninsula of the Caravel, hardly exceeds the 20km.

Its surface is approximately 1100 km ², according to whether one takes or not of them counts the many islets which border it, the figures published vary. One traditionally said in primary school education 1111 km ², for the mnemotechnical side of the figure. This the place with the third rank after Trinidad and the Guadeloupe in the string of islands which constitutes the Lesser Antilles.

Relief and geological formation

The relief is broken on this island of volcanic origin. The old volcanic zones correspond to the extreme south of the island (Savane of the petrifications) and to Presque island of the Caravel in the east. The island developed in the last 20 million years by a succession of eruptions and displacements of the volcanic activity towards north. The last volcano in date, always active, is the Peeled Mountain, which occupies all the current north of the island and culminates with 1396 meters.

Following phenomena of erosion always violent one in Martinique because of the strong rainfall due to the oceanic evaporation brought by the Trade wind S, the high volcanos of recent formation located at the North of the island (Peeled Mount and Pitons of Carbet (1196 meters)) make place, in the south, with the “dull ones” at the tops rounded or dishes and the strong slopes of an altitude generally ranging between 100 and 300 meters.

The mountain of Vauclin, culminating point of the south of the island, has 504 m of altitude. Plains located at the Center and in coastal edge, " fonds" , are separated by escarpments and are generally low-size.

Fauna

Martinique has only few indigenous animal species.

See also: List of the species of birds of Martinique

Watery fauna

On more 200km of littoral, it is an unsuspected festival of forms and colors. With same the shore, the Caribbean Coast, always sheltered Trade winds, is bordered by a practically uninterrupted coral reef, where the fish broad circulate and where shelters sedentary fauna.

Under the slickenside, the terrestrial flowers yield the place to the marine flowers. Sponges, anemones, gorgones open out in the crystalline clearness of the coral gardens.

You will discover a world with the myriads of colors: plants, minerals, fish… an extraordinary world. Coral, starfishes, porcelains, fish angel, surgeons, sponges, parrots.

It is necessary however to announce the strong degradation of these mediums during the twenty last years . The pollution of industrial origin, in particular distillings, the intensive fill of the zones of mangrove, true nurseries for many fish species, as well as fishing is at the origin of a considerable regression of the surface of the reefs and of a major reduction in the number and variety of fish (on this subject, to see the site of the Regional management of the environment of Martinique: http://www.martinique.ecologie.gouv.fr)

Terrestrial fauna

Side sky, Martinique is the country of will hérons buff-backed herons, of the hummingbirds (4 species in Martinique: the Madeira hummingbird, the crested hummingbird, the green hummingbird with falle and the hummingbird with blue head) and of the sugar bowls (recognizable with their yellow belly).

Side ground, mongeese been essential to make decrease the population of snakes `spearhead' (or trigonocéphale). Unfortunately, the consequences were serious, since the mongeese also destroyed many endemic species of birds completely disappeared today. Nowadays, you will more easily meet many small inoffensive green lizards, the Anolis as well as the mabouyas, rather translucent chestnuts, they are very apprehensive and leave during the night. With the turnings of the paths, you will often meet touloulou (reddish ground crab) which you will appreciate in your plate.

The mygales or Matoutou cliff are done discrete, but station. Here two species resident:

Acanthoscurria antillensis is a terricole mygale which lives exclusively in the south of Martinique, of River-Pilot while passing through Cape-Knight until the Three-Islets. One starts all the same to find some a little everywhere on the island. This species is rather aggressive and bites without preventing!

Avicularia versicolor is arboricolous and lives in the north of Martinique, in the wet tropical forest of Précheur with Large-River. It is one of most beautiful the mygales world. This species is relatively calm and not very aggressive. It should be known that Avicularia versicolor is protected locally.

In the insects, in addition to the eternal cockroach (cockroach), prolific and inoffensive (compared with the metropolitan cockroach, this one is gigantic), the mosquito remains indéracinable of its place of the parasites of our nights, especially close to the stretches of water and the underwoods.

With laying down sun, you will hear the small frogs which share the night with the manicous; West-Indian opossums protected but well badly treated by the roads.

Summary drawn from the site of the Gold of the Islands

Vegetation

For in love ones with nature, plants, flowers, Martinique is a true paradise. Moreover, it carries its nickname " very well; The island with the fleurs"

The island counts several hundreds of species different of plants and flowers, dazzling of the sight with a multitude of colors: Anthuriums, Bougainvillers, Pinks of Porcelain, Hibiscus, Balisiers etc.toutes more beautiful ones than the others.

You will certainly be impressed by the luxuriance of the ferns, of the plants, the size of the trees.

the relief determines which type of vegetation you will meet. The tropical forest has something of envoûtant with its tree ferns going up up to two meters in height and its tangles of roots and lianas in which the hunters and hikers frayent a way with blows of large knife or machete. You will certainly be subjugated by the trees with wood (Mahogany tree, Courbaril, Mahogany etc), with which are made the most beautiful pieces of furniture. Certain trees can reach 45m top, like the mahogany, tree invaluable of the Antilles. With the south, cactées and the fatty plants divide the ground with insane grasses. The mangrove constitutes another type of tropical vegetation, with its mangroves and its not very deep currents of water. You can see of it, if you visit the peninsula of the Caravel (natural reserve). The palm trees and the trees of the traveller are everywhere; and if they form part of the landscape today, it is interesting to note that they were imported of Indian Ocean and South America. Many fruit trees are also present on the island (avocado trees, breadfruit trees, plum trees, tamariniers etc). Side flowers, Martinique did not fail in its reputation and, where that you are, you will be able to admire all these tropical flowers with the coloured names: héliconias, birds of the paradise, hibiscus, blazing, bougainvilleas, etc

Another pleasure of the eyes… and the palate: tropical fruit and vegetables. Pineapples, coconut, plum of cythère, jujube, corossol, sweetsop, caïmite, apple of water, carambola, Guava (to be pronounced gwayav), bananas, apricot country, grapes of sea… for the fruits, yam, sweet potato, cabbages of China (dachine), christophine, fruit with bread etc.pour the vegetables, their names and their savors let plane an exotic perfume.

Summary drawn from the site the Gold of the islands

Climate and mode of the winds

Martinique has a very tropical climate

Seasons

“The year divides in Martinique into two quite distinct seasons and of unequal duration: the dry season, which begin in November and finish in July, and the wet season or wintering, which include/understand only September, August and October.” It is in these terms that M.P. Monnier, Engineer Hydrographe of the Navy, presented in 1829 the succession of the seasons in Martinique. But, like it further specifies it, “the dry season does not justify the denomination that one gives him, that as much as one compares it with that of the wintering”. If the rains during the wintering are often more violent and moreover long life, it remains less true about it than during the season known as " sèche" the rains continue to fall, in a sporadic way and for short periods.

The modern nautical instructions distinguish two marked seasons, related to precipitations: the wet season, from May to November, and the season dries from February to April. This dry season, corresponds normally to a period of hot seasons and dryness. As it starts normally after the carnival it is called Lent. In practice the fluctuations are numerous. There are longer winterings or more courts according to the years or many late or early winterings, of the very dry or rainy Lents.

The mode of the winds

The climate is characterized by a mode of constant winds, the trade winds, which reign on the island during the major part of the year. They blow of in the East systematically, growing during the morning and decreasing during the afternoon to fall the evening. It is the mode of wind of the dry season during which the passages of the wind with the SE or the S are always of very short duration (a few hours).

The climate of Martinique is directly regulated by the positions of the anticyclone of the Azores which directs the trade wind of the North-East, and of the zone of low equatorial pressures where the trade winds of the northern hemisphere meet those of the southern hemisphere, along the intertropical Zone of convergence (ZIC).

During the time of the wintering, the mode of the winds is much more unstable. They vary ENE in the West while passing by the South. For this period, the wind can remain during several days of Southern sector. This Southern sector all the more dreaded at the time of the colony, that most of bays were fringed of mangrove and that the wind then pushed back on the island the emanations of these marshes, was considered unhealthy and dangerous for Europeans recently installed.

Pluviometry

Pluviometry is a determining factor of the climate inhabitant of Martinique. The seasonal variations between Lent and wintering are sensitive on the whole of the island. It falls on average 80 mm from water in March in Lamentin (flat power station located at the level of bay of Fort-de-France) and 260 mm of water in October.

Temperatures

The trade winds attenuate the feeling of wet heat related to the tropical climate. The average temperature is all the year of 26 °C. The hottest months are those of March, April, May, while the freshest months are those of December and January. The hottest temperatures recorded were it with Saint-Pierre with 37 °C in April and the May 1986 and lowest approximately 12 °C with Bottom-Saint-Denis (between Pitons of Carbet and Peeled Montagne) in March 1965. One notes on average six days per annum with the Lamentin a temperature lower than 18 °C

Tropical cyclones or hurricanes

The zone of the Antilles is prone to the development of Cyclone S. Following the moments of the year these depressions come from the Atlantic (Cape Verde) or the center of and the Gulf of Mexico Caribbean Sea (in the west of the meridian line 80°). On Martinique the trajectory of the cyclones is generally E-O or SOUNDS.

The frequency curve of the cyclones shows that they cross the Caribbean one between November and June and pass preferentially to Martinique, in August and September.

The cyclone S constitute a major danger to the populations and the installations, like the hurricane Dean which because of large damage in August 2007, in particular on the plantations of Banane S and cane with sugar. ² the inhabitants of Martinique await the financial aid of the metropolis and the national support; they acceuillent with heat the Prime Minister and the Minister for the DOM. More than 5000 dwellings are destroyed and it will be necessary to count on the subsidies of the French government.

Coast with the wind or Cabesterre

The east coast, or coast with the wind of the islands, traditionally bore in the Antilles the name of Cabesterre or Capesterre. The cabesterre term in Martinique more specifically indicates the zone of the peninsula of the Caravel. This coast with the wind, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, is directly exposed with the Alizés winds and the Atlantic swell coming from the broad one.

The northern part energy of the Macouba to Sainte-Marie is primarily bordered of cliffs with very few dampings and access to the sea. Navigation is limited there to inshore fishing with the small traditional boats of Martinique. Between Sainte-Marie and the Trinity the coast becomes less abrupt and the roads of the Trinity, although exposed to the Trade winds and relatively not very deep, are one of best of Martinique. Off this zone the bottom quickly reach the 60 meters depth forming a large plate extending to several miles with the broad one.

The Presqu'île of the Caravel clearly separates the Atlantic northern coast and the Atlantic southern part. It marks also a Net change of the nature of the funds. A line of fringing reefs follows the coast since the point of the Caravel until the extreme south of the island approaching little by little the coast until melting itself with it. These remainders of a paléolittoral constitute a major danger to navigation.

These reefs or Cayes as one calls them in the Antilles, from which certain emergent and others are covered only with a few meters of water (because of the danger that they represent they bear to the islands the evocative name of " loup" , Wolf of Bordeaux, wolf minister etc, from which the name often comes from a ship which sank there) caused in the history the shipwreck of many ships.

Lee shore or Caribbean

Contrary to the Atlantic coast, the Caribbean coast is sheer, and presented only few dangers to navigation (some cayes borders the coast on the southern littoral between the Diamant and the Sailor).

In the sector of Saint-Pierre, with the foot of the Peeled Mountain, the funds of 100 meters are sometimes with only 400 meters of the coast.

Cities

The communes of Martinique are the following ones:

Economy

See Economy of Martinique

Demography

The census of 1999 enters 381.427 inhabitants, for 1.128 km ², that is to say one population density of 338 inhabitants to the km ², against 106 at the national level As in the majority of the islands, this density increases: 255 hab /km2 in 1961,319 in 1990,354 in 2006, in spite of a recent fall of fruitfulness.

The population is mainly made up of African and Of Afro-Européo-Indians to 90% and 5% of Européens. There are other populations come from the continent of Asia, in particular of the area tamoule to India, and China towards the end of the 19th century and the the Middle East at the 20th century. Martinique knows a strong interbreeding, giving a population of the " type; creole ".

The inhabitant of Martinique family

The inhabitants of Martinique families are characterized by a considerable proportion of single-parent hearths, 38% of the families INSEE 1999.

Roger Bastide particularly studied the black families American, present in all the areas of this continent where existed the draft négrière. Jean Benoît described very finely the types of inhabitants of Martinique families in the years 1960. This typology remains completely of topicality.

The history of these families can be explained by the coexistence of three phenomena: the cultural contribution of the Africa and the African family models, (theory of Herskovits), consequences of the Slavery and dislocations family (theory of Frazier). Lastly, another Smith author, underlines the economic dimension which leads the mothers to successive unions for reasons of economic survival.

In the songs, the traditions, the proverbs, it is mentioned mother, woman " poto mitan" , main beam in the hearth. It should be noted however that the contemporary families are mainly families where both parents are present (INSEE Martinique).

Madam Scarron, become Madam de Maintenon when it was widowed of her husband the writer Paul Scarron, passed his childhood to Martinique, and was called the beautiful Indian.

Art and culture

There does not exist more one art inhabitant of Martinique that a West-Indian art. To find an originality artistic, it would be necessary to extend to the whole of the Caribbean and to go back to one posterior time on arrival of Christophe Colomb.

French and the Créole inhabitant of Martinique are spoken in Martinique.

The very prolific literature inhabitant of Martinique is of an incommensurable richness. Martinique acquired its international repute thanks to its great writers, thinkers and intellectuals. Its three great writers of world class are incontestably, Aimé Césaire , Edouard Glissant and Frantz Fanon .

Here the nonexhaustive list of the novelists, poets, playwrights, essay writers, sociologists and philosophical inhabitants of Martinique:

Literary currents of Martinique:

  • " Antillanité" and " Créolité"

The painters inhabitant of Martinique of national or international fame:

Scenario writers and scenario writers inhabitant of Martinique of national or international fame:

Singers, musicians or inhabitant of Martinique groups of national or international fame:

Culinary specialities

  • agricultural Rum: rum famous AOC as being one of best world, in particular its “old rum” out-of-date out of barrels of oak.

Drinks

  • The country
  • Dlo kako (chocolate with water)

Dishes

  • Colombo of pig, chicken (way of cooking with spices of which the curry).
  • Chatrou with rices and kidney beans (chatrou = Octopus)
  • Macadam (flat containing rice and of cod).
  • Skewer of lambi (shell commonly called Conch)
  • Tinen lanmori (green banana with cod, soup traditionally with the breakfast).
  • Migan fruit-with-bread (kind of mashed potatoes with large pieces of fruit-with-bread)
  • Wild of lawyer (pellet of lawyer to cod rolled in flour of manioc).
  • Accras of cod (or cod Marinades, fritters).
  • Accras of titiris (or Marinades of titiris, fritters of small fish)
  • Pie out of pot (soup containing vegetables, meat offals of sheep of white wine and Caper S).
  • Soup zabitan (green soup containing spinaches).
  • Kalalou (another green soup containing of the sheets of calalou and the gombos).
  • creole Boudin
  • Bread with butter chocolate also called “chocolate of first communion” because been used for this occasion (decorated chocolate spice drink been used with a bread for butter).
  • Gratin of christophine.

Delicacies

  • Sorbet with the Coconut commonly called " sorbet coco".
  • White to eat coconut.
  • Doucelette (small square shelf sweetened with coconut with the friable aspect).
  • Lotchio (syrup and grated coconut pellet).
  • Filibo.
  • frozen Tamarin (tamarin whole wrapped caramelized cane sugar).
  • frozen Chadec.
  • Totote fruit with bread.
  • pistachio Nougat (cane sugar shelf caramelized with peanuts).
  • Surette pig (jam).
  • Gingerbread (very dry cookie containing ginger and of strong spices).
  • soft Bread (light cake with cinnamon and piece of lemon peel).
  • Mount Blanc cakes with coconut.
  • Zakari (square Bread).
  • Sweetsop.
  • Bread with butter.

Anecdotes

  • There exists more than 180 different sand colors in Martinique.
  • the Amerindians who populated Martinique it named Madinina , the island with the flowers, or Madinito , the island with the women.

See too

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