MARTINIQUE - Geography and history
Martinique lies in the middle of the arc formed by the Lesser Antilles ? 7 000 km from metropolitan France and only 400 km from Venezuela. It is situated north of Dominica and south of Saint Lucia. It is a mountainous island of volcanic origin, 1 100 km2 in area, 60 km in length and 30 km across at its widest point. Montagne Pelée, 1 400 m, dominates in the north; in the south the highest peak is 500 m. Only about 10% of the island consists of plains, the most extensive being the Le Lamentin Plain, 75 km2, in the centre of the island. The 350-km coastline is jagged in the south and protected by coral reefs on the Atlantic coast. Martinique has a tropical maritime climate with high temperatures, averaging 25° C, all year round. The eastern trade winds provide natural ventilation. Average hours of sunshine are consistently high, at approximately eight hours per day. Rainfall is abundant but very unevenly distributed - four times heavier during the rainy season (June to November) than during 'Lent' (March to May). The mountains of the north receive plenty of rain - up to five metres a year - while the south has a dry climate. Like the other Lesser Antilles it is subject to cyclones. There is thus a wide variety of vegetation, ranging from tropical forest in the north to dry savannah in the south.
- The climate lends itself to quality produce such as bananas, melons, flowers and rum, while the variety and beauty of the landscape and vegetation provide a tourist attraction.
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The standard of living is one of the highest in the Caribbean: the island is well provided with schools, health services, roads and ports and has an airport. The airport is situated at Lementin, to the west of the island?s capital, Fort-de-France. In 2000 the road network of the region had 254 km of national roads and 7 km of motorway.
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