The Island boasts its beautiful beaches, historic towns, rich biodiversity, and an even richer blend of culture that dates back to a colonial time – occupied then later on influenced by Europe. This little slice of paradise in the Caribbean even rivals its neighbors as one of the most beautiful destinations on this side of the Atlantic.
What Is the Official Name of Martinique?
Martinique, officially called the Departement d’outre-mer de la Martinique, or the Overseas Department of Martinique. One of France’s many official overseas territories is yet another of the Caribbean’s seemingly endless list of entries that seem to claim a lot of fame. Martinique often called the Department of Martinique is an island situated in the eastern reach of the Lesser Antilles, straddling across the Windward Islands.
The island is an integral part of the French Republic as Metropolitan France sources and exports a lot of its agricultural products from its outer territories, including Martinique. France’s overseas regions and department have the same status as mainland France’s regions, and are thus subject to France’s governance and enjoys certain privileges the same as the mainland French.
This Caribbean Island sports many of the breathtaking snorkel and dive spots in the Caribbean, along with its French sister islands, and its Dutch-Caribbean neighbors in the southwest. Apparently, a common running theme among the Caribbean islands, Martinique is also home to a plethora of lovely beaches, and sprawling green expanses that make up its awe-inspiring natural beauty.
What Is the Nickname for Martinique?
Martinique’s beautiful, sophisticated name that sounds just right when it rolls off the tongue, is also blessed with a beautiful nickname. The island is often lovingly called “Madinina” or “Madiana” meaning “The Island of Flowers” or “Flower Island”. The island is blessed to have a wide array of flower species of all colors around its island. From Hibiscus to Orchids, the island is plenty of them.
Why Is Martinique Called the Island of Flowers?
Often considered as the “haven” for flower lovers, Martinique is home to an extensive array of flowers, from the well-known to the exotic. Its vast flower palette has earned it a lovely nickname given by the Carib Indians ages ago. Now, these natural colorful quirks are an integral part of the island’s tourist draw.
When you visit Martinique and bask in awe of its plethora of flower species. You can check out flowers that radiate with color on the island, even in the wild, from Hibiscus, Oleander, Rose, Bougainvillea, Orchids, and Frangipani, to name a few.
Is Martinique an Island?
Martinique is a French island located in the Windward Islands, in the heart of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. This island is one of the many overseas territories of the French Republic in the Caribbean, which is considered an official region together with Guadeloupe.
Martinique’s total land area is 1,060 sq. kilometers or 410 sq. miles, with an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi). The island’s geographical location has made it subject to trade winds that blow from the east, sweeping through much of the Windward Islands (thus the name). Martinique is also subject to frequent storms and hurricanes every 8 years.
Where Is Martinique in the Caribbean?
Martinique lies at the eastern side of the Caribbean, right at the geographical center of the Lesser Antilles, along with the Windward Islands, which receives significant trade winds coming from the east. This island is the only French-Caribbean in its immediate vicinity, with its neighbors being Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Dominica – islands that have their own autonomy.
What Countries Surround Martinique?
Martinique is located at the heart of the Lesser Antilles surrounded by sovereign island nations, speckled across the easter Caribbean. One of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, Martinique neighbors the fellow Caribbean islands of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Dominica.
Among its neighbors, Martinique is the only Caribbean Island governed by France as an official department or region, not an autonomous territory or constituent country. Martinique is 680 1,094 km or 680 miles north of Venezuela in South America, just southwest of the Atlantic Ocean.
What Is the Capital of Martinique?
Located on the west coast of the island, Fort-de-France is the island’s capital and largest city. The city serves as the business, political, and administrative hub of Martinique, and is the most populous area. Almost a quarter of the entire island’s population resides in Martinique – which happens to provide the island’s inhabitants with the most jobs.
The capital also holds a plethora of tourist attractions, like the Place de la Savane, and the famous St. Louis Cathedral. The city is also home to the famous Schoelcher Library, named after the French politician, Victor Schoelcher. The city was formerly named Fort-Royal until it was changed in the late 1600s.
What Is the Population of Martinique?
By January of 2021, the population has about 375,000 people after a small decline (-0.1%) since January 2020. The majority of the population comprises females, which take about 54%, while males take up about 46%, most of them living in urban centers and cities.
Most of the island’s racial demographic are made up of African, or African-mix, usually with white and Indian, followed by Indo-Martiniquais – descendants of Indian immigrants in the 19th century, then White European, and lastly, recent immigrants from Lebanon, Syria, and China.
What Is the Population Density of Martinique?
Martinique’s population density is 332.22 per square kilometer, with most of the population living in cities and other urban centers.
What Country Owns Martinique?
Martinique is under the headship of the French government, as a department of the French Republic. This means that Martinique isn’t an independent country, or territory with autonomy but an official department within the republic. The island has the same function, and structure as the departments in mainland Europe.
The department is further divided into 4 arrondissements, or districts, and subdivided into cantons and communes. The island is headed by an appointed prefect, who oversees the island together with the president of the Executive Council as head of government.
Is Martinique in France?
Martinique is an island in the Caribbean in the French Republic, under the headship of the appointed prefect together with the Executive Council that serves as the representative of the central government, helmed by the President.
The island doesn’t have independence, or autonomy, unlike a constituent country that does have power over its affairs. Martinique was under French rule since being retaken by the British during the Napoleonic Wars.
What Nationality Is Martinique?
People from Martinique, or Martiniquais, are considered French due to their position as an overseas department of the French Republic. Martinique is part of France’s overseas territorial collectivity ruled and governed by the French government.
Through this, Martiniquais, or citizens of Martinique are French citizens with full political, civic, and legal rights as French citizens in mainland France.
Why Is Martinique French?
French settlers first landed on the island in 1635, claiming the island for then King Louis XIII and the Kingdom of France establishing one of the country’s settlements. The indigenous population of the island was enslaved and put to work, some sent others to nearby French settlements, to aid the expansion of colonial France. Until the British came and occupied several French settlements in the region, including the Dutch settlements.
At the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, the island, along with a handful of British-occupied lands were traded back to the French and have remained under French governance ever since. This goes the same for the Dutch settlements. Martinique never gained full independence and has been considered a French region since 1946.
Is Martinique an Independent or Dependent Country?
Martinique is a French overseas territory that is dependent on the French central government. The island has a political and government structure under the French government, which is virtually the same as the departments and regions in mainland France.
Former President Nicolas Sarkozy visited the island in 2009 and has offered a reform calling for a change in the island’s future status, and degree of autonomy, excluding full autonomy to which was neither desired by France nor by Martinique, according to him.
Is Martinique a French Territory?
Martinique is one of France’s overseas regions and departments, or territorial collective. With this status, Martinique is a part of the French Republic, politically dependent on the government. This has been the island’s status since 1946 and has given the Martiniquais, French citizenship, and mobility within the French Republic, including other territories, among many other rights and legalities.
Was Martinique a French Colony?
Since the French’s arrival in the early 1600s, Martinique became one of France’s settlements, making use of the land, and enslaving its indigenous population until the British occupation in the 1800s. After which, was then traded back to the French, and has been a territory ever since.
Is Martinique Still a French Colony?
After the Second World War, in 1946, the French National Assembly voted to transform the colony into an overseas department of France, and was later met with a growing campaign for full independence, however, eventually died down together with the island’s economic downfall in the 1970s.
How Is Martinique Related to France?
As said, Martinique is one of France’s overseas regions and departments. This status makes Martinique a part of the French Republic, politically dependent on the government. This has been the island’s status since 1946 and has given the Martiniquais French citizenship, and mobility within the French Republic, including other territories, among many other rights and legalities.
The French first arrived on the island in 1635 and claimed the island for the Kingdom of France establishing one of the country’s first settlements. The indigenous population of the island was enslaved and put to work, some sent others to nearby French settlements, to aid the expansion of colonial France. Until the British came and occupied several French settlements in the region, including the Dutch settlements.
At the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, the island, along with a handful of British-occupied lands were traded back to the French and have remained under French governance ever since.
When Did Martinique Become a Department of France?
After the Second World War, an official declaration in 1946 has made Martinique an overseas department of France. The island enjoys the same status as the rest of France’s mainland departments. While movements calling for independence started around the 1950s, they never came close to any defined structure and eventually died down during the island economic crisis in the 1970s.
Is Martinique in the EU?
Martinique is one of France’s overseas departments which has the same status as the country’s metropolitan department. This means Martinique is considered a part of the European Union, together with Guadaloupe, another overseas department, and Saint Martin, an overseas collectivity of France.
Is Martinique Part of Schengen?
Martin isn’t a part of France’s European territory and thus isn’t a part of the Schengen Area. The Caribbean Island doesn’t share land borders with other EU countries in continental Europe, so visa and entry requirements are different.
You can’t enter the Schengen Area with a visa issued for one of the overseas departments. You will have got undergo a different visa application process.
Is Martinique a US Territory?
Martinique is a French overseas department, headed and controlled by the French government. The USA has no control or influence over the internal and external matters of Martinique.
Is Martinique a British Territory?
Martinique is a French overseas department, headed and controlled by the French government. The United Kingdom of Great Britain has no control or influence over the internal and external matters of Martinique.
With UK’s Brexit, the British’s transactions with EU member states may have changed, like tourism. Being one of France’s overseas departments, certain things may have changed. It’s best to research before visiting if you’re from the UK.
Is Martinique in Africa?
Martinique is situated at the eastern reaches of the Caribbean Sea, straddled across the Windward Islands, right at the geographical center of the Lesser Antilles. The Caribbean Island sits north of Venezuela, and ultimately the South American continent. Africa however, sits right across the Atlantic Ocean from Martinique.
Is Martinique the Same as St. Martin?
Martinique and Saint Martin are both overseas territories of France and their two different islands. However, the difference is the island’s official status under the French government. While Martinique is an overseas department, much like France’s metropolitan departments, Saint Martin, on the other hand, is an overseas collectivity of France.
Saint Martin used to be a part of Guadaloupe until the French population of the island sought a separate body. The island was granted the status as an overseas collectivity of France in 2007. The island is headed by a territorial council with a president at the helm, all under the French government headed by the current President, represented by a Prefect appointed by the Interior Minister.
