Map of Martinique
Martinique is a country in North America with its capital at Fort-de-France, home to about 360,630 people across 1,128 km². The interactive map below plots 1 cities and towns and 1 mountain summits recorded for Martinique in YearMaps.
- Population
- 360,630
- Area
- 1,128 km²
- Capital
- Fort-de-France
- Continent
- North America
Interactive Map of Martinique
Centred on Fort-de-France at 14.6104° N, 61.0800° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Martinique
Martinique ( MAR-tin-EEK, French pronunciation: [maʁtinik] ; Martinican Creole: Matinik or Matnik; Kalinago: Madinina or Madiana) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. A part of the French West Indies (Antilles), Martinique is an overseas department and region and a single territorial collectivity of France.
It is a part of the European Union as an outermost region within the special territories of members of the European Economic Area, but is not part of the Schengen Area or the European Union Customs Union. The currency in use is the euro. It has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2021 for its entire land and sea territory. In September 2023, the volcanoes and forests of Mount Pelée and the peaks of northern Martinique, in particular the Pitons du Carbet, were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Martinique has a land area of 1,128 km2 (436 sq mi) and a population of 349,925 inhabitants as of January 2024. One of the Windward Islands, it lies directly north of Saint Lucia, northwest of Barbados and south of Dominica. Virtually the entire population speaks both French (the sole official language) and Martinican Creole.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Martinique (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Martinique in Depth
History
The island was occupied first by the Saladoid, then by Kalinago people. The Saladoid came from the South America Orinoco Basin in the 1st century AD and the Kalinago came from the Venezuelan coast around the 11th century.
Christopher Columbus charted Martinique (without landing) in 1493, during his second voyage, but Spain had little interest in the territory. Columbus landed during a later voyage, on 15 June 1502, after a 21-day trade wind passage, his fastest ocean voyage. He spent three days there refilling his water casks, bathing and washing laundry.
San Salvador that "the island of Matinino was entirely populated by women on whom the Caribs descended at certain seasons of the year; and if these women bore sons they were entrusted to the father to bring up."
Geography
Part of the archipelago of the Antilles, Martinique is located in the Caribbean Sea about 450 km (280 mi) northeast of the coast of South America and about 700 km (435 mi) southeast of the Dominican Republic. It is north of St. Lucia, northwest of Barbados and south of Dominica.
The total area of Martinique is 1,128 km2 (436 sq mi), of which 40 km2 (15 sq mi) is water and the rest land. Martinique is the 3rd largest island in The Lesser Antilles after Trinidad and Guadeloupe. It stretches 70 km (43 mi) in length and 30 km (19 mi) in width. The highest point is the volcano of Mount Pelée at 1,397 m (4,583 ft) above sea level. There are numerous small islands, particularly off the east coast.The Atlantic, or "windward" coast of Martinique is difficult to navigate by ship.
Economy
In 2014, Martinique had a total GDP of 8.4 billion euros. Its economy is heavily dependent on tourism, limited agricultural production, and grant aid from mainland France.
Historically, Martinique's economy relied on agriculture, notably sugar and bananas, but by the beginning of the 21st century this sector had dwindled considerably. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to mainland France. Chlordecone, a pesticide used in the cultivation of bananas before a ban in 1993, has been found to have contaminated farming ground, rivers and fish, and affected the health of islanders. Fishing and agriculture has had to stop in affected areas, having a significant effect on the economy.
Demographics
Martinique had a population of 349,925 as of January 2024. The population has been decreasing by 0.9% per year since 2013. There are an estimated 260,000 people of Martinican origin living in mainland France, most of them in the Paris region.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Martinique (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Martinique: Key Facts
| Head of government | Serge Letchimy |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +596 |
| Internet domain | .mq |
| Highest point | Mount Pelée |
| Established | 21 March 1946 |
Facts from Wikidata Q17054 (CC0).
History of Martinique: Empires and States
The atlas records 10 polities whose mapped territory included part of Martinique, from New France in 1636 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| New France | 1636–1790 CE | Nearly all |
| Kingdom of France | 1636–1791 CE | Nearly all |
| British Colonial Empire | 1762–1814 CE | Nearly all |
| The British Empire | 1762–1814 CE | Nearly all |
| The French Colonial Empire | 1791–1939 CE | Nearly all |
| Bourbon Kingdom of France | 1815–1847 CE | Nearly all |
| Second French Empire | 1853–1870 CE | Nearly all |
| French Third Republic | 1871–1939 CE | Nearly all |
| French Fourth Republic | 1945–1957 CE | Nearly all |
| French Fifth Republic | 1958–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Martinique
Martinique on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Martinique
Martinique is a Caribbean island that is an overseas department of France in the Caribbean Sea, north of Saint Lucia and south of Dominica.
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. In the south of the island, there are many beautiful beaches with a lot of tourists. In the north, the rain forests and the black sand beaches are worth seeing. The interior of the island is mountainous.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Martinique (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Martinique
1 city recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort-de-France | 253,995 | Martinique | Admin-1 region capital |
Highest Mountains in Martinique
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montagne Pelée | 1,397 m | 4,583 ft | North America |
Montagne Pelée
Mountain · 1,397 m
Montagne Pelée is a mountain rising to 1,397 metres (4,583 ft) in Martinique and France, in the North America region. The summit stands on the border between them. From PeakBagger.com, with kind permission..
Mount Pelée or Mont Pelée ( pə-LAY; French: la montagne Pelée [la mɔ̃taɲ pəle], lit. 'bald mountain' or 'peeled mountain'; Antillean Creole: Montann Pèlé) is an active stratovolcano at the northern end of Martinique, an island and French overseas department in the Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc of the Caribbean. Its volcanic cone is composed of stratified layers of hardened ash and solidified lava. Its most recent eruption was in 1932.
The stratovolcano's 1902 eruption destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre, killing 29,000 to 30,000 people in the space of a few minutes, in the worst volcanic disaster of the 20th century. The main eruption, on 8 May 1902, left only three known survivors. Ludger Sylbaris survived because he was in a poorly ventilated, dungeon-like jail cell. Léon Compère-Léandre, living on the edge of the city, escaped with severe burns. The third was a young girl named Havivra Da Ifrile, who fled to a nearby sea cave in a boat, enduring burns from falling ash.
In 2023, it was listed as UNESCO World heritage site.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Pelée (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 1,397 m (4,583 ft)
- Global rank
- #511 of 641 indexed
- Region
- North America (#100)
- Subregion
- West Indies
- Countries
- Martinique, France
- Coordinates
- 14.8201°, -61.1734°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Montagne Pelée ranks #511 by elevation, below Pipa Dingzi (1,397 m) and above Mount Wuteve (1,380 m).
- Ranges:
- Wilhelmina Gebergte (South America), Tumuc-Humac Mountains (South America)
- Settlements below:
- Fort-de-France (25 km)
More about Montagne Pelée
Geological history
Volcanologists have identified three different phases in the evolution of Mount Pelée volcano: initial, intermediate, and modern. In an initial phase, called the "Paléo-Pelée" stage, Mount Pelee was a common stratovolcano. The cone of Paléo-Pelée was composed of many layers of lava flows and fragmented volcanic debris. Remains of the Paléo-Pelée cone are still visible at the northern view at the volcano today.
A second stage, now called the intermediate phase, started around 100,000 years ago, after a long period of quiescence. This stage is grouped by the formation of the Morne Macouba lava dome, then later on, the Morne Macouba caldera.
Geographical setting and description
Mount Pelée is the result of a typical subduction zone. The subduction formed the Lesser Antilles island arc, a curved chain of volcanoes approximately 850 kilometres (530 mi) in length, between Puerto Rico and Venezuela, where the Caribbean Plate meets Atlantic oceanic crust belonging to the South American Plate. Other volcanoes in the island arc are also known for their volcanic activity, including Saint Vincent's La Soufrière, Guadeloupe's La Grande Soufriere volcano, Montserrat's Soufrière Hills, and the submarine volcano Kick 'em Jenny.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Pelée (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Montagne Pelée: Key Facts
| Topographic prominence | 1,397 m |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q76309 (CC0).
More Maps in North America
Martinique: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Martinique?
- The capital of Martinique is Fort-de-France.
- What is the population of Martinique?
- Martinique has a population of about 360,630, the #180 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: Wikidata.
- How big is Martinique?
- Martinique covers 1,128 km², ranking #187 by area, with about 320 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Martinique in?
- Martinique is in North America.
- What is the largest city in Martinique?
- Fort-de-France is the largest city in Martinique, with a metropolitan population of about 253,995.
- What is the highest mountain in Martinique?
- The highest summit recorded for Martinique in YearMaps is Montagne Pelée at 1,397 m (4,583 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.