sales guide martinique

General Information
History
It was in 1502, on his fourth voyage to the New World,
that Christopher Columbus landed in Martinique. At
that time, the island was inhabited by the Carib Indians,
who had earlier chased out the Arawak Indians. Like
the Caribs, the Arawaks had originally come from the
Orinoco River Valley, near the northern coast of South
America. It was on Columbus’ arrival that Martinique
was dubbed Madinina, « the island of flowers. »
Martinique Today
Geography
Situated in the heart of the Caribbean archipelago,
Martinique belongs to the “Windward Islands” of the
Lesser Antilles. Its coasts are lapped in the east by
the Atlantic Ocean and in the west by the Caribbean
Sea. Martinique is 4,350 miles from Paris, 1,950 miles
from New York, and 275 miles from the coast of
South America. Its nearest neighbors to the north are
Domenica (16 miles away) and Guadeloupe (75 miles),
and its nearest neighbor to the south is Saint Lucia (23
miles). Martinique is equidistant between Venezuela
and Haïti/Domincan Republic, at 497 miles from both.
Topography
Martinique is 425 square miles in size. It is 50 miles
long at its longest, and just over 24 miles wide at its
widest. The northern part of the island is geologically
young and active, characterized by mountains (Mount
Pelée is the highest at 4,483 feet), dense forests,
rivers, and cascades. In the center, the Lamentin Plain
makes the transition from the mountainous north to
the south’s gentler and geologically older landscape
of rolling hills. The southern coast is dotted with many
lovely bays and coves. In the southernmost part of the
island, a savanna of petrified trees is a true geological
curiosity.
Since 1635, with the exception of two short periods
of British occupation, Martinique’s destiny was tied
to France. Today, Martinique is simultaneously an
official department of France (since 1946) and an
official region of France (since 1982). The seat of the
prefectural government, Fort-de-France, is the main
administrative and economic center of Martinique.
Martinique is divided into three sub-prefectures :
- Trinité, covering the northern Atlantic coast
- Saint-Pierre, covering the northern Caribbean
coast
- Le Marin, covering the south
Flora and Fauna
Due to its tropical climate, Martinique is covered with a
mantle of lush vegetation: sumptuous rainforests, bush,
savannah, and innumerable species of trees, fruits,
plants and flowers...and don’t forget the mangroves.
This ensemble makes Martinique an extraordinary
garden.
The fauna is essentially composed of birds, fish and
crustaceans, but there are also iguanas, small lizards
called mabouyas or anolis, and trigonocephale snakes
unique to the island. The manicou, a kind of possum,
is one of the few mammals to have made the Antilles
their home. The mongoose, on the other hand, was
introduced by man to keep the snake population in
check.
Climate
The climate is relatively mild in Martinique. It never
gets very hot. The average temperature of 79 degrees
graces the island with an “eternal summer.” Breezes
from the east and northeast, the Alizes, constantly
cool and refresh the island.
Normal Seasonal Temperatures (C°) and Rates of
Precipitation (in millimeters)
Temp
Rain
Jan.
25
123
Feb.
25
88
Mar.
25,4
90
Apr.
26,1
100
May
27,1
113
June
27,6
153
Temp
Rain
July
27,5
182
Aug.
27,5
267
Sept.
27,3
238
Oct.
27
262
Nov.
26,5
267
Dec.
25,7
160
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