Martinique Travel Overview
Important facts
Capital: Fort-De-France
Official language: French
Continent: North America
Beach holiday in Martinique
The small island state in the Caribbean Sea belongs geographically to the Lesser Antilles and politically to France. The latter is particularly advantageous for EU citizens, as Martinique is used to pay with the euro. Fantastic white sandy beaches and the warm waters of the Caribbean await you on your
Martinique vacation.
Martinique vacation
The island is located in the Atlantic Ocean, more precisely in the Caribbean Sea, which is why it is suitable for beach holidays, diving trips and active holidays. The island has no direct neighbors and is about half the size of the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. The next states are St. Lucia, with which it was also jointly administered during the colonial rule of France. Other neighboring (island) states are: Dominica, Barbados and Venezuela.
Martinique has volcanic origins and a volcano still shapes the island today. The highest point (1,379m) is the Pelée, an active volcano. The volcanic ash in the bottom of the island makes it very suitable for growing crops, as in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries, the variety of fruit and vegetables is very large.
Security
When traveling in Martinique, you should follow all the safety instructions that you would normally follow: do not display valuables, only carry small amounts of money, etc.
In Martinique, attention must be paid to the dangers of nature. Inquire about the activity of the volcano. Avoid the heraldic animal of the Caribbean, the American lance viper, because this viper is dangerous for humans. Avoid exploring unfamiliar areas and dial the emergency number immediately if you are bitten. Bites from this snake (often in the leg area) are curable if treated immediately.
Worth seeing
Besides snakes and volcanoes, Martinique also has less dangerous aspects. Due to its location in the Caribbean Sea, you can swim almost all year round at a water temperature of 25 degrees. The bay of Fort-de-France is ideal for a beach holiday and snorkeling. There are regular ferries to the neighboring islands of St. Lucia and Dominica which are well worth a visit.
Martinique was originally translated as “The Flower Island ” in the local language. Let yourself be enchanted by the biodiversity of this place and immerse yourself in adventure, relaxation and culinary delights.
Geography
Continent: North America
Geo coordinates: N 14 ° 38 ‘29.5 ” W -61 ° -1’ -27″
Highest mountain: Montagne Pelee (1,397 m)
Total area: 1,100 km²
Mainland: 1,060 km²
Coastline: 350 km
Politics
Dependency: France since 1635
Other political affiliation: European Union since 1957
Economy
Electricity consumption: 1,180 million KWh
Oil consumption: 14,600 million m³
Cultivation area: 18.88%
Bovine: 28,000 pieces
Pigs: 37,000 pieces
Sheep: 37,000 pieces
Fishing: 6,900 t
Demographic data
Residents: 436.200
Residents in cities: 412,000
Average age: 34.1 years
0-14 years: 22.1%
15-64 years: 67.3%
> 65 years: 10.6%
Population growth: 0.72%
Birth rate: 13.74 / 1,000 residents
Death rate: 6.48 / 1,000 residents
Migration: -0.03 / 1,000 residents
Ratio men / women: 0.99
Fertility: 1.79 children / woman
Infant mortality: 6.95 ‰
Life expectancy men: 79.5 years
Life expectancy women: 78.85 years
Country codes and abbreviations
ISO 3166 Alpha 2: MQ
ISO 3166 Alpha 3: MTQ
ISO 3166 numeric: 474
Top Level Domain: mq
UN / LOCODE: MQ
Source: Abbreviationfinder
Communication
Telephone connections: 183,000
Cell Phones: 354,000
Health
Number of doctors: 810
Daily food intake: 2.910 kcal / resident
Education
Illiteracy: 2%
Religion
Main religious group: Christians
GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
Air France (AF), Corsair (Internet: http://www.corsairfly.com/), Air Antilles Express (Internet: www.airantilles.com) and Air Caraibes (Internet: www.aircaraibes.com) fly to Martinique. There are feeder flights to Air France flights from various German, Austrian and Swiss airports.
Flight times
The quickest way to get to Martinique is via Paris. Paris-Orly – Fort-de-France: 8 hours 40.
Arrival by ship
Martinique is served by many international cruise lines, including Holland America (Internet: www.hollandamerica.com), Norwegian Cruise Line (Internet. Www.ncl.de) and Princess Cruises (Internet: www.princess.com). Almost half of all visitors to Martinique are cruise participants.
There are car ferries between Martinique and Dominica, Guadeloupe, Miami, St. Lucia and San Juan (Puerto Rico). More information: Express des Iles (Tel: 63 32 75. Internet: www.express-des-iles.com) or Brudey’s Frères(Tel: 70 08 50. Fax: 70 53 75).
ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
Air Martinique (PN) rents helicopters and planes. Tourist overflights are offered by Alizes Air Services, ACF Aviation and Heli Blue (Internet: www.heliblue.com).
On the way by car / bus
The road network is good and the roads are paved.
Long-distance bus: There are only a few bus connections. There are mainly local minibuses that are marked with the sign “TC”. These depart from Pointe Simon in Fort-de-France at regular intervals from early in the morning to 6 p.m. with stopovers to other places on the islands. Prices are fixed and cheap. Taxis are controlled by the state and are relatively cheap when shared with other passengers. Shared taxis leave Pointe Simon from early in the morning until 6 p.m. A surcharge is levied for night trips. Mopeds and bicycles can also be rented. The range of rental cars
is excellent. Minimum age: 21 years. Usually a deposit has to be deposited. Documents: The national driver’s license with one year of driving experience is sufficient.
Out and about by ship
Ferries run regularly between Fort-de-France and the Trois Ilets and Sainte-Anne via Anse Mitan, as well as Pointe du Bout, Anse à l’Ane and Anses d’Arlet. Children pay half the price. More information from Vedettes Madinina (Internet: www.vedettesmadinina.com) and from Matinik Cruise Line in Fort-de-France.
