Country name
conventional long form: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique
local long form : Departement de la Martinique
local short form: Martinique

Data code MB

Dependency status overseas department of France

Government type NA

National capital Fort-de-France

Administrative divisions none (overseas department of France)

Independence none (overseas department of France)

National holiday National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system French legal system

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Jean-FrancoisCORDET (since NA)
head of government : President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992);President of the Regional Council Emile CAPGRAS (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet: NA
elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice of the FrenchMinistry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councilsare elected by the members of those councils

Legislative branch unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members areelected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral RegionalAssembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular voteto serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000);Regional Assembly - last held on 22 March 1992 (next to be held by March 1998)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA;note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party- NA; seats by party - RPR-UDF 16, MIM 9, PPM 9, PCM 5, independents 2
note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held24 September 1995 (next to be held September 1998); results - percent of voteby party - NA; seats by party - PS 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 21 March 1993 (next to be held25 May-1 June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by party- NA; seats by party - RPR 3, PS 1

Judicial branch Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre LESUEUR]; Union for a Martiniqueof Progress or UMP; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Socialist Federation of Martinique or FSM [Jean CRUSOL]; Martinique CommunistParty or PCM [George ERICHOT]; Martinique Patriots or PM; Union for FrenchDemocracy or UDF [Miguel LAVENTURE]; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM[Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Republican Party or PR [Jean BAILLY]

Political pressure groups and leaders Proletarian Action Group or GAP; Alhed Marie-Jeanne Socialist RevolutionGroup or GRS; Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for MartiniqueWorkers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers andPeasants; Parti Martiniquais Socialiste or PMS; Association for the Protectionof Martinique's Heritage (ecologist)

International organization participation FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas department of France)

Flag description a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross;in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is usedfor official occasions

NOTE: The information regarding Martinique on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Martinique Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Martinique Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.