Martinique: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Oct. 4, 2026

Facts

Also Known As	Département de la Martinique
Heads Of Government	Prefect (for France): Jean-Christophe Bouvier; President of the Executive Council (for Martinique): Serge Letchimy
Capital	Fort-de-France
Population	(2026 est.) 352,300
Head Of State	President of France: Emmanuel Macron
Official Language	French
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Collectivité Territoriale de Martinique (Territorial Collectivity of Martinique)¹
Total Area (Sq Km)	1,128
Total Area (Sq Mi)	436
Monetary Unit	euro (€)
Population Rank	(2026) 182
Population Projection 2030	372,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2026) 808
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2026) 312.3
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 89.4% • Rural: (2024) 10.6%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 77.1 years • Female: (2022) 82.9 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2019) 10,858
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2019) 29,836
Political Status	territorial collectivity (France) with one legislative house (Assembly [51])
¹Martinique’s status changed from that of an overseas department (département d’outre-mer) in December 2015.

Photos

Map of Martinique showing the island's political boundaries and major cities, including Fort-de-France, Sainte-Pierre, Le Lamentin, and Le Robert. The map is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, with a small locator inset in the bottom left corner highlighting Martinique's position in the eastern Caribbean.

Fort-de-France, Martinique

Map showing the location of Martinique, a French overseas territory in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The map highlights Martinique and its capital, Fort-de-France, in relation to nearby islands and countries including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Venezuela, and Colombia.

Regional map of the West Indies showing the islands of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, including Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and numerous smaller islands. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation, with higher elevations in orange and yellow, and labels major cities and territories, including those administered by the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and the United States. Surrounding bodies of water such as the Caribbean Sea, Gulf o

View of Mount Pelee with its peak partially covered by clouds, overlooking a coastal town and several boats anchored in the blue waters of Martinique, West Indies.

Carbet Mountains: Piton Boucher

St. Louis Cathedral

Palm trees lean over a sandy beach with turquoise water and gentle waves near Grande Anse de Salines, Martinique, with a few people swimming in the distance.

Anse Cafard Slave Memorial

See All Images and Interactives →

Topics

region Pierre Bélain, sieur d’Esnambuc France history of Latin America North America Atlantic Ocean West Indies Caribbean Sea island Windward Islands Corsica Réunion Guadeloupe Mayotte Île-de-France Aquitaine Provence–Alpes–Côte d’Azur Brittany Pays de la Loire Midi-Pyrénées

default image

Pierre Bélain, sieur d’Esnambuc

French trader

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus

Italian explorer

France

country, Europe

Map of Latin America showing countries, major cities, and key physical features such as mountain ranges, highlands, and rivers. The map includes Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, with labeled regions like the Andes, Brazilian Highlands, and Gran Chaco, as well as an inset highlighting the West Indies. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea, are also labeled.

history of Latin America

Map of North America showing international boundaries, country names, and capital cities. The map includes Canada, the United States, Mexico, Greenland, Central American countries, and Caribbean nations, with a locator inset at the bottom left for global context. Major bodies of water such as the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Caribbean Sea are labeled.

North America

continent

Atlantic Ocean, with depth contours and submarine features

Atlantic Ocean

Regional map of the West Indies showing the islands of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, including Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and numerous smaller islands. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation, with higher elevations in orange and yellow, and labels major cities and territories, including those administered by the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and the United States. Surrounding bodies of water such as the Caribbean Sea, Gulf o

West Indies

island group, Atlantic Ocean

The Caribbean Sea

Caribbean Sea

sea, Atlantic Ocean

Windward Islands: Grenada

Windward Islands

islands, West Indies

Fort-de-France, Martinique

Fort-de-France

Martinique

Saint-Pierre

Saint-Pierre

Martinique

default image

La Trinité

town, Martinique

Mount Pelée

Mount Pelée

volcano, Martinique

Carbet Mountains: Piton Boucher

Carbet Mountains

mountains, Martinique

Island, New Caledonia.

Islands and Archipelagos