Martinique

Description of Martinique

Martinique is an island in the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea.Fort-de-France is the capital city of Martinique which has a true harbor city.

History

 Martinique owes its name to Christopher Columbus, who sighted the island in 1493, and finally landed on 15 June 1502. The name then evolved into Madinina ("Island of Flowers"), Madiana, and Matinite. When Columbus returned to the island in 1502, he rechristened the island as Martinica. Finally, through the influence of the neighboring island of La Dominique, it came to be known as Martinique.

Map and Language

Martinique located at 14.6667°N, 61.0000° W.It has a land area of 1,128 square kilometers and a population of 386,486 inhabitants.

The official language is French, but Creole patois is also popular. The inhabitants of Martinique are French citizens with full political and legal rights.

Culture and holidays

 Martinique is best considered a happy mix of French culture and Caribbean customs, offering all the finer things in life from Europe blended with sunnier climes, far more beautiful beaches and smiles all around. Music contributes a great deal to Martinique's culture with elements of a number of musical styles from the Caribbean and United States.Daily Martinican food is characterized by a unique blend of French and Creole cooking, often laced with hot pepper. Open air markets still supply locally grown fruits (bananas, coconuts, guava, pineapples, mangoes, love apples, and passion fruit) and vegetables.Annual Public holidays in Martinique are; Vaval, Bastille Day(July 14), Good Friday(3 April), Slavery Abolition Day (22 May), Schoelcher Day(21 July).

Climate and weather

Martinique has a tropical, humid climate with temperatures ranging between 75°F and 85°F year round.The rainy season lasts between June and October, seeing up to 9.5 inches in the wettest month of September, compared to only 2.5 in March at the height of the dry season. Martinique still gets tropical storms during the dry season, though, and it will rain for about 13 days a month, although short downpours that shouldn't ruin the day. The hurricane season usually runs from June-October, coinciding with the rainy season.

Travelling and Tourism

A popular tourist area in Martinique, Le Diamant is a scenic resort area dominated by the 574-foot (175m) Diamond Rock, across the bay from Fort de France, Les Trois-Ilets is a well-developed resort area with a casino and many shops. Sainte-Anne is a convenient access point for the beautiful white sand beaches of the south tip of the island. The town has a few good restaurants and nice hotels.Martinique serves flights to and from Europe, the Caribbean, Venezuela, the United States, and Canada. There are also several local ferry companies that connect Fort-de-France with Pointe du Bout.

Vacation and destination

Martinique is simply one of the Caribbean's most enchanting destinations. You reach the capital city by ferry, where there is picturesque panorama of the St. Louis Fort watching over the bays of the Carenage and the Flamands. There is a delightfully relaxing Jardin de la Savaneand the perfect place to unwind after exploring the neighborhood.

Some facts about Martinique

Gallery of Martinique

Martinique video guide

More information about Martinique

Top cities of Martinique