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Image:Martinique 14.6346N 61.0051W Landsat7.jpg Satellite view Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, having a land area of 1,128 km². It is an overseas department of France. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is also one of the twenty-six regions of France (being an overseas region) and an integral part of the Republic. As part of France, Martinique is part of the European Union, the currency used is the euro. Its official language is French, although almost all of its inhabitants also speak Antillean Creole (Créole Martiniquais). Martinique is pictured on all euro banknotes, on the reverse at the bottom of each note, right of the Greek ΕΥΡΩ (EURO) next to the denomination.
Overview
HistoryMartinique's indigenous people were Carib indians. Christopher Columbus saw the island in 1493 but he didn't set foot on it until 1502 during his fourth voyage. However, Spaniards did not colonize the island. The first European to inhabit the Martinique island was the Frenchman Pierre Belan d'Esnambuc who founded a settlement on the island in 1635. His nephew Jacques-Dyel du Parquet bought the island and developed a rich and wealthy colony. The island became a part of the French crown in 1658. Sugar, indigo and coffee were the first crops to be grown on the island. Black slaves were brought to the island from West Africa.
Napoleon's wife, Joséphine, was born in Martinique to a family of the wealthy Creole elite. The ruins of the Habitation de la Pagerie where she spent her childhood can still be visited in Trois-Ilets, across the bay from Fort-de-France, the island's capital. During the French Revolution, severe conflicts broke out in civil war on the island with rapid speed. In 1789, a slave rebellion was put down, and the year after, open war broke out when the monarchists, who wanted freedom from revolutionary France, massacred troops faithful to the parisian revolutionary government. The royalist faction gained the upper hand in 1791 and declared the independence of Martinique followed by refusal to grant rights to the free people of colour. In 1793, the republican - parisian fraction gained support from the revolutionary government in Saint Lucia, which prompted the monarchists to invite British occupation in 1794. Slavery was banned in 1848. People from India and China were brought to work the farms.
DemographicsHistorical population
Culture
As an overseas "départment" of France, Martinique's culture blends French and Caribbean influences. The city of Saint-Pierre (destroyed by a volcanic eruption), was often referred to as the Paris of the Lesser Antilles. Following French custom, many businesses close at midday, then reopen later in the afternoon. The official language is French, although many Martinicans speak Antillean Creole. Based in French, Martinique's Creole also incorporates elements of English, Spanish, Portuguese, and African languages. Originally passed down through oral storytelling traditions, it continues to be used more often in speech than in writing. Most of Martinique's population is descended from African slaves brought to work on sugar plantations during the colonial era. Today, the island enjoys a higher standard of living than most other Caribbean countries. The finest French products are easily available, from Chanel fashions to Limoges porcelain. Studying in France is common for young adults. For the French, Martinique has been a vacation hotspot for many years, attracting both upper-class and more budget-conscious travelers. Miscellaneous topics
External links and referencesImage:Flag of Martinique.svg Unofficial flag of Martinique.
Independent nations Dependencies Alsace • Aquitaine • Auvergne • Bourgogne • Bretagne • Centre • Champagne-Ardenne • Corsica • Franche-Comté • Île-de-France • Languedoc-Roussillon • Limousin • Lorraine • Midi-Pyrénées • Nord-Pas de Calais • Basse-Normandie • Haute-Normandie • Pays de la Loire • Picardie • Poitou-Charentes • Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur • Rhône-Alpes Overseas regions: French Guiana • Guadeloupe • Martinique • Réunion Outlying territories of European countries
1 Sovereignity over territories in Antarctica currently suspended under the Antarctic Treaty System. ar:مارتينيك an:Martinica frp:Martinique zh-min-nan:Martinique br:Martinik bg:Мартиника ca:Martinica cs:Martinik da:Martinique de:Martinique et:Martinique el:Μαρτινίκα es:Martinica eo:Martiniko eu:Martinika fr:Martinique gl:Martinica - Martinique ko:마르티니크 hi:मार्तिनीक hr:Martinik io:Martinik id:Martinique ia:Martinique is:Martinique it:Martinica he:מרטיניק sw:Martinique ht:Matinik lt:Martinika hu:Martinique nl:Martinique ja:マルティニーク no:Martinique nn:Martinique nov:Martinik oc:Martinica nds:Martinique pl:Martynika pt:Martinica ro:Martinica ru:Мартиника simple:Martinique sk:Martinik sl:Martinik sr:Мартиник sh:Martinik fi:Martinique sv:Martinique tr:Martinique uk:Мартініка wo:Martinik zh:馬提尼克
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