Martinique

The département of Martinique is an overseas département (département d'outre-mer, or DOM) of France, located in the Caribbean Sea. The capital is Fort-de-France.

History Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation.

On May 8, 1902 Mount Pelée, a volcano on the island, erupted and destroyed the town of St. Pierre[?] killing over 30,000 people. Only a small handful of St. Pierre's residents survived the blast.

Martinique became an overseas département of France on March 19, 1946.

Martinique has become internationally famous for a form of music called zouk[?], which developed in the 1980s.

From the CIA World Factbook 2000. Not Wikified.

• Geography of Martinique
• Demographics of Martinique
• Politics of Martinique
• Economy of Martinique
• Communications in Martinique
• Transportation in Martinique
• Military: defense is the responsibility of France.
  Military branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
• Foreign relations of Martinique

See also: Music of Martinique and Guadeloupe