| Geography and Climate |
Martinique located in the Caribbean, is an island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago. Area - comparative: slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC.
Climate is tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid. Terrain consists of mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano.
Elevation extreme has the lowest point in Caribbean Sea 0 m and highest point in Montagne Pelee 1,397 m. Natural resources are coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land. Land use:
arable land: 8%, permanent crops: 8%, permanent pastures: 17%, forests and woodland: 44%,
other: 23% (1993 est.). Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.).
Natural hazards are hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years).
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |