OverviewWith beautiful
white-sand beaches and a culture full of French flair,
Martinique is part of the Lesser Antilles and lies in the
semitropical zone; its western shore faces the Caribbean and its
eastern shore fronts the more turbulent Atlantic. The surface of
the island is only 420 square miles--50 miles at its longest and
21 miles at its widest point.
The terrain is mountainous, especially
in the rain-forested northern part where Mount Pelée, a volcano,
rises to a height of 4,656 feet. In the center of the island,
the mountains are smaller, with Carbet Peak reaching a
3,960-foot summit. The high hills rising among the peaks or
mountains are called mornes. The southern part of
Martinique has only big hills, reaching peaks of 1,500 feet at
Vauclin and 1,400 feet at Diamant. The irregular coastline of
the island provides five bays, dozens of coves, and miles of
sandy beaches. Almost a third of the island's year-round
population of 360,000 lives in the capital and largest city,
Fort-de-France.
The climate is relatively mild, with the
average temperature in the 75° to 85°F range. At higher
elevations, it's considerably cooler. The island is cooled by a
wind the French called alizé, and rain is frequent but
doesn't last very long. Late August to November might be called
the rainy season. April to September are the hottest months.
The early Carib peoples, who gave
Columbus such a hostile reception, called Martinique "the island
of flowers," and indeed it has remained so. The lush vegetation
includes hibiscus, poinsettias, bougainvillea, coconut palms,
and mango trees. Almost any fruit can sprout from Martinique's
soil: pineapples, avocados, bananas, papayas, and custard
apples.
Bird-watchers are often pleased at the
number of hummingbirds, and visitors can also see the mountain
whistler, the blackbird, and the mongoose. Multicolored
butterflies flit about, and after sunset, there's a permanent
concert of grasshoppers, frogs, and crickets.
