Essay Example on Tourism is a large part of the economy in Martinique

Tourism is a large part of the economy in Martinique It is considered by many people to be the best Caribbean vacation destination Its white sand beaches warm waters and coconut trees draw many many tourists each year Their vacation resorts are considered world class and there are many private island for rent The average temperature is about 80 degrees Fahrenheit so lots of people go there in the winter to stay warm and comfortable There are also many cruises in the area that wealthier people go on for fun Language The main language spoken in Martinique is French but you can hear locals speaking Creole as well They speak very little English on the island French is the official language of Martinique Currency The main form of currency in Martinique is the Euro because it is part of France which is a part of the Eurozone in Europe Right now one United States dollar equals 1 22 euros Interesting Features Some interesting features of Martinique include Le Memorial de l Anse Caffard the Diamond Rock beaches such as Anne Couleuvre Anse Noire and La Pointe Marin There are also many historic sites such as Habitation Clement Chateau Dubuc Ft St Louis and La Savane des Esclaves 

You can also see the old Mount Pelee which destroyed Martinique s former capital Cities The capital city of Martinique is Fort de France It is the largest city in the French Antilles Other cities include Le Francois Le Lamentin Le Robert Ducos La Trinite Les Trois Ilets Saint Pierre and Sainte Anne Each city has its own unique spirit and pays homage to Martinique s unique history Population Right now there are 386 486 people living in Martinique An estimated 260 000 people of Martinician origin live in mainland France mostly in the Paris area 85 295 people live in Fort de France Martinique s capital Dress People in Martinique tend to dress informally wearing casual sports clothes and lighter fabrics Cotton is a very common fabric because of its breathability Because of the warmer weather lightweight and light colored clothing is preferable Culture Most of the population of Martinique is descended from slaves brought by the white plantation owners Music is a large part of Martinique's culture The most popular genre of music is zouk which originated from combining musical styles from the United States and the Caribbean Bele is another popular music style It incorporates group dancing and singing and has a lot of drumming It is often in call and response style Other types of music include calypso and soca Martinique like other Caribbean islands celebrates Carnival This is a four day event leading up to lent with dancing and parades and costumes and singing Their food is mainly a mix of French and Creole Climate The climate in Martinique is warm with an average temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit or 26 degrees Celsius This contributes the vast amount of tourists that come to the island each year 

The south part of Martinique is drier and the north is greener with mountains and rainforests It is warm and humid year round except for a cooler and drier season from January to mid April and a hot and humid season from June to November Physical Features Martinique has many mountains but the largest of which is Mount Pelee Mount Pelee is 1 397 meters high which is also 4 583 feet Tropical rain forests and swamps take over much of the coastal areas There are some rivers coming down from the mountains with the Lezarde being the largest Location Martinique is located in the Lesser Antilles in the easters Caribbean Sea It is in the ECT time zone IT is southeast of the Dominican Republic It is north of St Lucia southeast of Puerto Rico south of Dominica and northwest of Barbados Its coordinates are 14 6415 degrees north and 61 0242 degrees west It is northeast of the coast of South America Eruption of 1902 An event that shaped the history of Martinique would be the eruption of Mount Pelee Its eruption on May 8th 1902 killed 29 000 people and destroyed the island's capital at the time St Pierre The city was completely destroyed within minutes of the beginning of the eruption It was the most catastrophic volcanic eruption of the twentieth century There were only two survivors in the path of the flow Leon Compere Leandre survived because of the placement of his home on the outer edge of the city Louis Auguste Cyparis survived because he was in a dungeon like jail cell Government Martinique is an overseas department of France which means that they are a territory administered by the French 

They have representation in the French Parliament The citizens of Martinique have French nationality and the right to vote in French presidential elections and elections for the European Parliament Martinique has as much democratic power as the regions in mainland France Bibliography Cornevin Robert Martinique Encyclopædia Britannica Encyclopædia Britannica Inc 4 Jan 2018 www britannica com place Martinique Volcano World Pelee Volcano World Oregon State University volcano oregonstate edu pelee North America World Atlas Maps Geography Travel www worldatlas com webimage countrys namerica caribb martinique martiniqueland htm Climate Martinique Climate in Martinique Temperature Precipitation When to Go What to Pack www climatestotravel com climate martinique Climate in Martinique Official Website for Tourism in France 13 Jan 2012 uk france fr en information climate martinique Martinique What to Pack and How to Dress www frenchcaribbean com Martinique Helpful Info What to Pack TatosKoncept What to Do in Martinique Fort De France Capital of Martinique MartinicaOnline martinicaonline com fort de france capital martinique Martinique 2018 Best of Martinique Tourism TripAdvisor www tripadvisor com Tourism g147327 Martinique Vacations html