Martinique

  MARTINIQUE

A. THE DEPARTMENT

Department of Martinique is a volcanic island and the most northerly of
the Windward Islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea.  As an overseas
department of France, it is highly dependent on France which controls
much of the economy.  In addition to French aid, the economy is based on
tourism and, to a lesser degree, sugar, bananas, petroleum and rum.  The
white minority controls a disproportionate amount of the economy and
land.  Many Creole are increasingly hard-pressed due to high costs of
living as reflected in the protests and riots in 2009.

B. THE PEOPLE

The population is ~406,900 and official language French.  Creole
Martiniquais is widely spoken.  ~94% are African Caribbean (black and
mixed Creole), ~3.3% French, ~2.7% Asian.  As many as 40% of all
Martiniquans live in France, where they are known as Antilleans.

C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM

~95.8% claim to be Christian, ~2.4% Non-religious, ~0.65% Muslim, ~0.5%
Baha’i, ~0.35% Other, ~0.3% Hindu.
In the Christian category:
~84.98% are Catholic, ~10.6% Protestant, ~0.39% Independent.
Evangelicals represent ~6.3% of the population.
Charismatics represent ~3% and of those ~2% are Pentecostals.

Donna Siemens

References:

Operation World, Jason Mandryk. Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010.