Martinique is one of the islands of the Caribbean archipelago located between North America and South America. To the north of this archipelago lie the Bahamas, just 90 km from Florida, while the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao are only 29 km from Venezuela. Within this archipelago, Martinique lies south of Dominica, north of Saint Lucia, and west of Barbados.

Martinique has been French since 1635, even though the island changed hands 14 times between the British and the French, who were then disputing ownership of the island. In 1801, under the Treaty of Paris, the island was returned to the French, but the final agreement was not reached until 1814. The Treaty of Paris of May 30, 1814, definitively confirmed the return of Martinique to France. Since then, the island has remained French—first as a French colony, then as a French department following the enactment of the 1946 law confirming its new status.

It should be noted that following the abolition of slavery, all Martinicans automatically became French citizens—both former slave owners and those who had recently gained their freedom. The koulis who arrived later had to wait until 1914 to obtain French citizenship.

Several votes to grant Martinique greater autonomy have yielded very mixed results. The only one that received a favorable response was the proposal to establish Martinique as a single territorial community, abolishing the General and Regional Councils and replacing them with the Territorial Community of Martinique.

Furthermore, the independence of the island, which some are calling for, remains largely unpopular locally.

For Martinique to become independent from France, the French Constitution would have to be amended, which would require a vote passed by both the National Assembly and the Senate in identical terms, followed by either a referendum of all French citizens or a session of Congress (senators and deputies meeting in Versailles) to vote on the text. A three-fifths majority is required to adopt a constitutional amendment.

There are two seasons in Martinique: dry and the rainy season. The climate is tropical maritime.

The dry season runs from December through April. It is generally a dry and cooler period. Temperatures are milder, ranging from 22 to 30°C. They can even drop to 14 to 16°C at night in December.

The winds that sweep across the Caribbean—the trade winds—are steady and provide consistent ventilation. The sky is usually very blue, with plenty of sunshine. The air is drier and therefore more pleasant.

One final noteworthy point regarding recent years is that Sargassum strandings have become much less frequent.

The rainy season runs from April through the end of November. This is the rainy season, and at its peak—between June and the end of November—tropical storms and hurricanes occur. Rainfall is heavier, and there are more tropical depressions and storms.

Paradoxically, this is the hottest time of year on the island. Temperatures can reach their peak for several days in a row, resulting in stifling heat.

The trade winds are humid, sometimes giving the impression that there is no wind.

In the sky, cumulus clouds sometimes obscure the blue sky. There are more strands of sargassum washing ashore.

The rainy season runs from April through the end of November. This is the rainy season, and at its peak—between June and the end of November—tropical storms and hurricanes occur. Rainfall is heavier, and there are more tropical depressions and storms.

The longest river is the Lézarde River. It flows through the heart of the island and passes through several municipalities: Le Gros-Morne, Saint-Joseph, Le Lamentin. Its length is estimated at 33 km, and its watershed covers 132 km².

Second is the Rivière Blanche, 20.5 km long, which is also located in the center of the island. It originates near the Pitons du Carbet and flows into the Lézarde River in Lamentin.

These two rivers also serve as sources of drinking water for the island and have several water intake stations.

Given its geographic location, Martinique may be prone to various natural hazards that pose a threat to people.

First of all, seismic risks exist because Martinique is located in a subduction zone—that is, an oceanic tectonic plate (the Caribbean Plate) slides and dives beneath another plate (the North American Plate) before sinking into the mantle. This friction creates stress in the rocks, which eventually releases and causes earthquakes or even tsunamis. However, no major tsunami has ever struck Martinique.

Martinique is also home to a volcano at Mount Pelée. This explosive-type volcano is under close surveillance, and any eruption is preceded by warning signs. The last eruption occurred on September 16, 1929, and caused no casualties. The authorities led the evacuation of residents in the threatened areas.

There are numerous climate-related risks in Martinique, given that it is a Caribbean island. First, hurricanes and tropical cyclones can have disastrous consequences, such as flash floods, major flooding, and loss of property and life. Tornadoes most often occur over the ocean and are a very rare phenomenon.

Finally, we must not forget about droughts. These are common, particularly during the dry season between April and July. In the event of a severe drought, water restriction measures are implemented by the island’s prefect.