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ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of Martinique (France)
Martinique [491]
Group: Archipelago: Windward Islands
Country: France - Martinique Region: Caribbean Sea
Lat: 14.65º N Long : 61.00º W
Area: 1166.6 sq. km Altitude: 1397 m
Shoreline: 298.7 km (scale 1:763000) Coastal Index: 0.2560
Depth to nearest land: >200 m
Nearest island: 30 km group: 250 km
Nearest continent: South America Distance: 410 km Isolation Index: 42
ISLAND TYPE: volcanic Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Mountainous island with active volcano (Mt. Pelee, last eruption 1901),
indented coastline, arid south
CLIMATE: wet tropical 24-26øC, 500-7500 mm
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: cyclones, volcanic eruptions
Threat Indicator: 2
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 7 Marine: 2
Extensive forest, but much is secondary; rainforest on Piton du Carbet
and Mt
Pelee (9000 ha); cloud forest, Mt Pelee (800 ha) and west central (700
ha);
moist forest north-west (1000 ha) and central (1300 ha); dry woodland in
south
(400 ha); mangroves at Baie de Fort-de-France (2200 ha) and 4 smaller
areas
(under 250 ha); saline lagoons; rocky volcanic shores to north and west;
fringing coral reefs (84 km) on south and east coasts Mangroves
Percent of land: Forested: 11% Developed: 0% Degraded: 0%
Percent shoreline: Coral Reef: 28% Mangrove: -9%
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
0 |
5 |
3 |
| Land birds |
0 |
1 |
3 |
| Mammals |
0 |
1 |
1 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
less than 4% endemic
Tibouchina chamaecistus (dwarf shrub) at high altitudes, Vulnerable
Reptiles/Amphibians:
5 endemic reptiles and 4 group endemics, 3 endemics believed extinct
Anolis roquet, endemic
Ameiva major, endemic, apparently extinct
Leiocephalus herminieri, endemic, not collected since 1837, extinct
Bothrops lanceolata, endemic
Dromicus cursor, endemic, not collected since 1962, apparently extinct
1 group endemic amphibian
Birds:
1 endemic, 8 group endemics
Icterus bonana (Martenique Oriole) endemic, widespread but uncommon in
forest, declining
9 breeding seabirds
Mammals:
Megalomys desmarestii (Giant West Indian Rice Rat, Antillean Muskrat)
endemic, apparently extinct
Myotis martiniquensis (Schwart's Myotis Bat) group endemic, Martinique
and
Barbados
Marine life:
Hawksbill, Leatherback and some Green turtle nesting
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 2 Group: 0
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 3 Marine: 0
seabird rookery, turtle nesting area
active volcano
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 2
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, capital Fort de France
Population: 328566 (1982) Density: 281.6 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 0.1%/yr Stable
Major Human Activities: bananas, sugar, rum, tourism, fisheries
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Most forest disturbed by human activity; 10% of land under bananas and
sugar
cane; mangroves and wetlands threatened by domestic and industrial
pollution
Habitat: Urban Pop: 145000 Urban Indicator: 4
Accessibility: port, airport
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 23% Human Threat Indicator: 1
Gross Domestic Product: $ 3650 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 2
Conservation support: government support, legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 6 Marine: 0
Number: 5 Area: Terrestrial: 710.7 sq. km Marine: 0 sq. km
Caravelle Nature Reserve (1976) (517 ha)
Martinique Regional Park (1976) (70,150 ha)
Baie de Fort-de-France (250 ha)
Etangs des Salines (90 ha)
Baie des Anglais (60 ha)
Proposed reserves:
Rocher and Banc du Diamant
Escaliers de Trois-Rivieres
Mangrove du Cap Chevalier
Rocher de la Perle
Baie du Tresor
Presqu'ile de la Caravelle
DATA RELIABILITY: good Data Rel. Indicator: 3
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 15
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 10 Moderate
CI-Marine: 3 Low
REFERENCES:
Johnson, Timothy H. 1988. Biodiversity and conservation in the
Caribbean:
profiles of selected islands. ICBP Monograph No. 1. International
Council
for Bird Preservation, Cambridge. 144 p.
Last updated: 15/09/90
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Page last updated: 09/05/10