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Martinique Hotels
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OVERVIEW
The French Overseas Department of Martinique, a volcanic and picturesque island, is the northernmost of the Windward Caribbean group. The island is noticeably more rocky than those of the Leeward group, with beaches (of fine black or white or peppered sand) surrounded by sugar, palm, banana and pineapple plantations. Christopher Columbus called it the most beautiful country in the world and before he named it in honour of St Martin, it was called Madinina (island of flowers) by the native population.
In the past, Martinique was the administrative, social, and cultural center of the French Antilles. It was a rich, aristocratic island, famous for its pretty women and pleasant living. Today the island has one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean. The most wonderful and e xotic wild orchids, frangipani, anthurium, jade vines, flamingo flowers, and hundreds of bright varieties of hibiscus still grow on the island. But these days the scent of flowers competes with those of French perfume and espresso.
In the south, where most of the development and the best beaches can be found, there are rolling hills and sugarcane fields. In the north, there are lush, tropical vegetation, banana and pineapple plantations, and one of the Caribbean's most awesome volcanoes, Mont Pelee. Fort-de-France is the island's capital and the cultural and commercial center. Most of the other towns are either small resorts or fishing villages.
Martinique has been influenced by Britain and France throughout the years until 1815 when it was ceded by treaty to Paris. French-styled food and wine, a great impulse, superb roads, Franco-Caribbean pop music, relatively high prices, and plenty of culture and arts can be found on the island. Customs also follow the French style: with places shutting their doors at midday and reopening at 2:30.
Martiniquais people are mainly Roman Catholic and their official language is French. The country has a warm climate. Martinique's currency is the Euro.
Some tips to take into account when visiting Martinique: the electricity runs on 220 Volts and the country code is 596.
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