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The island Martinique is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. It’s one of the Winward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea, and located just north of Saint Lucia and south-east of Dominica.
Historically, the economy of Martinique has relied on agriculture, but the sugar production has dwindled considerably in the 21st century while tourism has grown more important. A majority of the sugar produced on Martinique nowadays is used for making rum.
Is Martinique a part of the European Union?
Yes, Martinique is treated as an integral part of the French republic and is thus a part of the European Union. However, Martinique has a derogation from some EU policies – it is outside the Schengen Area and is not included in the EU VAT Area.
What’s the official currency?
The official currency of Martinque is the Euro (EUR).
Language
The official language is French.
Most residents speak both French and Créole Martiniquais, which is a version of the French-based Antillean Creole.
Tourism
Martinique is famous for its upscale tourist facilities, but you can find more budget friendly options here as well. Traditionally, the island has been a hot-spot for upper-class French-speaking vacationers.
The southern part of the island is famous for its white sand beaches, while the northern part of the island is covered in rain forest and features black sand beaches.
The interior of the island is mountainous and dominated by the volcano Mount Pelée. This volcano is currently in a quiescent state, which means it is not active but not dormant either. The last major eruption was in 1902 when it destroyed Saint Pierre, which was then the main city on the island. Saint Pierre was never rebuilt (there are villages there now instead) and Fort-de-France became the capital.
Connections
You can fly into Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport, which has direct connections to Europe, the United States, Canada, and several of the other Caribbean islands.
From Fort-de-France in Martinique, you can catch the ferry to places such as St. Lucia, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Marie Galante, and Les Saintes.
Casino gambling in Martinique
Casino gambling is legal in Martinique, for those who are at least 18 years old.
Compared to many other Caribbean tourist destinations, Martinique is not filled with a multitude of casinos. There are only two reasonably big gambling establishments here: Casino Bateliére Plaza and Casino Trois-Ilets.
Casino Bateliére Plaza is located in a plantation style house just a tad north of the bay Baie de Fort de France. You can play slots from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m., but the table games don’t open until 7:30 p.m.
Casino Trois-Ilets is located on the southern side of the bay Baie de Fort de France. Opening hours are 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Live music on the weekends.
Good to know about Martinique
Size: 1,128 km2 (436 sq mi)
Population: Circa 375,000 in 2016
Capital: Fort-de-France
Most populous city: Fort-de-France
Official language: French
Official currency: Euro
Time zone: UCT-4 (Eastern Caribbean Time)
Driving side: Right
ISO 3166 code: MQ
Internet top level domain: .mq (.fr is frequently used instead)