Martinique, in the Windward Islands, is one of the more unique islands in the Caribbean, both geographically and culturally. For one, it stands at the confluence of two major bodies of water, with the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east and the Caribbean Sea to the south and west. As a result, this tiny, 420 square mile island has two sets of completely different beaches.
In addition, the land here is varied, with large stretches of flat land juxtaposed with large mountains. The climate depends largely on how high up you are. If you visit the top of Mount Pelee, you would find yourself at an elevation of 4,656 feet! Even the island's "smaller" hills check in at around 1,500 feet.
Christopher Columbus discovered Martinique, as he did so many other Caribbean islands, in the late 15th Century. The island's inhabitants at the time, the Carib Indians, called the island Madinina, or "island of flowers." French settlers came three decades later, and except for a short span between 1794 and 1815, when the island was under British rule, Martinique has been a French property. Josephine Bonaparte was born on Martinique, in Trois-Ilets, and a statue of her stands today in the center of Fort-de-France.
To this day, even as some separatist groups are calling for greater autonomy, Martinique belongs to France, not as a colony, but as a full-fledged region. That means that although the island is separated from the Eiffel Tower by thousands of miles, the citizens of Martinique are French, with the same rights afforded a Parisian. The French franc is the official currency, French stamps are used for postage, and the "language of love" is the official tongue.
The people of Martinique are mainly of African descent. Their colorful culture unique to the island includes a Mardi Gras celebration to rival that of New Orleans. At the same time, the island has begun to embrace the tourism industry, with beautiful resorts dotting the pristine white sand beaches of Martinique's southern coast.
Fort-de-France is Martinique's capital city. Its fairly central location on the island allows for excursions in pretty much any direction.