Geographic location of Martinique

Martinique, nicknamed the island of beautiful flowers and known as Guadeloupe’s sister island, is located between Dominica to the north and Saint Lucia to the south. Covering an area of ​​1,128 km², it is approximately 64 km long and 30 km wide. Its highest point is Mount Pelée, a volcano that dominates the north of the country at an altitude of 1,397 m.

Geology and landscape of Martinique

A veritable geological puzzle, Martinique has been influenced by numerous volcanoes throughout its history. Its steep slopes, hills, extinct volcanoes, Mount Pelée, the petrified savannah, salt marshes, and many others demonstrate the island’s contrasting evolution over the past 30 million years. La Caravelle and the peninsulas of the commune of Sainte-Anne in the east and south are the oldest parts of the island. In the north, the youngest deposits are located on the Mount Pelée volcano and date from the last eruption in 1929-1932.

The latter, indeed active, continues to shape the landscape; mudflows (lahars) are regularly observed in the commune of Précheur.

Martinique is an archipelago made up of 50 islets, the most famous of which are located on the North Atlantic coast in the municipalities of Robert and François. In their surroundings, you can swim in the white sands, a special feature: shallow waters in the open sea nicknamed bathtubs.

From black volcanic sand to very fine white, Martinique reveals itself as follows :

• North

Lush green hills, black sand beaches, rivers and waterfalls. On the west coast, you face the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea; on the east, the coast faces the crashing Atlantic.

The inland area invites you to explore the Gorges de la Falaise at Ajoupa Bouillon, Mount Pelée or the Pitons du Carbet which overlook the humid and tropical forests.

• In the center

Urbanization dominates, without excluding some beautiful spaces sheltering iguanas, such as Fort Saint-Louis or the mangrove and its riches in the Bay of Fort-de-France.

• South

Made up of hills and savannahs, the climate is dry. The vegetation is adapted to it and therefore contrasts greatly with the North. However, there are beautiful beaches, bays and coves of white sand enhanced by the seabed and coral reefs and the legendary Diamond Rock.

Flora and fauna of Martinique

The island of beautiful flowers is home to abundant biodiversity. It is one of the international biodiversity hotspots. 26% of its surface area is covered by forest, and a diverse array of landscapes and environments with significant heritage values ​​coexist here.

Relatively well protected, the forests sometimes reach their peak. The waters surrounding Martinique, shaped by geological history, vary between deep seas and plateaus, allowing for the observation of native, endemic, and invasive flora and fauna.