Martinique

Located between Dominica to the North and St Lucia to the South, Martinique is a large and beautiful volcanic island, the second largest of the Lesser Antilles, after Guadeloupe. About 65 km (40 mi) long and 30 km (18 mi) wide, it is shaped like an almond and is densely populated, with around 400, 000 inhabitants.
As a French overseas “department”, Martinique enjoys essentially the same status as main land France, ensuring modern roads and infrastructure, a higher standard of living and the best medical facilities of the whole lesser Antilles. The south part of the island hosts gorgeous white sand beaches as well as one of the largest marinas in the Caribbean, in Le Marin at the south tip. The north is less developed, hilly, with a dense rain forest and rivers. Fort de France is the vibrant capitol, with a large commercial zone.
Visitors will be delighted to find all the same size stores and brands found in France, nice bakeries, and the best selection of wines, cheeses and other French delicacies. There are also a number of good marine services, mostly based around the Marin marina and in Fort de France. Martinique has a strong culture of its own, solidly based on West Indian Creole traditions.
Being under French protection and part of the European Community, the islands enjoy political stability with the familiar gendarmes in charge of order.