Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...
, a ''
région
France is divided into eighteen administrative regions (french: régions, singular ), of which thirteen are located in metropolitan France (in Europe), while the other five are overseas regions (not to be confused with the overseas collect ...
'' and
overseas département of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
in the
Caribbean, does not have an official coat of arms. The Regional Assembly has adopted a distinctive logo to represent the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique.
Logo
The Territorial Collectivity of Martinique has adopted a logo to represent itself. The logo was adopted on 1 August 2016, following a design competition opene to all people of age living in Martinique. Out of 647 eligible proposals, a design by 22-year-old graphic artist Stévy Desbonnes was selected. The logo features a
hummingbird whose wings form a stylized map of Martinique. The
ochre colour represents the local soil and the blue represents the ocean.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of Martinique is based on the island of
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...
's controversial snake flag which features a white cross on a blue field with a white viper (''
Bothrops lanceolatus'') in each corner. The symbol was first used following a August 4th, 1766 edict specifying that vessels of the French colony of Martinique and
Saint Lucia should fly a version of the
French ensign—which at the time was a white cross on a blue field—with L-shaped (for ''Lucia'') snakes in each quarter of the cross. The controversy comes as those vessels were active participants in the
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
The Atlantic slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, or Euro-American slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people, mainly to the Americas. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and i ...
with locals highly discouraging the use of the flag, and by extension the coat of arms.
In October 2018, the
National Gendarmerie
The National Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie nationale, ) is one of two national law enforcement forces of France, along with the National Police. The Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces placed under the jurisdiction of the Mini ...
directorate in Martinique stopped using the emblem by order of President
Emmanuel Macron.
See also
*
Flag of Martinique
References
External links
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...
{{Martinique-stub