Eight in ten residents born locally: Martinique holds the French record for native-born residents

Natives make up 80% of Martinique's residents, the highest share of any French département, according to RCI Martinique, citing an Insee study drawn from the 2023 census. Réunion comes next, followed by Guadeloupe in third place.

The study is titled "Où sont nés les habitants de la Martinique ?" ("Where were Martinique's residents born?"). It can be viewed on the Insee website.

Who lives in Martinique without being born there

The remaining 20% most often come from another French département. Guadeloupe leads, ahead of Île-de-France. Only a quarter of those not born there were born abroad, mainly in Haiti and Saint Lucia.

Pierre-Emile Bidoux, head of the Regional Action division at Insee Martinique, says people born outside France account for about 4 in every 100 residents. According to him, half of them come from Haiti or Saint Lucia, which he links to geographic proximity. He adds that more than 130 countries of birth are recorded. He contrasts this with French Guiana, where one in three residents was born abroad.

Differences by age

The share of natives varies from one age group to another. It reaches 85% among those under 15 and rises again after 75. Among 30-to-49-year-olds, it falls to its lowest level, 7 in 10, according to Pierre-Emile Bidoux.

What Insee says about the reasons

The head of Insee Martinique points to insularity, which he says plays a role, since the top three départements in the ranking are islands. He also highlights attachment to the territory. Among those not born there, he distinguishes "originaires," meaning people with ties to the island who were not born there. He says that return is explained first by family, environment and friends, not by jobs.