Fort-de-France
[key], city, capital of the French overseas dept. of Martinique, West Indies. It is a
popular tourist resort and a free port, exporting mainly bananas, sugar, and
rum. It was settled in 1762 by the French, who built Fort-Royal by the
strategically situated harbor. Yellow fever hampered its prosperity,
however, and Fort-de-France did not gain importance until after 1902, when
the city of Saint-Pierre was
destroyed by an eruption of Mont Pelée. Drainage of the swamps to
control disease further stimulated Fort-de-France's growth. Empress
Josephine, first wife of Napoleon I, was born across the bay from the
city.
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