The +596 country code is for Martinique, a French overseas department in the Lesser Antilles. This volcanic Caribbean island is home to about 375,000 people, with the capital Fort-de-France on the western coast. Martinique is best known for Mount Pelée, the active volcano that destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre in 1902. Like Guadeloupe, Martinique is a fully integrated part of France and uses the French telephone numbering system — but with its own country code, +596, not shared with any other territory.
Quick answer: Dial +596 followed by 9 digits (starting with 596 for landlines or 696 for mobiles). Total international number: 12 digits. The local trunk prefix is 0 (drop it when dialing internationally). Landline numbers start with 596, mobile numbers start with 696.
How to call Martinique: quick reference
Martinique follows French dialing conventions. Locally, numbers are 10 digits starting with 0. Internationally, drop the leading 0 and add +596.
| Calling from | Dialing format |
|---|---|
| US/Canada mobile | +596 [local number] |
| US/Canada landline | 011-596-[local number] |
| UK | 00-596-[local number] |
| Australia | 0011-596-[local number] |
| Germany | 00-596-[local number] |
| France | 00-596-[local number] |
Understanding Martinique phone numbers
Martinique uses the French numbering plan. Local numbers are 10 digits starting with 0. When dialing internationally, drop the 0 and prefix with +596, giving you 12 digits total.
Mobile numbers
Mobile numbers start with 0696 locally. Internationally: +596 696 XX XX XX. A typical mobile: +596 696 12 34 56.
Landline numbers
Landline numbers start with 0596 locally. Internationally: +596 596 XX XX XX. Like Guadeloupe's double-590, the 596 appears twice — once as the country code and once as the area prefix. A typical landline: +596 596 12 34 56.
Number format summary
| Type | Local format | International format |
|---|---|---|
| Landline | 0596 XX XX XX | +596 596 XX XX XX |
| Mobile | 0696 XX XX XX | +596 696 XX XX XX |
Mobile carriers in Martinique
Martinique shares its mobile carrier landscape with Guadeloupe — the same operators serve both French Caribbean departments.
Orange Caraïbe
Orange has the widest coverage on the island and the largest subscriber base. Roaming between Martinique and mainland France is treated as domestic under Orange plans.
Digicel
Digicel competes on price with strong prepaid offerings. It has solid coverage across Fort-de-France and the more populated southern half of the island.
Free (Iliad)
Free entered the market with low-cost plans that mirror its mainland France pricing strategy. Coverage is growing but still lags behind Orange.
SFR Caraïbe
SFR Caraïbe (formerly Outremer Telecom) provides mobile, fixed-line, and internet services. It has a smaller market share but is a viable option for bundled packages.
Don't confuse +596 with nearby codes
Martinique's +596 sits between other French overseas territory codes and is easy to mix up with them.
| Code | Territory | How to tell apart |
|---|---|---|
| +596 | Martinique | The code you want — exclusive to Martinique |
| +590 | Guadeloupe (+ St. Barth, St. Martin) | Different island, shared code among three territories |
| +594 | French Guiana | On the South American mainland |
| +33 | France (mainland) | Metropolitan France, different code entirely |
Unlike Guadeloupe's +590 (which is shared with Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin), +596 belongs to Martinique alone. If a number starts with +596, it's Martinique.
Time zone considerations
Martinique is on Atlantic Standard Time (AST), which is UTC-4 year-round. No daylight saving time.
| Your location | When it's noon in Martinique |
|---|---|
| New York (EST/EDT) | 11:00 AM (winter) / 12:00 PM (summer) |
| Paris (CET/CEST) | 5:00 PM (winter) / 6:00 PM (summer) |
| London (GMT/BST) | 4:00 PM (winter) / 5:00 PM (summer) |
| Dubai (GST) | 8:00 PM |
| Tokyo (JST) | 1:00 AM next day |
Most calls to Martinique come from mainland France, where the time gap is 5–6 hours. A late morning call from Paris catches Martinique at breakfast time.
Communication in Martinique
Business hours
Government offices and banks follow a typical French schedule with a long midday break: 8:00 AM to noon, then 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The lunch break is non-negotiable — calling between noon and 2:00 PM will almost certainly go unanswered. Shops may stay open through lunch and close around 6:00 PM.
Language
French is the official language for all business and government dealings. Martinican Creole (Créole martiniquais) is the everyday language spoken at home and in casual settings. Aimé Césaire, the poet and politician from Martinique, helped put the island's French-Creole identity on the world stage. Business calls should be in French.
Network coverage
4G LTE coverage is strong across most of Martinique. The island is small enough (about 65 km long) that coverage gaps are rare in populated areas. The mountainous interior around Mount Pelée can have weaker signal. French mobile plans treat Martinique as domestic, so visitors from mainland France can use their phones without roaming charges.
The Martinique diaspora
Where Martinicans have settled
Like Guadeloupeans, the Martinican diaspora is almost entirely in mainland France. The Paris region (Île-de-France) has the largest concentration, with tens of thousands who moved through the BUMIDOM programme in the 1960s and 1970s. Bordeaux, Lyon, and Toulouse also have Martinican communities. Outside France, small populations exist in Quebec and neighbouring Caribbean islands.
Why they call home
Calls between mainland France and Martinique are a daily routine for split families. The traffic picks up around Carnival (the weeks before Ash Wednesday, when Martinique's celebrations rival those of Trinidad), Christmas, and the August vacation period when many in the diaspora return to the island. Since French phone plans cover Martinique as domestic, many of these calls cost nothing through their carrier — but calling from the US, UK, or elsewhere to +596 is billed at international Caribbean rates.
Dialing examples
Calling a mobile in Fort-de-France from the US
Your contact's local number is 0696 12 34 56. Drop the leading 0 and add +596: dial +596 696 12 34 56. From a US landline: 011 596 696 12 34 56.
Calling a landline in Le Lamentin from the UK
The number is 0596 51 23 45. Drop the 0, add +596: dial +596 596 51 23 45. From a UK landline: 00 596 596 51 23 45. The doubled 596 is correct.
Calling Martinique from mainland France
From France, dial the full 10-digit local number including the 0: 0596 51 23 45 (landline) or 0696 12 34 56 (mobile). Most French mobile plans include these calls as domestic.
Calling within Martinique
For local calls, dial the full 10-digit number: 0596 XX XX XX (landline) or 0696 XX XX XX (mobile).
Common mistakes to avoid
Forgetting to drop the leading 0
Locally, numbers start with 0 (e.g., 0696...). When dialing internationally, that 0 must be removed. Dialing +596 0696... will not connect.
Being confused by the double 596
For landlines, the international format is +596 596 XX XX XX. The first 596 is the country code; the second is the area prefix. Both are needed.
Mixing up +596 with +590
+596 is Martinique. +590 is Guadeloupe (plus Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin). They're sister departments but have different country codes. If your contact gave you a number starting with 0590, it's a Guadeloupe number, not Martinique.
Assuming mainland France rates
If you're calling from outside France, +596 is an international call to a Caribbean territory. Your carrier won't charge it at France (+33) rates — it will be billed at Caribbean international rates.
Prefer calling over WiFi? See our guide to the best apps for WiFi calling.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What country uses the +596 code?
Martinique, a French overseas department in the Caribbean. Unlike +590 (Guadeloupe), the +596 code is exclusive to Martinique.
Why does 596 appear twice in landline numbers?
The first 596 is the country code. The second is the local area prefix (replacing the 0 in the local number 0596...). Both are needed: +596 596 XX XX XX.
How many digits is a Martinique phone number?
12 digits in international format: +596 (country code) + 9 digits (local number without the leading 0). Locally, numbers are 10 digits starting with 0.
Can I call Martinique using a French phone plan?
Usually yes. Most French carriers include calls to Martinique as domestic. But calling from outside France to +596 is billed as an international call.
What's the difference between +596 and +590?
+596 is Martinique only. +590 is Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, and Saint Martin (French side). They're separate French Caribbean departments with separate codes.
Need to call Martinique or other French Caribbean territories? CallSky.io covers 180+ countries with per-minute rates and no subscriptions. Related guides: +590 Guadeloupe • +594 French Guiana • +33 France.