Statistical information Guadeloupe 1992

Guadeloupe in the World
top of pageBackground: Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of Saint-Martin is divided with the Netherlands (whose southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles).
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 1,780 km²
Land: 1,760 km²
Comparative: 10 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 306 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: none
Climate: subtropical tempered by trade winds; relatively high humidity
Terrain:
Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains;
Grand-Terre is low limestone formation
ElevationNatural resources: cultivable land, beaches, and climate that foster tourism
Land use: arable land: 18%; permanent crops: 5%; meadows and pastures 13%; forest and woodland 40%; other 24%; includes irrigated 1%
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 409,132 (July 1992), growth rate 2.1% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Guadeloupian(s; adjective - Guadeloupe
Ethnic groups:
black or mulatto 90%; white 5%; East Indian, Lebanese,
Chinese less than 5%
Languages: French, creole patois
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 19 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 8 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an active volcano
Current issues note: located 500 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 80 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 90% (male 90%, female 91%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
Government type: overseas department of France
Capital: Basse-Terre
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Dependent areasIndependence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 18
French National Assembly: last held on 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1994); Guadeloupe elects four representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) PS 2 seats, RPR 1 seat, PCG 1 seat
French Senate: last held on 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1994); Guadeloupe elects two representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) PCG 1, PS 1
General Council:last held NA 1986 (next to be held by NA 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (42 total) number of seats by party
NA
Regional Council:last held on 16 March 1992 (next to be held by 16
March 1998); results - RPR 33.1%, PSG 28.7%, PCG 23.8%, UDF 10.7%, other 3.7%; seats - (41 total) RPR 15, PSG 12, PCG 10, UDF 4
Communists: 3,000 est.
Executive branch: government commissioner
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional
Council
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel) with jurisdiction over
Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: FZ, WCL
Diplomatic representation: as an overseas department of France, the interests of Guadeloupe are represented in the US by France
Diplomatic representationFlag description
: the flag of France is used
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview:
The economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry, and services. It is also dependent upon France for large subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists from the US. In addition, an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands.
The traditionally important sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still dependent on imported food, which comes mainly from France. Light industry consists mostly of sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $1.1 billion, per capita $3,300; real growth rate NA% (1987)
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: cash crops - bananas and sugarcane; other products include tropical fruits and vegetables; livestock - cattle, pigs, and goats; not self-sufficient in food
Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%
Labor force:
120,000; 53.0%
services, government, and commerce, 25.8%
industry, 21.2% agriculture
Organized labor: 11% of labor force
Unemployment rate: 38% (1987)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $254 million; expenditures $254 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1989)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $153 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodoties: bananas, sugar, rum
Partners: France 68%, Martinique 22% (1987)
Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodoties: vehicles, foodstuffs, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials, petroleum products
Partners: France 64%, Italy, FRG, US (1987)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.6397 (March 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 171,500 kW capacity; 441 million kWh produced, 1,279 kWh per capita (1991)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresMilitary and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports:
9 total, 9 usable, 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs