Map of Guadeloupe | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: 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).


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Location: Caribbean, in the Caribbean Sea, 500 km southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total area total: 1,780 km²
Land: 1,760 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 306 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Elevation

Natural 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%

Irrigated land: 30 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: subject to hurricanes (June to October; La Soufriere is an active volcano

Geography
Note: defense is responsibility of France


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Population: 428,947 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 1.55% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Guadeloupian(s)

Ethnic groups

Languages: French, creole patois

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.55% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 17.68 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 5.94 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.73 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 8.9 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.97 years
Male: 73.91 years
Female: 80.14 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.04 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
Total population: 90%
Male: 90%
Female: 91%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
Conventional short form:

Government type: overseas department of France

Capital: Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of government: Prefect Franck PERRIEZ (since NA 1992); President of the General Council Dominique LARIFA (since NA); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)

Legislative branch: French Forces, Gendarmerie
General Council: elections last held NA March 1992 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (43 total) FRUI.G 13, RPR/DUD 13, PPDG 8, FGPS 3, PCG 3 UPLG 1, PSG 1, independent 1
Regional Council: elections last held on 31 January 1993 (next to be held by 16 March 1998); results - RPR/DUD 48.30%, FGPS 17.09%, FRUI.G 7.44%, PPDG 8.90%, UPLG 7.75% PCG 6.05%; seats - (41 total) seats by party NA
French Senate: elections last held in September 1986 (next to be held September 1995); Guadeloupe elects two representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) PCG 1, PS 1
French National Assembly: elections last held on 21 and 28 March1993 (next to be held March 1998); Guadeloupe elects four representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) PS 1, RPR 1, PCG 1, independent 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel) with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation
From the us:

Flag description: the flag of France is used

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $8,400 (1991)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: cash crops - bananas, sugarcane; other products include tropical fruits and vegetables; livestock - cattle, pigs, goats; not self-sufficient in food

Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 120,000
By occupation services government and commerce: 53.0%
By occupation industry: 25.8%
By occupation agriculture: 21.2%

Unemployment rate: 31.3% (1990)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$333 million

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $168 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: bananas, sugar, rum
Partners: France 68%, Martinique 22% (1987)

Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodities: vehicles, foodstuffs, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials, petroleum products
Partners: France 64%, Italy, FRG, US (1987)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.9205 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989)


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Electricity
Capacity: 171,500 kW
Production: 441 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 1,080 kWh (1992)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 9
Usable: 9
With permanentsurface runways: 8
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs