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, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total area total: 1,780 km²
Land: 1,706 km²
Comparative: 10 times the size of Washington, DC
Note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, of which Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, and Marie-Galante are the three largest

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; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin

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

Geography
Note: defense is responsibility of France


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Population: 402,815 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 1.24% (1995 est.)

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 profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 26% (female 51,069; male 52,922)
15-64 years: 66% (female 134,328; male 130,875)
65 years and over: 8% (female 19,318; male 14,303) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.24% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 18.15 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.58 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
Current issues natural hazards: hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an active volcano
Current issues international agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 8.5 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.2 years
Male: 74.16 years
Female: 80.38 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.95 children born/woman (1995 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: 90%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
Conventional short form: Guadeloupe
Local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe
Local short form: Guadeloupe

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 LARIFLA (since NA); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council
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, FGPS 1
French National Assembly: elections last held on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held March 1998); Guadeloupe elects four representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) FGPS 1, RPR 1, PPDG 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
In the us: none (overseas department of France)
From the us: none (overseas department of France)

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: $9,000 (1993 est.)

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: $400 million
Expenditures: $671 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

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: $130 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodoties: bananas, sugar, rum
Partners: France 70%, Martinique 17% (1991)

Imports: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1992)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials
Partners: France 60%, EC, US, Japan (1991)

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 - 5.9243 (January 1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990)


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Electricity
Capacity: 320,000 kW
Production: 650 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 1,421 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 57,300 telephones; domestic facilities inadequate
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; interisland microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

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
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 6

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs