Statistical information Guadeloupe 1998

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 pageLocation: Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 16 15 N, 61 35 W
Map reference:
Central America and the CaribbeanAreaTotal: 1,780 km²
Land: 1,706 km²
Water: 74 km²
Note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes, Saint Barthelemy, and part of Saint Martin
Comparative: 10 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundariesTotal: 10.2 km
Border countries: (0) Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 kmCoastline: 306 km
Maritime claimsExclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity
Terrain: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Soufriere 1,467 m
Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
Land useArable land: 14%
Permanent crops: 4%
Permanent pastures: 14%
Forests and woodland: 39%
Other: 29% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: hurricanes (June to October; Soufriere is an active volcano
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 416,439 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 1.1% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Guadeloupian(s)
Adjective: Guadeloupe
Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Languages: French (official) 99%, Creole patois
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant sects 1%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 25% (male 53,239; female 51,148)
15-64 years: 66% (male 136,439; female 139,555)
65 years and over: 9% (male 15,243; female 20,815) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.1% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 16.73 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.61 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: NA
International agreements party to: NA
International agreements signed but not ratified: NA
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 8.79 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 77.8 years
Male: 74.78 years
Female: 80.97 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.84 children born/woman (1998 est.)
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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 90%
Male: 90%
Female: 90% (1982 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
Conventional short form: Guadeloupe
Local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe
Local short form: Guadeloupe
Government type: NA
Capital: Basse-Terre
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Dependent areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean FEDINI (since NA): ead of
Government: President of the General Council Dominique LARIFLA (since NA); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)
Cabinet: NA
Elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
Election results: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
Elections: General Council_last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held by NA 1996); Regional Council_last held 16 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)
Election results: General Council_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_FRUI.G 13, RPR/DUD 13, PPDG 8, FGPS 3, PCG 3, UPLG 1, PSG 1, independent 1; Regional Council_percent of vote by party_RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/DVG 24.49%, PCG 5.29%, DVD 5.73%; seats by party_RPR 25, PS/PPDG/DVG 12, PCG 2, DVD 2
Note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held in September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_RPR 1, FGPS 1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held on 25 May_1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_FGPS 2, RPR 1, PCG 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representationIn the us: none (overseas department of France)
From the us: none (overseas department of France)
Flag description
: three horizontal bands, a narrow green band (top), a wide red band, and a narrow green band; the green bands are separated from the red band by two narrow white stripes; a five-pointed gold star is centered in the red band toward the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions
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; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditional 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, mainly from France. Light industry features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $9,200 (1995 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 6%
Industry: 9%
Services: 85% (1993 est.)
Agriculture products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats
Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor forceTotal: 128,000
By occupation agriculture: 15%
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation services: 65% (1993)
Unemployment rate: 31.3% (1995)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $300 million
Expenditures: $460 million, including capital expenditures of $90 million (1995)
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: total value:$145 million (f.o.b., 1994)
Commodoties: bananas, sugar, rum
Partners: France 75%, Martinique 13% (1994)
Imports: total value:$1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials
Partners: France 64%, EU 13%, Martinique 4%, US, Japan (1994)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1_6.0836 (January 1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155(1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 388,000 kW (1995)
Production: 1 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 2,483 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 64,916 (1984 est.)
Telephone system: domestic facilities inadequate
Domestic: NA
Broadcast 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 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 8
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: none
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs