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).

Geographic coordinates: 16 15 N 61 35 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Comparative: 10 times the size of Washington DC

Coastline: 306 km

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

Natural resources: cultivable land beaches and climate that foster tourism

Irrigated land: 30 km² (1993 est.)

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

Population: 426,493 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 1.11% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

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 1%

Population growth rate: 1.11% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 17.25 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 6.01 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.15 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA

Infant mortality rate: 9.77 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.93 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Government type: NA

Capital: Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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)

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

Political parties and leaders: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Christian CELESTE]; diverse left parties [Jacques GILLOT]; diverse right parties [Simon IBO]; FGPS Dissidents or FRUI.G [Dominique LARIFLA]; Movement for an Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI [Luc REINETTE]; Popular Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or UPLG [Lucien PERRUTIN]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Aldo BLAISE]; Socialist Party or PS [Abdon SAMAN]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]

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: 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 gold five-pointed star is centered in the red band toward the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy overview: The economy depends on agriculture tourism light industry and services. It also depends on 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. Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1996 est.)

Agriculture products: bananas sugarcane tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle pigs goats

Industries: construction cement rum sugar tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 125,900 (1997)
By occupation agriculture: 15%
By occupation industry: 17%
By occupation services: 68% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 27.8% (1998)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA

Exports: $140 million (f.o.b. 1997)
Commodities: bananas sugar rum
Partners: France 60% Martinique 18% US 4% (1997)

Imports: $1.7 billion (c.i.f. 1997)
Commodities: foodstuffs fuels vehicles clothing and other consumer goods construction materials
Partners: France 63% Germany 4% US 3% Japan 2% Netherlands Antilles 2% (1997)

Debt external: $N/A

Exchange rates: euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000) 0.9386 (1999); French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.65 (January 1999) 5.8995 (1998) 5.8367 (1997) 5.1155(1996) 4.9915 (1995)

Electricity
Production: 1.22 billion kWh (1998)
Consumption: 1.135 billion kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 159,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: 814 (1990)

Telephone system: domestic facilities inadequate

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

Airports: 9 (1999 est.)

Disputes international: none