CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(8 fields)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
NA
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
113,000 (1997)
Telephone system
domestic facilities inadequate domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique
Telephones - main lines in use
159,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular
814 (1990)
Television broadcast stations
5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
118,000 (1997)
◆ ECONOMY(31 fields)
Agriculture - products
bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats
Budget
revenues: $225 million expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Currency
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
$NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies
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.
Electricity - consumption
1.135 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - production
1.22 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
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)
Exports
$140 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports - commodities
bananas, sugar, rum
Exports - partners
France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1997)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 6% industry: 9% services: 85% (1993 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports - commodities
foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners
France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2% (1997)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA
Labor force
125,900 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 15%, industry 17%, services 68% (1997)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
27.8% (1998)
◆ GEOGRAPHY(16 fields)
Area
total: 1,780 sq km land: 1,706 sq km water: 74 sq km note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin
Area - comparative
10 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity
Coastline
306 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,467 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Geographic coordinates
16 15 N, 61 35 W
Irrigated land
30 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km
Land use
arable land: 14% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 14% forests and woodland: 39% other: 29% (1993 est.)
Location
Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere is an active volcano
Natural resources
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
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
◆ GOVERNMENT(20 fields)
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
Basse-Terre
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe conventional short form: Guadeloupe local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe local short form: Guadeloupe
Data code
GP
Dependency status
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas department of France)
Executive branch
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean FEDINI (since NA 1996) head of government: President of the General Council Marcellin LUBETH (since NA March 1998); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president 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
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
Government type
NA
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique
Legal system
French legal system
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 1998 (next to be held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - diverse left parties 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, diverse right parties 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 24.49%, PCG 5.29%, diverse right parties 5.73%; seats by party - RPR 25, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 12, PCG 2, diverse right parties 2 note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA 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 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FGPS 2, RPR 1, PPDG 1
National holiday
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
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]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
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).
◆ MILITARY(2 fields)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches
French Forces, Gendarmerie
◆ PEOPLE(15 fields)
Age structure
0-14 years: 25% (male 54,603; female 52,339) 15-64 years: 66% (male 139,640; female 142,706) 65 years and over: 9% (male 15,647; female 21,558) (2000 est.)
Birth rate
17.25 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate
6.01 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Ethnic groups
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Infant mortality rate
9.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Languages
French (official) 99%, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.99 years male: 73.82 years female: 80.3 years (2000 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)
Nationality
noun: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe
Net migration rate
-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Population
426,493 (July 2000 est.)
Population growth rate
1.11% (2000 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%
Sex ratio
at 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 total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.93 children born/woman (2000 est.)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)
Disputes - international
none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]
◆ TRANSPORTATION(7 fields)
Airports
9 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Highways
total: 2,082 km paved: 1,742 km unpaved: 340 km (1985 est.) note: in 1996 there were a total of 3,200 km of roads
Merchant marine
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,240 GRT/109 DWT ships by type: passenger 1 (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors
Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre
Railways
total: NA km; privately-owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines