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  Guadeloupe
(overseas department of France)
 
Flag of Guadeloupe
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This page was last updated on 16 May, 2006


Map of Guadeloupe



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Guadeloupe Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe
   Geography    Guadeloupe Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
16 15 N, 61 35 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
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:
Definition Field Listing
10 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 10.2 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
306 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
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
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 11.7%
permanent crops: 2.92%
other: 85.38% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
60 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre
   People    Guadeloupe Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
452,776 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 54,725/female 52,348)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 150,934/female 153,094)
65 years and over: 9.2% (male 17,353/female 24,322) (2006 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 32.2 years
male: 31.3 years
female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.88% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.09 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 78.06 years
male: 74.91 years
female: 81.37 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective: Guadeloupe
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
French (official) 99%, Creole patois
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90%
male: 90%
female: 90% (1982 est.)
   Government    Guadeloupe Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form: Guadeloupe
local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe
local short form: Guadeloupe
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
overseas department of France
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Basse-Terre
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas department of France)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
French legal system
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Paul GIROT DE LANGLADE (since 17 August 2004)
head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Victorin LUREL (since 2 April 2004)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-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
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
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 March 2004 (next to be held by in 2010); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008 to elect half of the body)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - PS 58.4%, UMP 41.6%; seats by party - PS 29, UMP 12
note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held September 2004 (next to be held September 2013); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA, Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, different right parties 1
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique LARIFLA]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Flavien FERRANT]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Socialist Party or PS [Jules OTTO]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Claudine LACAVE]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR) [Gabrielle LOUIS-CARABIN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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; The Socialist Renewal Movement
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas department of France)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
unofficial, local flag based upon the arms of the city of Pointe-a-Pitre; the field is divided horizontally with a narrow, blue stripe along the top edge charged with three gold fleurs-de-lis; the wider, lower portion of the field is black and charged with green sugar cane leaves - representing one of Guadeloupe's main crops - surmounted by a gold radiant sun representing the tropical climate; the only official flag is the national flag of France
   Economy    Guadeloupe Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
This Caribbean 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3.513 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
NA
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$7,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 15%
industry: 17%
services: 68% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
125,900 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 15%
industry: 20%
services: 65% (2002)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
27.8% (1998)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $296.3 million
expenditures: $296.3 million; including capital expenditures of $112.5 million (2002)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.165 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.084 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
13,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$147.8 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
bananas, sugar, rum, melons, spring water
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (2004)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.766 billion c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2% (2004)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (2004)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
euro (EUR)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 j(2001)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Guadeloupe Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
210,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
323,500 (2002)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.gp
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
418 (2005)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
79,000 (2005)
   Transportation    Guadeloupe Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2005)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2005)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 947 km (2002)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Pointe-a-Pitre
   Military    Guadeloupe Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular military forces
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 112,551 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 92,834 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 3,364 (2005 est.)
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of France
   Transnational Issues    Guadeloupe Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 16 May, 2006


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