CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(8 fields)
Internet country code
.gp
Internet hosts
422 (2006)
Internet users
79,000 (2005)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)
Telephone system
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
Telephones - main lines in use
210,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular
314,700 (2004)
Television broadcast stations
5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
◆ ECONOMY(37 fields)
Agriculture - products
bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats
Budget
revenues: $637.7 million expenditures: $680.1 million; including capital expenditures of $112.5 million (2002)
Currency (code)
euro (EUR)
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
$NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (2004)
Economy - overview
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.
Electricity - consumption
1.084 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production
1.165 billion kWh (2003)
Exchange rates
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 j(2001)
Exports
$147.8 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities
bananas, sugar, rum, melons, spring water
Exports - partners
France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (2004)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate)
NA
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$3.513 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 15% industry: 17% services: 68% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$7,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.766 billion c.i.f. (2002)
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% (2004)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Labor force
191,400 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 15% industry: 20% services: 65% (2002)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption
13,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
26.9% (2003)
◆ GEOGRAPHY(17 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 1,484 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Geographic coordinates
16 15 N, 61 35 W
Geography - note
a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre
Irrigated land
60 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries
total: 15 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km
Land use
arable land: 11.7% permanent crops: 2.92% other: 85.38% (2005)
Location
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe 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(19 fields)
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
name: Basse-Terre geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 61 44 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
4 October 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
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-Jacques BROT (since 12 June 2006) 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
Flag description
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
Government type
NA
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation
UPU, 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 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
National holiday
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Political parties and leaders
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
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
Background
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
◆ MILITARY(5 fields)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49: 112,551 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49: 92,834 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49: 3,364 (2005 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches
no regular military forces
◆ PEOPLE(19 fields)
Age structure
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.)
Birth rate
15.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate
6.09 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Ethnic groups
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
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.)
Languages
French (official) 99%, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 78.06 years male: 74.91 years female: 81.37 years (2006 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)
Median age
total: 32.2 years male: 31.3 years female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)
Nationality
noun: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe
Net migration rate
-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Population
452,776 (July 2006 est.)
Population growth rate
0.88% (2006 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 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.)
Total fertility rate
1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)
Disputes - international
none
◆ TRANSPORTATION(5 fields)
Airports
9 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals
Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Pointe-a-Pitre
Roadways
total: 947 km (2002)