Guadeloupe

Departement de la Guadeloupe

NAIndependence none (overseas department of France)

Guadeloupe as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 89 fields, one of 17 editions from 1990 to 2006.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBasse-Terre

Position16 15 N, 61 35 W

Area1,780 sq km

LocationCaribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast

1997

Every edition of Guadeloupe

Populationas each edition published it

411,823 people July 1997 est. · 342,175 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.13% 1997 est. · 1.67% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 31 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.6 years 1997 est. · 76.72 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.86 children per woman 1997 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 17 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$9,200 1995 est. · $4,700 in 1993

Geography

Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast | of Puerto Rico

17 fields

Land useshare of 1,780 sq km

arable land 14%permanent crops 4%permanent pastures 14%forests and woodland 39%other 29% (1993 est.)irrigated 30 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

1,780sq km

land: 1,706 sq kmwater: 74 sq km10 times the size of Washington, DC

Note

note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes, St. Barthelemy, and part of St. Martin

Coastline

306km

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

1,467m

Soufrierelowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Land boundaries

10.2km

border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Location

Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

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

Natural hazards

hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an active volcano

Environment - international agreements

party to :: NA
signed, but not ratified:: NA

People

15 fields

Population

411,823

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.13% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

17.09Death

5.6Net migration

-0.16

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%Hindu and pagan African 4%Protestant sects 1%

Literacy

90%

definition : age 15 and over can read and writemale: 90%female: 90% (1982 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years : 25% (male 52,974; female 51,051)

15-64 years:: 66% (male 134,686; female 137,828)
65 years and over:: 9% (male 14,948; female 20,336) (July 1997 est.)

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:: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 77.6 years
male :: 74.57 years
female:: 80.77 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective:: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups

black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%

Government

NA; President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Michel DIEFENBACHER (since NA March 1995); President of the General Council Dominique LARIFLA (since NA)

20 fields

Country name

conventional long form :: Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form:: Guadeloupe
local long form:: Departement de la Guadeloupe
local short form:: Guadeloupe

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Executive branch

chief of state:: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Michel DIEFENBACHER (since NA March 1995)
head 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

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (43 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 31 January 1994 (next to be held 16 March 1998)
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/FGPS-dissidents 48.30%, FGPS 17.09%, FRUI.G 7.44%, PPDG 8.90%, UPLG 7.75% PCG 6.05%;
seats by party - RPR/FGPS-dissidents 22, FGPS/FRUI.G 9, PPDG 5, PCG 3, UPLG 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 - PPDG 1, FGPS 1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held 25 May-1 June 1997 - special election); 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 leaders

Rally for the Republic or RPR [Daniel BEAUBRUN];
Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Christian Medard CELESTE];
Socialist Party or FGPS [Georges LOUISOR];
Popular Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or UPLG [Claude MAKOUKE];
FGPS Dissidents or FRUI.G [Dominique LARIFLA];
Union for French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS];
Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI;
General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG;
General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G;
Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG

International organization participation

FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation 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

Economy

The economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light | industry, and services.

22 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

3.7%

(1990)

Unemployment rate

31.3%

(1995)

Labor force

128,000

by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 20%, services 65% (1993)

GDP - composition by sector(1993 est.)

agriculture 6%industry 9%services 85% (1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$300 millionExpenditures

$460 million (1995)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $90 million

Economy - 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. In addition, an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditionally important 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, which comes mainly from France. Light industry consists mostly of sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $9,200 (1995 est.)

Industries

construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Electricity - capacity

NA kW

Electricity - production

950 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Agriculture - products

bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Exports

total value:: $145 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities :: bananas, sugar, rum
partners:: France 70%, Martinique 17% (1991)

Imports

total value:: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities:: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials
partners :: France 60%, EC, US, Japan (1991)

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

64,916

(1984 est.)

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