Guadeloupe

Department of GuadeloupeDepartement de la Guadeloupe

NAIndependence none (overseas department of France)

Guadeloupe as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 101 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 of Puerto Rico

2000

Every edition of Guadeloupe

Populationas each edition published it

426,493 people July 2000 est. · 342,175 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.11% 2000 est. · 1.67% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 31 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

76.99 years 2000 est. · 76.72 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.93 children per woman 2000 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

9.77 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 17 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$9,000 1996 est. · $4,700 in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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).

Geography

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

16 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 (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint 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

Geographic coordinates

16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

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); Soufriere is an active volcano

Environment - current issues

People

15 fields

Population

426,493

(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 1.11% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

17.25Death

6.01Net migration

-0.15

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)76.99

73.82 · 80.3

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1982 est.)90%

90% · 90%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

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

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.)

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.)

Infant mortality rate

9.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.93 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective:: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Government

NA; President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean FEDINI (since NA 1996); President of the General Council Marcellin LUBETH (since NA March 1998)

20 fields

General Council, 41 seats, elected 22 March 1998one dot, one seat

RPR 25PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 12PCG 2diverse right parties 2

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

Dependency status

overseas department of France

Government type

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

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

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

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]

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

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 gold five-pointed 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.

31 fields

Unemployment rate

27.8%

(1998)

Labor force

125,900

(1997)

GDP - composition by sector(1993 est.)

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

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

60%

France

63%

18%

Martinique

Germany

Japan

Netherlands Antilles

Exports $140 million (f.o.b., 1997)Imports $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)(1997)

Budget

Revenues

$225 millionExpenditures

$390 million (1996)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $105 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

1.22 billion (1998)Electricity consumption

1.135 billion (1998)

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.

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

814

(1990)

Fixed lines

159,000

(1995)

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