Guadeloupe

Department of GuadeloupeDepartement de la Guadeloupe

NAIndependence none (overseas department of France)

Guadeloupe as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 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 between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

2004

Every edition of Guadeloupe

Populationas each edition published it

444,515 people July 2004 est. · 342,175 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.96% 2004 est. · 1.67% in 1993

Median ageyears

31.4 years 2004 est. · 31 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.71 years 2004 est. · 76.72 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.91 children per woman 2004 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

8.83 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 17 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$8,000 2001 est. · $4,700 in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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

Geography

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

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Land useshare of 1,780 sq km

arable land 11.24%permanent crops 3.55%other 85.21% (2001)irrigated 20 sq km (1998 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

territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Highest point

1,484m

Soufrierelowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Land boundaries

10.2km

border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 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 de Guadeloupe is an active volcano

Environment - current issues

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

People

19 fields

Population

444,515

(July 2004 est.)growth rate: 0.96% (2004 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth

15.79Death

6.05Net migration

-0.15

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2004 est.)77.71

74.56 · 81.03Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)8.83

10.07 · 7.53

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1982 est.)90%

90% · 90%Median age years (2004 est.)31.4

30.6 · 32.3

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:: 24.4% (male 55,386; female 52,977)
15-64 years:: 66.6% (male 146,772; female 149,314)
65 years and over:: 9% (male 16,730; female 23,336) (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS - deaths

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 Paul GIROT DE LANGLADE (since 17 August 2004); President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT (since 26 March 2001)

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

PS 29UMP 12

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

Government type

Capital

Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions

none (overseas department of France)

Independence

none (overseas department of France)

National holiday

Bastille Day, 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 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

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 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2010)
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 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 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, different right parties 1

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

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 [Marlene MELISSE and Favrot DAVRAIN];
Union for French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS];
Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Robert JOYEUX]

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

International organization participation

WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas department of France)

Flag description

the flag of France is used

Economy

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

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Unemployment rate

27.8%

(1998)

Labor force

125,900

(1997)

GDP - composition by sector(1997 est.)

agriculture 15%industry 17%services 68% (1997 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)(1999)

Budget

Revenues

$225 millionExpenditures

$390 million (1996)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $105 million

Electricity

Electricity production

1.155 billion (2001)Electricity consumption

1.074 billion (2001)

Economy - overview

The 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.

Communications

7 fields

Mobile cellular

323,500

(2002)

Internet users

20,000

(2002)

Fixed lines

210,000

(2001) · country code .gp

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