1996 Edition

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

Location

16 15 N, 61 35 W -- Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico Flag ----

Area

comparative area

10 times the size of Washington, DC

land area

1,706 sq km

note

Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, of which Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, and Marie-Galante are the three largest

total area

1,780 sq km

Climate

subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Coastline

306 km

Environment

current issues

NA

international agreements

NA

natural hazards

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

Geographic coordinates

16 15 N, 61 35 W

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

30 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

18%

forest and woodland

40%

meadows and pastures

13%

other

24%

permanent crops

5%

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Terrain

Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grand-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin

highest point

Soufriere 1,467 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 26% (male 53,118; female 51,219) 15-64 years: 66% (male 132,846; female 136,147) 65 years and over: 8% (male 14,617; female 19,821) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

17.78 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.59 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.58 years (1996 est.)

male

74.37 years

total population

77.4 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)

female

90%

male

90%

total population

90%

Nationality

adjective

Guadeloupe

noun

Guadeloupian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

407,768 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.2% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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 fertility rate

1.92 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas department of France)

Capital

Basse-Terre

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Data code

GP

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas department of France)

Executive branch

chief of state

President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Michel DIEFENBACHER (since NA March 1995), who was appointed by the French Ministry of Interior

head of government

President of the General Council Dominique LARIFLA (since NA); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)

Flag

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

French National Assembly

elections last held on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998); Guadeloupe elects four representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) FGPS 1, RPR 1, PPDG 1, independent 1

French Senate

elections last held in September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); Guadeloupe elects two representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) PPDG 1, FGPS 1

General Council

elections last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (43 total) FRUI.G 13, RPR/DUD 13, PPDG 8, FGPS 3, PCG 3, UPLG 1, PSG 1, independent 1

Independence

none (overseas department of France)

International organization participation

FZ, WCL, WFTU

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

French legal system

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council

Name of country

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)

Other political or pressure groups

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

Political parties and leaders

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

Regional Council

elections last held 31 January 1994 (next to be held by 16 March 1998); results - RPR/FGPS-dissadents 48.30%, FGPS 17.09%, FRUI.G 7.44%, PPDG 8.90%, UPLG 7.75% PCG 6.05%; seats - (41 total) RPR/FGPS-dissadents 22, FGPS/FRUI.G 9, PPDG 5, PCG 3, UPLG 2

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

overseas department of France

US diplomatic representation

none (overseas department of France)

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$407 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

revenues

$395 million

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

note

substantial annual French subsidies

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic 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.

Electricity

capacity

320,000 kW

consumption per capita

1,421 kWh (1993)

production

650 million kWh

Exchange rates

French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991)

Exports

$130 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities

bananas, sugar, rum

partners

France 70%, Martinique 17% (1991)

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

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

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

6%

industry

9%

services

85% (1993 est.)

GDP per capita

$9,200 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1993)

commodities

foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials

partners

France 60%, EC, US, Japan (1991)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.7% (1990)

Labor force

129,700

by occupation

agriculture 15%, industry 20%, services 65% (1993)

Unemployment rate

31.3% (1995)

Branches

French Forces, Gendarmerie

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of France

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 8 (private stations licensed to broadcast FM 30), shortwave 0

Radios

100,000 (1993 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

Telephones

64,916 (1984 est.)

Television broadcast stations

9

Televisions

150,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

9

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

2

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

6 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

1,742 km

total

2,082 km (national 329 km, regional 582 km, community/local 1171 km)

unpaved

340 km (1985 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre

Railways

total

NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines