ARCHIVE // GP // 1993
Guadeloupe
1993 Edition — territory
Communications
Airports
[time series]
total: 9 usable: 9 with permanent-surface runways: 8 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
1,940 km total; 1,600 km paved, 340 km gravel and earth
Ports
[time series]
Pointe-a-Pitre, Basse-Terre
Railways
(Railroads)
[time series]
privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines
Telecommunication systems
(Telecommunications)
[time series]
domestic facilities inadequate; 57,300 telephones; interisland microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 8 FM (30 private stations licensed to broadcast FM), 9 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT ground station
Defense Forces
Affiliation
[time series]
(territory of the US)
Military and security forces
(Branches)
[time series]
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Manpower availability
[time series]
males age 15-49 98,069; fit for military service NA (1993 est.)
Note
[time series]
defense is responsibility of France
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture)
[time series]
cash crops - bananas, sugarcane; other products include tropical fruits and vegetables; livestock - cattle, pigs, goats; not self-sufficient in food
Budget
[time series]
revenues $333 million; expenditures $671 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Exchange rates
(Currency)
[time series]
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
[time series]
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $4 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $8.235 billion
Electricity
[time series]
171,500 kW capacity; 441 million kWh produced, 1,080 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
[time series]
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4812 (January 1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988)
Exports
[time series]
$168 million (f.o.b., 1988) commodities: bananas, sugar, rum partners: France 68%, Martinique 22% (1987)
Debt - external
(External debt)
[time series]
$NA
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
Imports
[time series]
$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1988) commodities: vehicles, foodstuffs, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials, petroleum products partners: France 64%, Italy, FRG, US (1987)
Industrial production growth rate
(Industrial production)
[time series]
growth rate NA%
Industries
[time series]
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
3.7% (1990)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(National product)
[time series]
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.5 billion (1989)
Real GDP per capita
(National product per capita)
[time series]
$4,700 (1989)
Real GDP growth rate
(National product real growth rate)
[time series]
NA%
Economic overview
(Overview)
[time series]
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.
Unemployment rate
[time series]
31.3% (1990)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total area: 1,780 km2 land area: 1,760 km2 comparative area: 10 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
subtropical tempered by trade winds; relatively high humidity
Coastline
[time series]
306 km
Environment - current issues
(Environment)
[time series]
subject to hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an active volcano
Disputes - international
(International disputes)
[time series]
none
Irrigated land
[time series]
30 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
[time series]
0 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 18% permanent crops: 5% meadows and pastures: 13% forest and woodland: 40% other: 24%
Location
[time series]
in the Caribbean Sea, 500 km southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references
[time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
[time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
[time series]
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
Terrain
[time series]
Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grand-Terre is low limestone formation
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
[time series]
Basse-Terre
Constitution
[time series]
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Digraph
[time series]
GP
Diplomatic representation in the US
(Diplomatic representation in US)
[time series]
as an overseas department of France, the interests of Guadeloupe are represented in the US by France
Executive branch
(Elections)
[time series]
French National Assembly: last held on 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held March 1993); Guadeloupe elects four representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) PS 2 seats, RPR 1 seat, PCG 1 seat French Senate: last held in September 1986 (next to be held September 1995); Guadeloupe elects two representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) PCG 1, PS 1 General Council: last held 25 September and 8 October 1988 (next to be held by NA 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (42 total) PS 26, URC 16 Regional Council: last held on 22 March 1992 (next to be held by 16 March 1998); results - OG 33.1%, PSG 28.7%, PCG 23.8%, UDF 10.7%, other 3.7%; seats - (41 total) OG 15, PSG 12, PCG 10, UDF 4
Executive branch
[time series]
government commissioner
Flag
[time series]
the flag of France is used
Independence
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Judicial branch
[time series]
Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel) with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique
Executive branch
(Leaders)
[time series]
Chief of State: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981) Head of Government: Prefect Franck PERRIEZ (since NA 1992)
Legal system
[time series]
French legal system
Legislative branch
[time series]
unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council
International organization participation
(Member of)
[time series]
FZ, WCL
Country name
(Names)
[time series]
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe conventional short form: Guadeloupe local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe local short form: Guadeloupe
National holiday
[time series]
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Political parties
(Other political or pressure groups)
[time series]
Popular Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe (UPLG); Popular 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
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Rally for the Republic (RPR), Marlene CAPTANT; Communist Party of Guadeloupe (PCG), Christian Medard CELESTE; Socialist Party (PS), Dominique LARIFLA; Popular Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe (UPLG); Independent Republicans; Union for French Democracy (UDF); Union for the Center Rally (URC coalition of the PS, RPR, and UDF); Guadeloupe Objective (OG), Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Government type
(Type)
[time series]
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US
(US diplomatic representation)
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
People
Birth rate
[time series]
18.18 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
5.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic groups
(Ethnic divisions)
[time series]
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
9.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
120,000 by occupation: services, government, and commerce 53.0%, industry 25.8%, agriculture 21.2%
Languages
[time series]
French, creole patois
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 76.72 years male: 73.67 years female: 79.9 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1982) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 91%
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe
Net migration rate
[time series]
4.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
[time series]
422,114 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
1.67% (1993 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Total fertility rate
[time series]
2.08 children born/woman (1993 est.)