ARCHIVE // GP // 1995
Guadeloupe
1995 Edition — territory
Communications
Broadcast media
(Radio)
[time series]
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 8 (private stations licensed to broadcast FM 30), shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telecommunication systems
(Telephone system)
[time series]
57,300 telephones; domestic facilities inadequate local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; interisland microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique
Broadcast media
(Television)
[time series]
broadcast stations: 9 televisions: NA
Defense Forces
Military and security forces
(Branches)
[time series]
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Note
[time series]
defense is responsibility of France GUAM (territory of the US)
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: $400 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]
recipient: 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]
capacity: 320,000 kW production: 650 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,421 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
[time series]
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.9243 (January 1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990)
Exports
[time series]
$130 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: bananas, sugar, rum partners: France 70%, Martinique 17% (1991)
Debt - external
(External debt)
[time series]
$NA
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
Imports
[time series]
$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials partners: France 60%, EC, US, Japan (1991)
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 - purchasing power parity - $3.8 billion (1993 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(National product per capita)
[time series]
$9,000 (1993 est.)
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 sq km land area: 1,706 sq km comparative area: 10 times the size of Washington, DC note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, of which Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, and Marie-Galante are the three largest
Climate
[time series]
subtropical tempered by trade winds; relatively high humidity
Coastline
[time series]
306 km
Environment - current issues
(Environment)
[time series]
current issues: NA natural hazards: hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an active volcano international agreements: NA
Disputes - international
(International disputes)
[time series]
none
Irrigated land
[time series]
30 sq km (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]
Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, 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; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin
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]
none (overseas department of France)
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981) head of government: Prefect Franck PERRIEZ (since NA 1992); President of the General Council Dominique LARIFLA (since NA); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers
Flag
[time series]
the flag of France is used
Legislative branch
(French National Assembly)
[time series]
elections last held on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held March 1998); Guadeloupe elects four representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (4 total) FGPS 1, RPR 1, PPDG 1, independent 1
Legislative branch
(French Senate)
[time series]
elections 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, FGPS 1
Legislative branch
(General Council)
[time series]
elections last held NA 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
[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
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, WFTU
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); 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), Aldo BLAISE; Communist Party of Guadeloupe (PCG), Christian Medard CELESTE; Socialist Party (FGPS), Georges LOUISOR; Popular Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe (UPLG), Lucien PERATIN; FGPS Dissidents (FRUI.G); Union for French Democracy (UDF), Simon BARLAGNE; Progressive Democratic Party (PPDG), Henri BANGOU
Legislative branch
(Regional Council)
[time series]
elections last held on 31 January 1993 (next to be held by 16 March 1998); results - RPR/DUD 48.30%, FGPS 17.09%, FRUI.G 7.44%, PPDG 8.90%, UPLG 7.75% PCG 6.05%; seats - (41 total) seats by party NA
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
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 26% (female 51,069; male 52,922) 15-64 years: 66% (female 134,328; male 130,875) 65 years and over: 8% (female 19,318; male 14,303) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
18.15 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
5.58 deaths/1,000 population (1995 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]
8.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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: 77.2 years male: 74.16 years female: 80.38 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1982) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90%
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe
Net migration rate
[time series]
-0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
[time series]
402,815 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
1.24% (1995 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.95 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
total: 9 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 6
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
total: 1,940 km paved: 1,600 km unpaved: gravel, earth 340 km
Merchant marine
[time series]
none
Ports
[time series]
Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre
Railways
(Railroads)
[time series]
total: NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines