ARCHIVE // GP // 1998
Guadeloupe
1998 Edition — territory
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture-products)
[time series]
bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $300 million expenditures: $460 million, including capital expenditures of $90 million (1995)
Exchange rates
(Currency)
[time series]
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Debt - external
(Debt-external)
[time series]
$NA
Economic aid
[time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA note: substantial annual French subsidies
Economic overview
(Economy-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; 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.
Electricity - capacity
(Electricity-capacity)
[time series]
388,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita
(Electricity-consumption per capita)
[time series]
2,483 kWh (1995)
Electricity - production
(Electricity-production)
[time series]
1 billion kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
[time series]
French francs (F) per US$1-6.0836 (January 1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155(1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993)
Exports
[time series]
total value: $145 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: bananas, sugar, rum partners: France 75%, Martinique 13% (1994)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year Communications
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP)
[time series]
purchasing power parity-$3.7 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
(GDP-composition by sector)
[time series]
agriculture: 6% industry: 9% services: 85% (1993 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(GDP-per capita)
[time series]
purchasing power parity-$9,200 (1995 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
(GDP-real growth rate)
[time series]
NA%
Imports
[time series]
total value: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials partners: France 64%, EU 13%, Martinique 4%, US, Japan (1994)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
NA%
Industries
[time series]
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
(Inflation rate-consumer price index)
[time series]
3.7% (1990)
Labor force
[time series]
total: 128,000 by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 20%, services 65% (1993)
Broadcast media
(Radio broadcast stations)
[time series]
AM 2, FM 8 (private stations licensed to broadcast FM 30), shortwave 0
Radios
[time series]
100,000 (1993 est.)
Telecommunication systems
(Telephone system)
[time series]
domestic facilities inadequate domestic: NA international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique
Telephones - fixed lines
(Telephones)
[time series]
64,916 (1984 est.)
Broadcast media
(Television broadcast stations)
[time series]
9
Televisions
[time series]
150,000 (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
31.3% (1995)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 1,780 sq km land: 1,706 sq km water: 74 sq km note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes, Saint Barthelemy, and part of Saint Martin
Area - comparative
(Area-comparative)
[time series]
10 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity
Coastline
[time series]
306 km
Elevation
(Elevation extremes)
[time series]
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,467 m
Environment - current issues
(Environment-current issues)
[time series]
NA
International environmental agreements
(Environment-international agreements)
[time series]
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
16 15 N, 61 35 W
Irrigated land
[time series]
30 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 14% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 14% forests and woodland: 39% other: 29% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
[time series]
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere is an active volcano
Natural resources
[time series]
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
Terrain
[time series]
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
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Constitution
[time series]
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe conventional short form: Guadeloupe local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe local short form: Guadeloupe
Data code
[time series]
GP
Dependency status
[time series]
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean FEDINI (since NA) head of government: President of the General Council Dominique LARIFLA (since NA); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: prefect appointed by the president of France 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
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
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
Government type
[time series]
NA
Independence
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation
[time series]
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Judicial branch
[time series]
Court of Appeal or 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 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 1992 (next to be held by NA 1996); Regional Council-last held 16 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-FRUI.G 13, RPR/DUD 13, PPDG 8, FGPS 3, PCG 3, UPLG 1, PSG 1, independent 1; Regional Council-percent of vote by party-RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/DVG 24.49%, PCG 5.29%, DVD 5.73%; seats by party-RPR 25, PS/PPDG/DVG 12, PCG 2, DVD 2 note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held in 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 on 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-FGPS 2, RPR 1, PCG 1
Capital
(National capital)
[time series]
Basse-Terre
National holiday
[time series]
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Rally for the Republic or RPR [Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY]; Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; Socialist Party or PS [Georges LOUISOR]; Popular Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or UPLG [Claude MAKOUKE]; FGPS Dissidents or FRUI.G [Dominique LARIFLA]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Movement for an Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI [Luc REIETTE]; Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; DVG [Jacques GILLOT]; DVD [Simon IBO]
Political parties
(Political pressure groups and leaders)
[time series]
Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Military
Military and security forces
(Military branches)
[time series]
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military - note
(Military-note)
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
People
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 25% (male 53,239; female 51,148) 15-64 years: 66% (male 136,439; female 139,555) 65 years and over: 9% (male 15,243; female 20,815) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
16.73 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
5.61 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
[time series]
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
8.79 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
[time series]
French (official) 99%, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 77.8 years male: 74.78 years female: 80.97 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe
Net migration rate
[time series]
-0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
[time series]
416,439 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
1.1% (1998 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant sects 1%
Sex ratio
[time series]
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 (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.84 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
(Disputes-international)
[time series]
none GUAM (territory of the US)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
9 (1997 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
(Airports-with paved runways)
[time series]
total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
(Airports-with unpaved runways)
[time series]
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
total: 2,082 km (national 329 km, regional 582 km, community/local 1,171 km) paved: 1,742 km unpaved: 340 km (1985 est.) note: in 1996 there were 3,200 km of roads
Merchant marine
[time series]
none
Ports
(Ports and harbors)
[time series]
Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre
Railways
[time series]
total: NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines