ARCHIVE // GP // 2006

Guadeloupe

2006 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.gp
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
422 (2006)
Internet users [time series]
79,000 (2005)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
210,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
314,700 (2004)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats
Budget [time series]
revenues: $637.7 million expenditures: $680.1 million; including capital expenditures of $112.5 million (2002)
Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]
euro (EUR)
Debt - external [time series]
$NA
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
$NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (2004)
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
This 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.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
1.084 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production [time series]
1.165 billion kWh (2003)
Exchange rates [time series]
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 j(2001)
Exports [time series]
$147.8 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities [time series]
bananas, sugar, rum, melons, spring water
Exports - partners [time series]
France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (2004)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
NA
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$3.513 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 15% industry: 17% services: 68% (2002 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$7,900 (2003 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$1.766 billion c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities [time series]
foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners [time series]
France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2% (2004)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
NA%
Labor force [time series]
191,400 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 15% industry: 20% services: 65% (2002)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption [time series]
13,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports [time series]
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports [time series]
NA bbl/day
Oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
26.9% (2003)
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 (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)
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 1,484 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
16 15 N, 61 35 W
Geography - note [time series]
a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre
Irrigated land [time series]
60 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 15 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 11.7% permanent crops: 2.92% other: 85.38% (2005)
Location [time series]
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references [time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe 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)
Capital [time series]
name: Basse-Terre geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 61 44 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution [time series]
4 October 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
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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Jacques BROT (since 12 June 2006) 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
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
unofficial, local flag based upon the arms of the city of Pointe-a-Pitre; the field is divided horizontally with a narrow, blue stripe along the top edge charged with three gold fleurs-de-lis; the wider, lower portion of the field is black and charged with green sugar cane leaves - representing one of Guadeloupe's main crops - surmounted by a gold radiant sun representing the tropical climate; the only official flag is the national flag of France
Government type [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation [time series]
UPU, 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 March 2004 (next to be held by in 2010); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008 to elect half of the body) 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 September 2004 (next to be held September 2013); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA, Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, different right parties 1
National holiday [time series]
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
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 [Jules OTTO]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Claudine LACAVE]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR) [Gabrielle LOUIS-CARABIN]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
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
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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
Military
Manpower available for military service [time series]
males age 18-49: 112,551 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service [time series]
males age 18-49: 92,834 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]
males age 18-49: 3,364 (2005 est.)
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
no regular military forces
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 54,725/female 52,348) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 150,934/female 153,094) 65 years and over: 9.2% (male 17,353/female 24,322) (2006 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
15.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate [time series]
6.09 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Languages [time series]
French (official) 99%, Creole patois
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 78.06 years male: 74.91 years female: 81.37 years (2006 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 32.2 years male: 31.3 years female: 33.2 years (2006 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Guadeloupian(s) adjective: Guadeloupe
Net migration rate [time series]
-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Population [time series]
452,776 (July 2006 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
0.88% (2006 est.)
Religions [time series]
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Airports [time series]
9 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Pointe-a-Pitre
Roadways [time series]
total: 947 km (2002)