Fun facts and information on Guadeloupe

General information on Guadeloupe:

Colonized in 1635 Guadeloupe is divided into two portions: The southern part is occupied the Dutch while the northern part is French Guadeloupe.

Geographical information on Guadeloupe:

Geographical Position: Caribbean, southeast of the island of Puerto Rico.

Map Ref Latitude & Longitude 16 degrees 20’ North, 61 degrees 30’ West

Total Land & Sea Area: Total: 1,800 square kilometres Sea Area75 square kilometres land area: 1,700 square kilometres

Land boundaries: Total: 10 kilometres Border countries: Netherlands Antilles 10 kilometres Coastal Length: 300 kilometres

Climatological Conditions:

Subtropical Country terrain: Basse-Terre is originally volcanic while Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; the other islands are originally volcanic as well

Highest & Lowest Elevations: Lowest elevation: Caribbean Sea at mean sea level highest point: Soufriere 1,500 meters

Natural resources: Arable land, beaches and climate ideal for tourism Land use: arable land area: 10 percent permanent crops: 5 percent other: 85 percent (1998 estimate.) Irrigated land area: 25 square kilometres (1998 estimate.)

Natural hazards: Hurricanes, active volcano.

Geopolitical information on Guadeloupe:

Basse-Terre in the western part and Grande-Terre the smaller one in the eastern part are divided by the Riviere Salee. Population: 440,000 (July 2003 estimate.) Age structure: Under 15: 25 percent From 15 to 65: 66 percent Over 65: 9 percent Median age: Total: 31 years male: 30 years female: 32 years (2002) Population growth rate: 1 percent (2003 estimate.) Birth rate: 16 births per thousand population (2003 estimate.) Death rate: 6 deaths per thousand population (2003 estimate.) Net migration rate: -0.1 migrant per thousand population (2003 estimate.) total population: 0.97 male-to-female ratio(2003 estimate.) infant mortality rate: Total: 9 deaths per thousand live births female: 7 deaths per thousand live births (2003 estimate.) male: 10 deaths per thousand live births Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77 years male: 74 years female: 80 years (2003 estimate.) Total fertility rate: 2 children born/woman (2003 estimate.)

Nationality: Guadeloupian

Ethnicities: Black 85 percent, white 10 percent, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5 percent

Religions: Roman Catholic 90 percent, Hindu and pagan African 7 percent, Protestant 3 percent

Languages: French (official) 95 percent, Creole dialect. Literacy: definition: age 15 and more can read and write total population: 95 percent male: 95 percent female: 95 percent (1982 estimate.)

Government Guadeloupe:

Department of Guadeloupe Guadeloupe Capital city: Basse-Terre

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: All citizens eligible to vote from the age of 18 years

Executive branch: Head of State: French President represented by Prefect Head of government: President of the General Council

Legislative branch: Unicameral General Council and the unicameral Regional Council

Judicial branch Court of Appeal.

Economy information on Guadeloupe:

Economy - overview: Guadeloupe’s economy mainly depends on tourism and agriculture but also on French subsidies and imports. Indeed tourism and especially cruising is a major industry for Guadeloupe’s economy. Sugar cane which was the main crop is progressively being supplanted by bananas or flowers. However like many Carribean countries Guadeloupe has to import most manufactured goods. GDP - Gross Domestic Product: - $USD4 billion (1997 estimate.) GDP - Gross Domestic Product - per capita: - $USD10,000 (1997 estimate.) GDP - Gross Domestic Product - composition by sector: agriculture: 10 percent industry: 20 percent services: 70 percent (1997 estimate.) Labor force: 126,000 (1997) rate of unemployment: 30 percent (1998)

Budget: incomes: $USD220 million spending: $USD400 million Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar cane, tourism

Agriculture - products:

Bananas, sugar cane, tropical fruits and vegetables; meats. Exports: $USD150 million (1997)

Exports - commodities: Bananas, sugar cane, rum Exports - partners: France 70 percent, Martinique 20 percent, US 5 percent (1999) Imports: $USD2 billion

Imports - commodities: Food products, hydrocarbons, motor vehicles, clothing, building equipment Imports - partners: France 65 percent, Germany 5 percent, US 4 percent, Japan 3 percent, Netherlands Antilles 3 percent (1999) Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) Currency code: EUR; FRF

Communications in Guadeloupe:

Telephones: 170,000 (1996) Radio broadcast stations: Amplitude Modulation 2, Frequency Modulation 18, SW 1 (1998) Television stations: 5

Internet country code: .gp

Travel to Guadeloupe:

Roading System: Total: 2,500 kilometres

Airports: 10 (2002)

Military information on Guadeloupe:

Military branches: French Forces, Gendarmerie

Vverify your historical acknowledge on French speaking countries now that you know at present all facts figures and information on Guadeloupe,

More information on Guadeloupe, a French-speaking nation
History of French speaking countries | Flag of Guadeloupe | Map of Guadeloupe | Learn French in Guadeloupe |

Information on Guadeloupe
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