Geography
Location: Caribbean region, islands in the eastern Caribbean, southeast of Puerto Rico.
Geographical coordinates: 16° 15′ N. latitude, 61° 35’W e.
Reference map: Central America and the Caribbean.
Area: total: 1,780 km2; land surface area: 1,706 km2; water surface area: 74 km2; note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, Desirade, Les Saintes (2), St. Barthelemy, Petite-Terre and St. Martin.
Comparative area: ten times the size of Washington DC.
Land borders: total: 10.2 km; with neighboring states: with the Netherlands Antilles (St. Maarten) 10.2 km.
Coastline: 306 km.
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles; territorial waters: 12 nautical miles.
Climate: subtropical, temperate due to trade winds; moderate to high humidity.
Relief: Basse-Terre – an island of volcanic origin with mountains in the interior; Grande-Terre is a low-lying limestone island; the other seven islands are mostly of volcanic origin.
Maximum and minimum heights: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m; highest point: Soufrière volcano 1,467 m
Natural resources: farmland; beaches and climate conducive to tourism.
Land use: arable land: 14%; cultivated land: 4%; pastures: 14%; forests and plantations: 39%; others: 29% (1993 est.).
Irrigated land: 30 km2 (1993 est.).
Natural Hazards: Hurricanes (June to October); Soufrière is an active volcano.
Current environmental issues: no data available.
International agreements on environmental protection:
Note to the section “Geography”:
Economics
Economy overview: According to Watchtutorials, the economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry and services, as well as heavy French subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key economic sector, with the majority of tourists coming from the US; the number of passenger ocean liners entering the islands is increasing. Traditional sugar cane crops are gradually being replaced by other crops such as bananas (which now provide about 50% of export earnings), eggplant and flowers. Other vegetables and root vegetables are grown for domestic consumption, although Guadeloupe is still dependent on food imports, mainly from France. Light industry mainly produces sugar and rum. Most industrial goods and fuels are imported. Unemployment is especially high among young people. Hurricanes periodically damage the economy.
GDP: Purchasing Power Parity $3.7 billion (1997 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: no data available.
GDP per capita: Purchasing Power Parity $9,000 (1997 est.)
The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 15%; industry: 17%; services: 68% (1999 est.).
Proportion of the population below the poverty line: no data available.
Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: 10% of the poorest households account for: n/a; 10% of the wealthiest families account for: no data.
Inflation rate at consumer prices: no data.
Labor force: 125,900 people (1997).
Employment structure: no data.
Unemployment rate: 27.8% (1998)
Budget: revenues: $225 million; expenses: $390 million, including capital investments – $105 million (1996).
Spheres of economy: construction, production of cement, rum, sugar, tourism.
Growth in industrial production: no data available.
Electricity generation: 1.3 billion kWh (1999).
Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 100%; hydropower: 0%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0% (1999).
Electricity consumption: 1.209 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity export: 0 kWh (1999).
Electricity import: 0 kWh (1999).
Agricultural products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs and goats.
Export: $140 million (free on board, 1997)
Exports: bananas, sugar, rum.
Export partners: France 60%, Martinique 18%, USA 4% (1997).
Imports: $1.7 billion (S.I.F., 1997)
Import items: food, fuel, transport, clothing and other consumer goods, building materials.
Import partners: France 63%, Germany 4%, USA3%, Japan 2%, Dutch Antilles 2% (1997).
External debt: no data. Recipient of economic assistance: no data; note – significant annual subsidies from France.
Donor of economic aid:
Currency: French franc, Euro.
Currency code: FRF; EUR.
Exchange rate: EUR/USD – 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); FRF/USD – 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996).
Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 171,000 (1996).
Mobile cellular phones: no data available.
Telephone system: unsatisfactory local communication; internal: no data; international: satellite earth station 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Martinique.
Broadcast stations: AM – 1, FM -17, shortwave – 0 (1998).
Radio receivers: 113,000 (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 5 (and several low power repeaters) (1997).
TVs: 118,000 (1997).
Internet Country Code: gp
Internet Service Providers: 3 (2000).
Number of users: 4000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total: no data; private narrow-gauge lines in plantation farms.
Roads: total: 2,560 km; coated: 965 km; unpaved: 1,595 km (1996 est.).
Ports and harbours: Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint-Bar-thelmy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre.
Merchant fleet: total: 1 ship (displacement 1,000 tons or more) with a total displacement of 1,240 gross register tons / 109 long tons of carrying capacity; ships of different types: passenger ships – 1 (2000 est.). h
Airports: 9 (2000 est.).
Airports with paved runways: total: 8; over 3,047 m: 1; from 914 to 1523 m:2; less than 914 m: 5 (2000 est.).
Airports with unpaved runways: total: 1; less than 914 m: 1 (2000 est.).
Armed Forces
Branches of the armed forces: French armed forces, gendarmerie; note: France is responsible for defense.