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

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

16 15 N, 61 35 W

total: 1,780 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)
water: 74 sq km
land: 1,706 sq km

subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

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

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

arable land: 11.24%
permanent crops: 3.55%
other: 85.21% (2001)

hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano

a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre

444,515 (July 2004 est.)

black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%

Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

French (official) 99%, Creole patois

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90%
male: 90%
female: 90% (1982 est.)

overseas department of France

none (overseas department of France)

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

French legal system

The 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.

agriculture: 15%
industry: 17%
services: 68% (1997 est.)

bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

bananas, sugar, rum

France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)

foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials

France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2% (1999)

210,000 (2001)

323,500 (2002)

total: 2,467 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1998)

Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre

total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT
registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.)
foreign-owned: France 1
by type: passenger 1

9 (2003 est.)

total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.)

total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

defense is the responsibility of France