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(opens in new window) 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 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 cultivable land, beaches and climate that
foster tourism arable land:
11.24% 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 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% 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 Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy),
Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre total: 1
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT 9 (2003 est.) total: 8 total: 1 defense is the responsibility of France |
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