Natural resources:

       cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

      Land use: arable land: 10.65% permanent crops: 4.14% other: 85.21% (1998 est.)

      Irrigated land:

       20 sq km (1998 est.)

      Natural hazards:

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

       volcano

      Environment - current issues:

       NA

      Geography - note:

       a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into

       two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller,

       eastern Grande-Terre

      People Guadeloupe

      Population:

       440,189 (July 2003 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 24.7% (male 55,521; female 53,137)

       15–64 years: 66.4% (male 144,764; female 147,449)

       65 years and over: 8.9% (male 16,443; female 22,875) (2003 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 31 years

       male: 30.2 years

       female: 31.9 years (2002)

      Population growth rate:

       1% (2003 est.)

      Birth rate:

       16.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Death rate:

       6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       −0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

       total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 9.07 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 7.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

       male: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 77.53 years

       male: 74.37 years

       female: 80.84 years (2003 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       1.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       NA%

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       NA

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       NA

      Nationality:

       noun: Guadeloupian(s)

       adjective: Guadeloupe

      Ethnic groups:

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

       than 5%

      Religions:

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

      Languages:

       French (official) 99%, Creole patois

      Literacy:

       definition: age 15 and over can read and write

       total population: 90%

       male: 90%

       female: 90% (1982 est.)

      Government Guadeloupe

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe

       conventional short form: Guadeloupe

       local short form: Guadeloupe

       local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe

      Dependency status:

       overseas department of France

      Government type:

       NA

      Capital:

       Basse-Terre

      Administrative divisions:

       none (overseas department of France)

      Independence:

       none (overseas department of France)

      National holiday:

       Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

      Constitution:

       28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

      Legal system:

       French legal system

      Suffrage:

       18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May

       1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 6 August 2002)

       election results: 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

       head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT

       (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Lucette

       MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)

       cabinet: NA

      Legislative branch:

       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 22 March 1998 (next to be

       held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next

       to be held NA 2004)

       note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;

       elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September

       2004); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS

       1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National

       Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held

       NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 2, PS

       1, different right parties 1

       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 - percent of

       vote by party - RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 24.49%, PCG

       5.29%, diverse right parties 5.73%; seats by party - RPR 25,

       PS/PPDG/diverse