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