The World Factbook (1982)/Guadeloupe

by the Central Intelligence Agency

GUADELOUPE

(See reference map III)

LAND

1,779 km²; 24% cropland, 9% pasture, 4% potential cropland, 16% forest, 47% wasteland, built on; area consists of two islands

WATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm (fishing 200 nm; exclusive economic zone 200 nm)

Coastline: 306 km

PEOPLE

Population: 305,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate -0.7%

Nationality: noun—Guadeloupian(s); adjective—Guadeloupe

Ethnic divisions: 90% Negro or mulatto, 5% Caucasian, less than 5% East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese

Religion: 95% Roman Catholic, 5% Hindu and pagan African

Language: French, Creole patois

Literacy: over 70%

Labor force: 120,000; 25% agriculture, 25% unemployed

Organized labor: 11% of labor force

GOVERNMENT

Official name: Department of Guadeloupe

Type: overseas department and region of France; represented by three deputies in the French National Assembly and two senators in the Senate; last deputy election, 21 June 1981

Capital: Basse-Terre

Political subdivisions: 3 arrondissements; 34 communes, each with a locally elected municipal council

Legal system: French legal system; highest court is a court of appeal based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Branches: executive, Prefect appointed by Paris; legislative, popularly elected General Council of 36 members and a Regional Council composed of members of the local General Council and the locally elected deputies and senators to the French parliament; judicial, under jurisdiction of French judicial system

Government leader: Commissioner of the Republic Robert MIGUET

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: General Council elections are normally held every five years; last General Council election took place in June 1981

Political parties and leaders: Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR), Gabriel Lisette; Communist Party of Guadeloupe (PCG), Henri Bangou; Socialist Party (MSG), leader unknown; Progressive Party of Guadeloupe (PPG), Henri Rodes; Independent Republicans; Federation of the Left; Union for French Democracy (UDF); Union for a New Majority (UNM)

Voting strength: MSG, 1 seat in French National Assembly; PCG, 1 seat; UDF, 1 seat (1981 election)

Communists: 3,000 est.

Other political or pressure groups: Guadeloupe Liberation Army (GLA)

ECONOMY

GNP: $864 million (1977), $2,630 per capita; real growth rate (1977) 8%

Agriculture: main crops, sugarcane and bananas

Major industries: agricultural processing, sugar milling, rum distillation, and tourism

Electric power: 80,000 kW capacity (1981); 260 million kWh produced (1981), 817 kWh per capita

Exports: $119 million (f.o.b., 1978); sugar, fruits and vegetables, bananas

Imports: $455 million (c.i.f., 1978); foodstuffs, clothing and other consumer goods, raw materials and supplies, and petroleum products

Major trade partners: exports—95% metropolitan France and rest of franc zone; imports—75% metropolitan France and rest of franc zone (1977)

Aid: economic—bilateral ODA and OOF commitments (1970-79) from Western (non-US) countries, $2.4 billion; no military aid Monetary conversion rate: 4.21 French francs=US$1 (1980)

Fiscal year: calendar year

COMMUNICATIONS

Railroads: privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines

Highways: 1,110 km total; 770 km paved, 340 km gravel and earth

Ports: 1 major (Pointe-a-Pitre), 3 minor

Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft

Airfields: 8 total, 8 usable, 8 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m

Telecommunications: domestic facilities inadequate; 39,100 telephones (12.4 per 100 popl.); interisland radio-relay links; 2 AM, 2 FM, and 3 TV stations

DEFENSE FORCES

Military manpower: males 15-49, 80,000; 50,000 fit for military service