Terrain: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains;
Grand-Terre is low limestone formation

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches, and climate that foster tourism

Land use: 18% arable land; 5% permanent crops; 13% meadows and pastures; 40% forest and woodland; 24% other; includes 1% irrigated

Environment: subject to hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an active volcano

Note: located 500 km southeast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea

- People
Population: 342,175 (July 1990), growth rate 0.8% (1990)

Birth rate: 20 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 6 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 17 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)