Long-form name:
Department of Guadeloupe
Type:
overseas department of France
Capital:
Basse-Terre
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
none (overseas department of France)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French legal system
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
government commissioner
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel) with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French
Guiana, and Martinique
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of Government:
Commissioner of the Republic Jean-Paul PROUST (since November 1989)
Political parties and leaders:
Rally for the Republic (RPR), Marlene CAPTANT; Communist Party of Guadeloupe
(PCG), Christian Medard CELESTE; Socialist Party (PSG), Dominique LARIFLA;
Popular Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe (UPLG); Independent
Republicans; Union for French Democracy (UDF); Union for a New Majority
(UNM)
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
French National Assembly:
last held on 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1994); Guadeloupe
elects four representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(4 total) PS 2 seats, RPR 1 seat, PCG 1 seat
French Senate:
last held on 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1994); Guadeloupe
elects two representatives; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(2 total) PCG 1, PS 1
General Council:
last held NA 1986 (next to be held by NA 1992); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (42 total) number of seats by party NA
Regional Council:
last held on 16 March 1992 (next to be held by 16 March 1998); results - RPR
33.1%, PSG 28.7%, PCG 23.8%, UDF 10.7%, other 3.7%; seats - (41 total) RPR
15, PSG 12, PCG 10, UDF 4
Communists:
3,000 est.
Other political or pressure groups:
Popular Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe (UPLG); Popular Movement for
Independent Guadeloupe (MPGI); General Union of Guadeloupe Workers (UGTG);
General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers (CGT-G); Christian Movement for the
Liberation of Guadeloupe (KLPG)
:Guadeloupe Government
Member of:
FZ, WCL
Diplomatic representation:
as an overseas department of France, the interests of Guadeloupe are
represented in the US by France
Flag:
the flag of France is used
:Guadeloupe Economy
Overview:
The economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry, and services.
It is also dependent upon France for large subsidies and imports. Tourism is
a key industry, with most tourists from the US. In addition, an increasingly
large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditionally important
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, which comes mainly
from France. Light industry consists mostly of sugar and rum production.
Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially
high among the young.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $1.1 billion, per capita $3,300; real growth rate
NA% (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (1988)
Unemployment rate:
38% (1987)
Budget:
revenues $254 million; expenditures $254 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (1989)
Exports:
$153 million (f.o.b., 1988)
commodities:
bananas, sugar, rum
partners:
France 68%, Martinique 22% (1987)
Imports:
$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
commodities:
vehicles, foodstuffs, clothing and other consumer goods, construction
materials, petroleum products
partners:
France 64%, Italy, FRG, US (1987)
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
171,500 kW capacity; 441 million kWh produced, 1,279 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Agriculture:
cash crops - bananas and sugarcane; other products include tropical fruits
and vegetables; livestock - cattle, pigs, and goats; not self-sufficient in
food
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $4 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $8.235 billion
Currency:
French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.6397 (March 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453
(1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Guadeloupe Communications
Railroads:
privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines
Highways:
1,940 km total; 1,600 km paved, 340 km gravel and earth
Ports:
Pointe-a-Pitre, Basse-Terre
Civil air:
2 major transport aircraft
Airports:
9 total, 9 usable, 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
domestic facilities inadequate; 57,300 telephones; interisland radio relay
to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique; broadcast stations - 2 AM,
8 FM (30 private stations licensed to broadcast FM), 9 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT ground station
:Guadeloupe Defense Forces
Branches:
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 98,069; NA fit for military service
Note:
defense is responsibility of France
:Guam Geography