with interior mountains; Grand-Terre
is low limestone formation
Natural resources:
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
Land use:
arable land:
18%
permanent crops:
5%
meadows and pastures:
13%
forest and woodland:
40%
other:
24%
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
subject to hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an active
volcano
international agreements:
NA

@Guadeloupe, People

Population:
428,947 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.55% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
17.68 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
5.94 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
76.97 years
male:
73.91 years
female:
80.14 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.04 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Guadeloupian(s)
adjective:
Guadeloupe
Ethnic divisions:
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less
than 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5%
Languages:
French, creole patois
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
total population:
90%
male:
90%
female:
91%
Labor force:
120,000
by occupation:
services, government, and commerce 53.0%, industry 25.8%, agriculture
21.2%

@Guadeloupe, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form:
Guadeloupe
local long form:
Departement de la Guadeloupe
local short form:
Guadeloupe
Digraph:
GP
Type:
overseas department of France
Capital:
Basse-Terre
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
none (overseas department of France)
National holiday:
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 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 Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government:
Prefect Franck PERRIEZ (since NA 1992); President of the General
Council Dominique LARIFA (since NA); President of the Regional Council
Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers
Leg