ne 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.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.9 billion (1991)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$8,400 (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.7% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
31.3% (1990)
Budget:
revenues:
$333 million
expenditures:
$671 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Exports:
$168 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:
capacity:
171,500 kW
production:
441 million kWh
consumption per capita:
1,080 kWh (1992)
Industries:
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
Agriculture:
cash crops - bananas, sugarcane; other products include tropical
fruits and vegetables; livestock - cattle, pigs, goats; not
self-sufficient in food
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $4 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$8.235 billion
Currency:
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.9205 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993),
5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

@Guadeloupe, Communications

Railroads:
privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines
Highways:
total:
1,940 km
paved:
1,600 km
unpaved:
gravel, earth 340 km
Ports:
Pointe-a-Pitre, Basse-Terre
Airports:
total:
9
usable:
9
with permanent-surface runways:
8
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
1
Telecommunications:
domestic facilities inadequate; 57,300 telephones; interisland
microwave radio relay