Guadeloupe ( Departement de la Guadeloupe) is a country in Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico. Guadeloupe geographic coordinates 16 15 N, 61 35 W; area Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galant; area comparative 10 times the size of Washington, DC; land boundaries Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km; coastline 306 km; maritime claims exclusive economic zone:<; climate subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; terrain Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation;; elevation extremes Soufriere 1,484 m; natural resources cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism; land use 85.21% (2001); irrigated land 20 sq km (1998 est.); natural hazards hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano; environment current issues NA; geography note a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre;

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Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe government type NA; capital Basse-Terre; administrative divisions none (overseas department of France); independence none (overseas department of France); national holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution); legal system French legal system; suffrage 18 years of age; universal;

people

Guadeloupe population 448,713 (July 2005 est.); age structure 9.1% (male 17,032/female 23,814) (2005 est.); median age 32.73 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 0.92% (2005 est.); birth rate 15.42 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 6.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 81.21 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate NA%; hiv people with aids NA; hiv deaths NA; nationality Guadeloupe; ethnic groups black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%; religions Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%; languages French (official) 99%, Creole patois; literacy 90% (1982 est.);

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