Part 295

Map ---

Location: 16 15 N, 61 35 W -- Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Flag ----

Description: three horizontal bands, a narrow green band (top), a wide red band, and a narrow green band; the green bands are separated from the red band by two narrow white stripes; a five-pointed gold star is centered in the red band toward the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Geography ---------

Location: Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 1,780 sq km land area: 1,706 sq km comparative area: 10 times the size of Washington, DC note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, of which Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, and Marie-Galante are the three largest

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 306 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grand-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,467 m

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: hurricanes (June to October); La Soufriere is an active volcano international agreements: NA

People ------

Population: 407,768 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 53,118; female 51,219) 15-64 years: 66% (male 132,846; female 136,147) 65 years and over: 8% (male 14,617; female 19,821) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.2% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 17.78 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.59 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)