Part 297

Economic 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: purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: NA%

GDP per capita: $9,200 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 9% services: 85% (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (1990)

Labor force: 129,700 by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 20%, services 65% (1993)

Unemployment rate: 31.3% (1995)

Budget: revenues: $395 million expenditures: $407 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity: capacity: 320,000 kW production: 650 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,421 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Exports: $130 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: bananas, sugar, rum partners: France 70%, Martinique 17% (1991)

Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials partners: France 60%, EC, US, Japan (1991)

External debt: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: substantial annual French subsidies

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation --------------

Railways: total: NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines

Highways: total: 2,082 km (national 329 km, regional 582 km, community/local 1171 km) paved: 1,742 km unpaved: 340 km (1985 est.)

Ports: Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre

Merchant marine: none

Airports: total: 9 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 6 (1995 est.)

Communications --------------

Telephones: 64,916 (1984 est.)