erseas department of
France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of
France)

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 gold
five-pointed star is centered in the red band toward the hoist side;
the flag of France is used for official occasions

Guadeloupe Economy

Economy - overview: The economy depends on agriculture, tourism,
light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large
subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the
islands. The traditional 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, mainly from France. Light industry
features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel
are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15%

industry: 17%

services: 68% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA

Labor force: 125,900 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 27.8% (1998)

Budget: revenues: $225 million

expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.3 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 1.209 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

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

Exports: $140 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities: bananas, sugar, rum

Exports - partners