igions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

Languages: French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)

Government Guadeloupe

Country name: Department of Guadeloupe conventional short form:
la Guadeloupe

Dependency status: overseas department of France

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

Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Francois CARENCO
(since NA July 1999) election results: NA elections: French president
elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by
the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the
members of those councils head of government: President of the General
Council Jacques GILLOT (since 23 March 2001); President of the Regional
Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections:
General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2004);
Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)
note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS 1;
Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly;
elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2002);
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA election results:
General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
diverse left parties 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, diverse right parties 5,
PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - RPR 48.03%,
PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 24.49%, PCG 5.