ntes, Saint Barthelemy, and part of Saint Martin

Area--comparative: 10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 10.2 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline: 306 km

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

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; most of the
seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes:
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: 14%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 14%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 29% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere is an
active volcano

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

People

Population: 420,943 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25% (male 53,427; female 51,234)
15-64 years: 66% (male 138,215; female 141,243)
65 years and over: 9% (male 15,536; female 21,288) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.06% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 16.33 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 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: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.01 years
male: 74.98 years
female: 81.18 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective: 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 sects 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.)

Governme