|
Status: Overseas Department
Prefect: Jean-Jacques Brot (2006)
Land area: 680 sq mi (1,761 sq km); total
area: 687 sq mi (1,780 sq km)
Population (2007 est.): 456,698 (growth
rate: 0.8%); birth rate: 14.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 8.2/1000;
life expectancy: 78.2; density per sq mi: 672
Capital (2003 est.): Basse-Terre,
12,900
Largest city: Abymes, 65,700
Monetary unit: Franc
Languages: French 99% (official), Creole
patois
Ethnicity/race: black or mulatto 90%, white
5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and
pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%
Literacy rate: 98% (1977 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2003
est.): $3.513 billion; per capita $7,900. Real growth rate:
n.a. Inflation: n.a. Unemployment: 27.8% (1998).
Arable land: 11%. Agriculture: bananas, sugarcane,
tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats. Labor
force: 125,900 (1997); agriculture 15%, industry 20%, services
65% (2002). Industries: construction, cement, rum, sugar,
tourism. Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and
climate that foster tourism. Exports: $140 million (f.o.b.,
1997): bananas, sugar, rum. Imports: $1.766 billion (2002):
foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods,
construction materials. Major trading partners: France,
Martinique, U.S., Germany, Japan, Netherlands Antilles (1999).
Communications: Telephones: main lines
in use: 210,000 (2001); mobile cellular: 323,500 (2002). Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998).
Television broadcast stations: 5 (plus several low-power
repeaters) (1997). . Internet hosts: n.a. Internet
users: 20,000 (2002).
Transportation: Railways: total: n.a.
km; privately-owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines. Highways:
total: 947 km; paved: n.a.; unpaved: n.a. (2002). Ports and
harbors: Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Pointe-a-Pitre. Airports:
9 (2004 est.).
International disputes: none.
Major sources and definitions
|
