Guadeloupe Economy 1997

Economy - overview The economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry, and services.It is also dependent upon France for large subsidies and imports. Tourismis a key industry, with most tourists from the US. In addition, an increasinglylarge number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditionally importantsugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by other crops, such as bananas (whichnow supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetablesand root crops are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe isstill dependent on imported food, which comes mainly from France. Light industryconsists mostly of sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuelare 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 purchasing power parity - $9,200 (1995 est.)

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index 3.7% (1990)

Labor force
total: 128,000
by occupation: agriculture 15%, industry 20%, services 65% (1993)

Unemployment rate 31.3% (1995)

Budget
revenues: $300 million
expenditures: $460 million, including capital expenditures of $90 million (1995)

Industries construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate NA%

Electricity - capacity NA kW

Electricity - production 950 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita NA kWh

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

Exports
total value: $145 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities : bananas, sugar, rum
partners: France 70%, Martinique 17% (1991)

Imports
total value: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, constructionmaterials
partners : France 60%, EC, US, Japan (1991)

Debt - external $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 - 5.4169 (January 1997), 5.1155(1996), 4.9915(1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992)

Fiscal year calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Guadeloupe on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Guadeloupe Economy 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Guadeloupe Economy 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.