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Guadeloupe: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As Department of Guadeloupe • Département de la Guadeloupe
Heads Of Government Prefect (for France): Alexandre Rochatte; President of the Departmental Council (for Guadeloupe): Guy Losbar; President of the Regional Council (for Guadeloupe): Ary Chalus
Capital Basse-Terre
Population (2026 est.) 378,100
Head Of State President of France: Emmanuel Macron
Official Language French
Official Religion none
Official Name Département d’Outre-Mer de la Guadeloupe (Overseas Department of Guadeloupe)1, 2
Total Area (Sq Km) 1,628
Total Area (Sq Mi) 629
Monetary Unit euro (€)
Population Rank (2026) 181
Population Projection 2030 388,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2026) 601.1
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2026) 232.2
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2024) 98.6% • Rural: (2024) 1.4%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: (2021) 72.9 years • Female: (2021) 79.9 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2009) 9,109
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2015) 22,957
Political Status overseas department/overseas region (France) with two legislative houses (Departmental Council3 [42]; Regional Council4 [41])
1On February 22, 2007, Saint-Martin (the northern half of the island of St. Martin) and Saint-Barthélemy formally separated from Guadeloupe to become overseas collectivities of France.2Guadeloupe is simultaneously administered as an overseas region (région d’outre-mer).3Assembly for overseas department.4Assembly for overseas region.

Photos

France
Map of Guadeloupe showing its main islands, political boundaries, and major cities such as Basse-Terre, Pointe-a-Pitre, and Saint-Louis. Surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, are labeled. An inset locator map in the bottom left shows Guadeloupe's position in the Caribbean.
Pointe des Châteaux in Guadeloupe
Map of the Caribbean region highlighting the location of Guadeloupe, an overseas department of France. Guadeloupe is shown east of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, north of Martinique, and is labeled with its capital, Basse-Terre. Surrounding countries and islands, including Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, and Venezuela, are also labeled for geographic context.
Sandy beach with clear shallow water, a cluster of rocks in the foreground, boats anchored in the bay, and green hills and village buildings in the background at Terre-de-Haut, Les Saintes, Guadeloupe.
Map of Guadeloupe showing its main islands, including Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre, surrounding smaller islands such as Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Petite Terre, and the Saintes Islands, as well as major physical features like Soufriere volcano and Mt. Sans Toucher. Bodies of water including the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Guadeloupe Passage are labeled. An inset locator map in the lower left shows Guadeloupe's position in the eastern Caribbean.
Antique map of Guadeloupe from 1902, showing the islands of Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre with detailed topography, towns, and labeled geographic features, along with the smaller island of Marie Galante and part of Les Saintes. The map uses shaded relief to indicate elevation and includes place names in French.
palm trees in Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Small waterfall flows into a clear pool surrounded by large rocks and dense green foliage at Crayfish Cascade in Guadeloupe.
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