Guadeloupe Geography Profile 2006

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates

16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total: 1,780 sq km
land: 1,706 sq km
water: 74 sq km
note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island 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

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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 1,484 m

Natural resources

cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use

arable land: 11.7%
permanent crops: 2.92%
other: 85.38% (2005)

Irrigated land

60 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards

hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano

Environment - current issues

NA

Geography - note

a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre