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Location: |
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
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Geographic coordinates: |
16 15 N, 61 35 W
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Map references: |
Central America and the Caribbean
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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)
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Area - comparative: |
10 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries: |
total: 10.2 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km
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Coastline: |
306 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate: |
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity
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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
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m
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Natural resources: |
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
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Land use: |
arable land: 11.24%
permanent crops: 3.55%
other: 85.21% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
20 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards: |
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano
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Environment - current issues: |
NA
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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
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