Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe is a French overseas department and region in the Caribbean. Its administrative capital is Basse-Terre.

Find Guadeloupe

● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.

At a glance

Capital: Basse-Terre
Languages: French & Guadeloupean Creole
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Population: 382,5861 January 2026 · INSEE · provisional estimate
Area: 1,628 km²628.57 square miles
Department: 1946An overseas department and region of France.

Guadeloupe in context

North America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Basse-Terre; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & languages

Physical geography

The main islands are mountainous, volcanic Basse-Terre and lower limestone Grande-Terre. Other islands include Marie-Galante, La Désirade and Les Saintes.

Languages

French is the official language. Guadeloupean Creole is widely spoken.

Location

In the eastern Caribbean, between Antigua and Dominica.

Flag

The French tricolor has three vertical bands of blue, white and red. It is the official national flag used in Guadeloupe.

Sources: IEDOM · Guadeloupe economic report · INSEE · population estimates

History & status

Guadeloupe has Indigenous Caribbean roots and was colonized by France in 1635. Plantation slavery was finally abolished in 1848. In 1946 Guadeloupe became an overseas department of France. It remains part of France, with regional and departmental institutions, rather than an independent state.

1635
French colonization begins
1848
Slavery is permanently abolished
1946
Guadeloupe becomes an overseas department

Sources: IEDOM · Guadeloupe economic report · INSEE · population estimates

Economy

Main activities

Services, public administration, commerce, tourism and construction account for much activity. Bananas, sugarcane and rum are important agricultural and processing products. Imports and links with mainland France strongly shape the economy.

Industry and production

Banana production, sugar processing, rum, construction and tourism complement a predominantly service-based economy.

Sources: IEDOM · Guadeloupe economic report · INSEE · population estimates

Population

382,586 · 1 January 2026 · INSEE · provisional estimate

Sources: IEDOM · Guadeloupe economic report · INSEE · population estimates

Government

An overseas department and region of France. Elected departmental and regional councils handle their respective local responsibilities. A Prefect represents the French state, and residents elect representatives to the French Parliament.

Sources: IEDOM · Guadeloupe economic report · INSEE · population estimates

Knowledge check

Three questions about Guadeloupe.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

What is the capital of Guadeloupe?

Sources & notes

Sources: IEDOM · Guadeloupe economic report · INSEE · population estimates

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.