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Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an island. It is located in the Caribbean, in the Lesser Antilles (Petites Antilles).
Key points of the sheet
- Guadeloupe is both an overseas département and an overseas region (DROM). Its prefecture (préfecture) is Basse-Terre.
- The other main towns are Pointe-à-Pitre, Les Abymes, Le Gosier and Sainte-Anne.
- Guadeloupe has about 380,400 inhabitants. The population is ageing and falling, because young people emigrate to mainland France.
- The key sectors are tourism, farming (sugar cane, bananas), fishing, energy (geothermal energy) and public services. Guadeloupe depends heavily on imports.
- The unemployment rate is high. Economic activity is concentrated in services and trade.
Words to know
- Lesser Antilles (Petites Antilles)
- Guadeloupe is located in the Caribbean, within the Lesser Antilles.
- overseas département and region (DROM)
- Guadeloupe is both an overseas département and an overseas region.
- prefecture (préfecture)
- In Guadeloupe, the prefecture is the town of Basse-Terre.
- geothermal energy (géothermie)
- Geothermal energy is an energy sector in Guadeloupe.
- imports (importations)
- Guadeloupe depends heavily on imports.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Where is Guadeloupe located?
In French, the language of the exam: Où est située la Guadeloupe ?
Guadeloupe is an island located in the Caribbean, within the Lesser Antilles.
Which town is the prefecture (préfecture) of Guadeloupe?
In French, the language of the exam: Quelle ville est la préfecture de la Guadeloupe ?
Among the main towns, Basse-Terre is the prefecture.
How many inhabitants does Guadeloupe have?
In French, the language of the exam: Combien d’habitants a la Guadeloupe ?
Guadeloupe has about 380,400 inhabitants.
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More in this topic (The regions of France)
Source
Sheet “Guadeloupe” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.