Geography of Guadeloupe
Location: Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, 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: the main islands Basse-Terre on the west and Grande-Terre on the east, the nearby smaller islands Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2) and Iles de la Petite Terre, and more to the northwest, beyond St Kitts and Nevis: Saint Barthélemy 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:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 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 1,467 m
Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
Land use:
arable land:
14%
permanent crops:
4%
permanent pastures:
14%
forests and woodland:
39%
other:
29% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere is an active volcano
Environment - current issues: NA
- See also : Guadeloupe
