Caribbean, at the arc of the Leeward group of islands of the Lesser Antilles.

GMT - 4.

Total: 1,621 sq km (628 sq miles). Basse-Terre: 839 sq km (324 sq miles). Grand-Terre: 564 sq km (218 sq miles). Marie-Galante: 150 sq km (58 sq miles). La Désirade: 29.7 sq km (11.5 sq miles). Les Saintes: 13.9 sq km (5.4 sq miles). St-Barthélemy: 13 sq km (8 sq miles). St-Martin (which shares the island with St Maarten, part of the Netherlands Antilles): 86 sq km (33 sq miles) (the French side: 52 sq km/20 sq miles; the Dutch side: 34 sq km/13 sq miles).

448,713 (official estimate 2005).

247.8 per sq km.

Basse-Terre (administrative). Population: 12,410 (1999). Pointe-à-Pitre, on Grande-Terre (commercial centre). Population: 20,000 (UN estimate 2003).

Guadeloupe comprises Guadeloupe proper (Basse-Terre), Grande-Terre (separated from Basse-Terre by a narrow sea channel) and five smaller islands. Basse-Terre has a rough volcanic relief whilst Grande Terre features rolling hills and flat plains. All the islands have beautiful white- or black-sand palm-fringed beaches. There are also many lush mountainous areas with stunning and unspoiled tropical scenery.

Guadeloupe is an Overseas Department of France and as such is an integral part of the French Republic.

President Nicolas Sarkozy since 2007, represented locally by Prefect Paul Girot de Langlade since 2004.

President of the General Council Jacques Gillot since 2001.

Guadeloupe’s political life has been characterised by apathy and disillusionment among the electorate. Since the 1990s, elections have barely attracted more than 15% of the population. All four major parties maintain branches on Guadeloupe, although the Socialist party is split between official and dissident factions and the fierce enmity between them allowed the right to take control of the Regional Council in 1992: since 1992 this has been run by Lucette Michaux-Chévry, who is also a deputy in the French National Assembly. The most recent poll for the General Council, held in March 2004, returned Jacques Gillot as president of the council.

The government commissioner on Guadeloupe represents France, and the islands send four representatives to the National Assembly in Paris.

The official language is French. The lingua franca is Creole. English is spoken by professionals and those in the tourism industry.

The majority are Roman Catholic, with a minority of predominantly Evangelical Protestant groups.

220 volts AC, 50Hz.

The atmosphere is relaxed and informal. Casual dress is accepted everywhere, but formal dress is needed for dining out and in nightclubs.