People

Population: 416 439 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25% (male 53 239; female 51 148)

15-64 years: 66% (male 136 439; female 139 555)

65 years and over: 9% (male 15 243; female 20 815) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.1% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 16.73 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.61 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.16 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.79 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.8 years

male: 74.78 years

female: 80.97 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.84 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Guadeloupian(s)

adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 90% white 5% East Indian Lebanese Chinese less than 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95% Hindu and pagan African 4% Protestant sects 1%

Languages: French (official) 99% Creole patois

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90%

male: 90%

female: 90% (1982 est.)