The main languages spoken are French and Creole, and the official currency is the Euro.
Guadeloupe holds the status of an Overseas Department and Region (DROM) as well as an Outermost Region (OMR) of the European Union. In the 2010 Human Development Index, it ranked 38th.
The territory is represented at the national level by 4 Members of Parliament, 3 Senators, and 1 representative on the Economic, Social and Environmental Council. The State is represented locally by a Prefect.