The +590 country code connects you to Guadeloupe, a French overseas department in the eastern Caribbean. Guadeloupe is a butterfly-shaped archipelago — two main islands (Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre) connected by a narrow sea channel, plus several smaller dependencies including Marie-Galante, Les Saintes, and La Désirade. About 400,000 people live here, making it one of the more populated Caribbean territories. As a fully integrated part of France, Guadeloupe uses the French telephone numbering system, and +590 is also shared with Saint Barthélemy and the French side of Saint Martin.
Quick answer: Dial +590 followed by 9 digits (starting with 590 for landlines or 690 for mobiles). Total international number: 12 digits. The local trunk prefix is 0 (drop it when dialing internationally). Landline numbers start with 590, mobile numbers start with 690.
How to call Guadeloupe: quick reference
Guadeloupe follows French dialing conventions. Locally, numbers are 10 digits starting with 0. Internationally, drop the leading 0 and add +590.
| Calling from | Dialing format |
|---|---|
| US/Canada mobile | +590 [local number] |
| US/Canada landline | 011-590-[local number] |
| UK | 00-590-[local number] |
| Australia | 0011-590-[local number] |
| Germany | 00-590-[local number] |
| France | 00-590-[local number] |
Understanding Guadeloupe phone numbers
Guadeloupe uses the French numbering plan. Local numbers are 10 digits starting with 0. When dialing internationally, drop the 0 and prefix with +590, giving you 12 digits total.
Mobile numbers
Mobile numbers start with 0690 or 0691 locally. Internationally, they become +590 690 XX XX XX or +590 691 XX XX XX. A typical mobile: +590 690 12 34 56.
Landline numbers
Landline numbers start with 0590 locally. Internationally: +590 590 XX XX XX. Yes, the 590 appears twice — once as the country code and once as the area prefix. A typical landline: +590 590 12 34 56.
Number format summary
| Type | Local format | International format |
|---|---|---|
| Landline | 0590 XX XX XX | +590 590 XX XX XX |
| Mobile | 0690 XX XX XX | +590 690 XX XX XX |
| Mobile (alt) | 0691 XX XX XX | +590 691 XX XX XX |
Mobile carriers in Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe has several mobile operators, all of which also serve mainland France's overseas markets.
Orange Caraïbe
Orange is the largest carrier in Guadeloupe with the widest coverage. It operates 4G LTE across the islands and offers both prepaid and postpaid plans. As a subsidiary of France's Orange group, roaming between Guadeloupe and mainland France is treated as domestic.
Digicel
Digicel is a Caribbean-wide operator with a strong presence in Guadeloupe. It competes on price, especially with prepaid offerings, and has good coverage across populated areas.
Free (Iliad)
Free entered the Guadeloupe market more recently and has disrupted pricing with aggressive low-cost plans, mirroring its strategy in mainland France. Coverage is still expanding but reaches most urban areas.
SFR Caraïbe
Formerly Outremer Telecom, SFR Caraïbe operates under the SFR brand. It provides mobile, fixed-line, and internet services across the French Antilles.
Don't confuse +590 with nearby codes
The +590 code is easily confused with other French overseas territory codes, and there's an added wrinkle: +590 covers more than just Guadeloupe.
| Code | Territory | How to tell apart |
|---|---|---|
| +590 | Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin (French) | All three share this code |
| +596 | Martinique | Separate French Caribbean island, own code |
| +594 | French Guiana | On the South American mainland, different code |
| +33 | France (mainland) | Metropolitan France uses +33, not +590 |
The biggest source of confusion: +590 is shared by Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, and Saint Martin (the French side). You can't tell which territory a +590 number belongs to from the country code alone. If your contact is on Saint Martin, note that the Dutch side (Sint Maarten) uses +1-721 instead.
Time zone considerations
Guadeloupe is on Atlantic Standard Time (AST), which is UTC-4 year-round. No daylight saving time is observed.
| Your location | When it's noon in Guadeloupe |
|---|---|
| New York (EST) | 11:00 AM (winter) / 12:00 PM (summer, EDT matches AST) |
| Paris (CET/CEST) | 5:00 PM (winter) / 6:00 PM (summer) |
| London (GMT/BST) | 4:00 PM (winter) / 5:00 PM (summer) |
| Dubai (GST) | 8:00 PM |
| Tokyo (JST) | 1:00 AM next day |
The 5–6 hour gap with mainland France is the one most callers deal with. If you're in Paris calling Guadeloupe, their morning starts around your early afternoon.
Communication in Guadeloupe
Business hours
Government offices and banks open from 8:00 AM to noon and 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The midday break is standard — don't expect anyone to pick up between noon and 2:00 PM. Shops may stay open later, and Saturday mornings are common shopping hours.
Language
French is the official language and used for all business and government communication. Guadeloupean Creole (Créole guadeloupéen) is the everyday language for most of the population. Business calls should be conducted in French unless you know your contact speaks English.
Network coverage
4G LTE coverage is good across Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. The smaller dependencies (Marie-Galante, Les Saintes, La Désirade) have coverage but it can be patchier. Since Guadeloupe is part of France, EU roaming rules applied when it was in the EU, and French mobile plans typically include Guadeloupe as domestic.
The Guadeloupe diaspora
Where Guadeloupeans have settled
The Guadeloupean diaspora is overwhelmingly concentrated in mainland France, particularly the Paris region (Île-de-France). Tens of thousands of Guadeloupeans moved to the métropole for education and work starting in the 1960s, many through the BUMIDOM programme that recruited workers from overseas departments. Smaller communities exist in other French cities like Lyon, Marseille, and Bordeaux. Outside France, some Guadeloupeans have settled in Quebec, French-speaking parts of Belgium, and neighbouring Caribbean islands.
Why they call home
Family calls between mainland France and Guadeloupe are constant. The ties are close — many families are split across the Atlantic, with older relatives on the islands and younger generations in the métropole. Call volume picks up around Christmas, Carnival (February/March, a major cultural event in Guadeloupe), and school holidays when families plan visits. Since both ends use French phone plans, many of these calls are effectively free or very cheap through their carrier, but calling from outside France to +590 still carries international rates.
Dialing examples
Calling a mobile in Pointe-à-Pitre from the US
Your contact's local number is 0690 12 34 56. Drop the leading 0 and add +590: dial +590 690 12 34 56. From a US landline: 011 590 690 12 34 56.
Calling a landline in Basse-Terre from the UK
The number is 0590 81 23 45. Drop the 0, add +590: dial +590 590 81 23 45. From a UK landline: 00 590 590 81 23 45. The doubled 590 looks odd but is correct.
Calling Guadeloupe from mainland France
From France, dial the full 10-digit local number including the 0: 0590 81 23 45 (landline) or 0690 12 34 56 (mobile). Calls from French mobile plans to Guadeloupe are typically included as domestic.
Calling within Guadeloupe
For local calls, dial the full 10-digit number: 0590 XX XX XX (landline) or 0690 XX XX XX (mobile). This works for calls between all the islands in the Guadeloupe department.
Common mistakes to avoid
Forgetting to drop the leading 0
The most common mistake. Locally, numbers start with 0 (e.g., 0690...). When dialing internationally, that 0 must be removed. Dialing +590 0690... will not connect.
Being confused by the double 590
For landlines, the international format is +590 590 XX XX XX. Many people think the second 590 is a typo and drop it. Both are needed — the first is the country code, the second is the area prefix.
Mixing up +590 with +596 (Martinique)
Guadeloupe is +590, Martinique is +596. They're both French Caribbean departments, both use similar number formats, and they're only about 120 km apart. Double-check which island your contact is on.
Assuming French mainland rates apply
If you're calling from outside France, +590 is an international call to a Caribbean territory, not a call to mainland France (+33). Your carrier will bill international Caribbean rates, which are typically higher than calls to France.
Prefer calling over WiFi? See our guide to the best apps for WiFi calling.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What country uses the +590 code?
Guadeloupe, a French overseas department in the Caribbean. The +590 code is also shared with Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin (French side).
Why does the 590 appear twice in landline numbers?
The first 590 is the country code. The second 590 is the local area prefix (replacing the 0 in the local number 0590...). Both are needed: +590 590 XX XX XX.
How many digits is a Guadeloupe phone number?
12 digits in international format: +590 (country code) + 9 digits (local number without the leading 0). Locally, numbers are 10 digits starting with 0.
Can I call Guadeloupe using a French phone plan?
Usually yes. Most French mobile carriers include calls to Guadeloupe as domestic, since it's a French department. But if you're calling from outside France, it's billed as an international call to the Caribbean.
What's the difference between +590 and +596?
+590 is Guadeloupe (plus Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin). +596 is Martinique. They're both French Caribbean departments but have separate country codes.
Need to call Guadeloupe or other French Caribbean territories? CallSky.io covers 180+ countries with per-minute rates and no subscriptions. Related guides: +596 Martinique • +594 French Guiana • +33 France.