BIGpedia - Guadeloupe - Encyclopedia and Dictionary Online

(Redirected from Guadaloupe)

Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean Sea, is an archipelago with a total area of 1,704 km² located in the Eastern Caribbean.

Administratively speaking, Guadeloupe is an overseas département (département d'outre-mer, or DOM) of France. As the other DOMs, Guadeloupe is also a région of France, and an integral part of the Republic.

**Guadeloupe**
Unoffical Flag
Region	Guadeloupe
Official language	French
Political status	Non-sovereign, Overseas Department of France
Department Number	971
Préfecture	Basse-Terre
Sous-préfectures	Pointe-à-Pitre, Saint-Martin
Head of Regional Council	Victorin Lurel
Head of General Council	Jacques Gillot
Area - Total - % water	1,705 km² 4.2%
Population - Total - Density	422,496 (1999 census) 443,000 (1.1.2004 estimates) 245/km²
Currency	Euro
Time zone	UTC -4
Calling Code	590
Internet TLD	.gp

Contents

History

Main article: History of Guadeloupe

The original inhabitants were Arawak Indians. In 1493 during his second trip to America Christopher Columbus was the first European who set foot on the soil of Guadeloupe. The French took possession of the island in 1635. The British captured the island in 1759, retaining it until 1763 when France took it back it again after choosing it over their Quebec territory in New France under the terms of the 1763 Treaty of Paris that ended the Seven Years' War.

The following century saw the development of an economy based on sugar and slavery of Africans or their descendants. Slavery was definitely abolished by decree of April 27, 1848 at the initiative of Victor Schoelcher.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Guadeloupe

Geography

Main article: Geography of Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe comprises five islands: Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre (separated from Basse-Terre by a narrow sea channel called salt river) with the adjacent islands of La Désirade , Les Saintes and Marie-Galante . Basse-Terre has a rough volcanic relief whilst Grande-Terre features rolling hills and flat plains.

Further to the north, Saint-Barthélemy and the French part of Saint Martin come under the juridiction of Guadeloupe. On December 7, 2003, both of these areas voted to become an overseas territorial collectivity. [1]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Guadeloupe

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Guadeloupe

Culture

Main article: Culture of Guadeloupe

External links

Categories: Caribbean islands | French America | Guadeloupe | Swedish colonies | Special territories of the EU