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99-581: In the Western Hemisphere Saint Barthélemy ( French : Saint-Barthélemy , [sɛ̃ baʁtelemi] ), officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy , also known as St. Barts (English) or St. Barth (French), is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean . The island lies about 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of the island of Saint Martin ; it

198-555: A church building of its own and therefore offers religious services at St Barth's Beach Hotel. The main religious holidays are Christmas , the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15 August), All Saints' Day (1 November) and the feast of St. Bartholomew (patron saint of the island) on 24 August. Until 2007 the whole island of St. Barthélemy was a French commune ( commune de Saint-Barthélemy ), forming part of Guadeloupe which

297-576: A constituent territory of the European Union and the Eurozone , the euro is its official currency and any European Union citizen is free to settle and work there indefinitely, but is not part of the Schengen Area . It included Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin until 2007, when they were detached from Guadeloupe following a 2003 referendum . Christopher Columbus visited Guadeloupe in 1493 and gave

396-533: A deep mark on the memory of the local inhabitants. In 1995, three hurricanes (Iris, Luis and Marilyn ) hit the archipelago in less than three weeks. Other notable hurricanes include Okeechobee in 1928, Betsy in 1965, Cleo in 1964, Inez in 1966, and Irma and Maria in 2017. With fertile volcanic soils, heavy rainfall and a warm climate, vegetation on Basse-Terre is lush. Most of the island's forests are on Basse-Terre, containing such species as mahogany , ironwood and chestnut trees . Mangrove swamps line

495-446: A distinct group that lies upon the western edge of a flat bank of soundings composed chiefly of shells, sand, and coral. From St. Barthélemy, the bank extends east-southeast, ending in a small tongue or spit. It is separated from the main bank by a narrow length of deep water. East of the island, the edge of the bank lies 22 kilometres (14 miles) away. Grande Saline Bay provides temporary anchorage for small vessels while Colombier Bay, to

594-523: A half months following the eruption. K–Ar dating indicates that the three northern massifs on Basse-Terre Island are 2.79 million years old. Sections of volcanoes collapsed and eroded within the last 650,000 years, after which the Sans Toucher volcano grew in the collapsed area. Volcanoes in the north of Basse-Terre Island mainly produced andesite and basaltic andesite . There are several beaches of dark or "black" sand. La Désirade , east of

693-411: A high-class luxury destination, being frequented by numerous celebrities such as Greta Garbo , Howard Hughes , Benjamin de Rothschild , David Rockefeller , Lorne Michaels , Chevy Chase , Steve Martin , Jimmy Buffett and Johnny Hallyday . The boost in tourist numbers has led to a rise in living standards and rapid modernisation. The island was not electrified until the 1980s. Saint Barthélemy

792-633: A large portion of Antarctica . The center of the Western Hemisphere is located in the Pacific Ocean at the intersection of the 90th meridian west and the Equator , among the Galápagos Islands . The nearest land is Genovesa Island at 0°19′N 89°57′W  /  0.317°N 89.950°W  / 0.317; -89.950 . The highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere is Aconcagua in

891-592: A magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter scale and caused the death of one person, as well as extensive material damage. The population of Guadeloupe was estimated to be 378,561 on 1 January 2024. The population is mainly Afro-Caribbean . European, Indian (Tamil, Telugu, and other South Indians) , Lebanese , Syrians , and Chinese are all minorities. There is also a substantial population of Haitians in Guadeloupe who work mainly in construction and as street vendors. Basse-Terre

990-453: A marine reserve. The marine reserve, founded in 1999, covers more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of protected and vulnerable habitats, bays, and islands, and includes a zone that is restricted to scientific observations only. As the sea surrounding the St. Barthélemy is rich in coral reefs and other precious marine life, the area has been declared a protected area since 1996. Environmental awareness

1089-409: A result, there is a boom in house-building activity catering to the tourists and also to the permanent residents of the island. Saint Barthélemy is renowned for its high-end villas and luxury real estate market, attracting both short-term visitors and permanent residents. Real estate agencies such as WIMCO Real Estate specialize in offering exclusive villa rentals and property sales, further enhancing

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1188-491: A source of national humiliation for Sweden. On 19 March 1946, the people of the island became French citizens with full rights. With few economic prospects on the islands, many men from St. Barthélemy took jobs on Saint Thomas to support their families. Organised tourism and hotels began in earnest in the 1960s and developed in the 1970s onwards, particularly after the building of the island's landing strip that can accommodate mid-sized aircraft. The island soon became renowned as

1287-415: A two-year term). The French State is represented by a prefect appointed by the president on the advice of the minister of the interior . As a collectivity of France, the island's national anthem is La Marseillaise , though L'Hymne a St. Barthélemy is also used unofficially. The economy of the island is based on tourism and duty-free retail. The official currency of St. Barthélemy is the euro . It

1386-403: A union leader ( Jacques Bino ) was shot and killed. The strike lasted 44 days and had also inspired similar actions on nearby Martinique . President Nicolas Sarkozy later visited the island, promising reform. Tourism suffered greatly during this time and affected the 2010 tourist season as well. Guadeloupe is an archipelago of more than 12 islands, as well as islets and rocks situated where

1485-531: Is Gustavia , which also contains the main harbour. It is the only Caribbean island that was a Swedish colony for any significant length of time. It remained so for nearly a century before it returned to French rule after a referendum . Symbolism from the Swedish national arms , the Three Crowns , still appears in the island's coat of arms. The language, cuisine and culture, however, are distinctly French . The island

1584-445: Is 13 °C (55 °F). The Caribbean sea waters in the vicinity generally maintain a temperature of about 27 °C (81 °F). As of 2017, Saint-Barthélemy had a population of 9,961. Residents, known as Saint-Barthélemois, are French citizens. Most of them are descendants of the first settlers, of Breton , Norman , Poitevin , Saintongeais and Angevin lineage. There is also a big community of Portuguese emigrants mainly from

1683-408: Is a popular tourist destination during the winter holiday season, geared towards the high-end, luxury tourist market. The island was named by Christopher Columbus after his younger brother Bartholomew Columbus in 1493. Before European contact the island was possibly frequented by Eastern Caribbean Taíno and Arawak people, who called the island 'Ouanalao', though it is believed that the island

1782-764: Is also part of the Diocese of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba ( diocèse de la Caraïbe du Nord-Est et d'Aruba ), which is under the Church of England ( Church in the Province of the West Indies ) that serves a small minority on the island that is centered in the Anglican Church of Saint Bartholomew ( Église anglicane de Saint-Barthélemy ) built between 1853 and 1855. The small Pentecostal Christian community does not have

1881-514: Is an overseas région and overseas département of France. In 2003, the population voted through a referendum in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate overseas collectivity ( collectivité d'outre-mer , or COM ) of France. On 7 February 2007, the French Parliament passed a bill granting COM status to both St. Barthélemy and (separately) to the neighbouring Saint Martin . The new status took effect on 15 July 2007, when

1980-520: Is crossed by numerous geological faults such as those of la Barre or la Cadoue, while in depth, in front of Moule and La Désirade begins the Désirade Fault, and between the north of Maria-Galante and the south of Grande-Terre begins the Maria Galante Fault. And it is because of these geological characteristics, the islands of the department of Guadeloupe are classified in zone III according to

2079-401: Is estimated that the nominal GDP of Saint Barthélemy amounted to 367 million euros in 2014 (US$ 487 million at 2014 exchanges rates; US$ 411 million at Feb. 2022 exchange rates). In that same year the nominal GDP per capita of Saint Barthelemy was 38,994 euros (US$ 51,735 at 2014 exchanges rates; US$ 43,626 at Feb. 2022 exchange rates), which was one of the highest GDP per capita in

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2178-448: Is in a remote location and is considered suitable for experienced surfers as the water current is very strong. On the leeward side, the notable beaches are Anse du Gouverneur, Anse du Colombier which is only accessible by foot or by boat, Anse de Grand Galet (Shell Beach), and Anse de Grande Saline which is popular with nudists. The area around the salt ponds near the Anse de Grande Saline beach

2277-665: Is limited to the windward side. Unlike other populations in the Caribbean, language preference between the Créole and Patois is geographically, and not racially, determined. The majority of the population of Saint Barthélemy are Christian ; Saint Barthélemy is considered the most religiously homogeneous territory in the French West Indies, with particular importance given to the Catholic Church . The territory of Saint-Barthélemy forms

2376-552: Is located in Pointe-à-Pitre and is responsible for researching environmental hygiene, vaccinations, and the spread of tuberculosis and other mycobacteria . The relative wealth of Guadeloupe contrasts with the extreme poverty of several islands in the Caribbean region, which makes the community an attractive place for the populations of some of these territories. In addition, other factors, such as political instability and natural disasters, explain this immigration. As early as

2475-468: Is marshy and is a habitat for tropical birds. Ile islet, an offshoot of the leeward side, has a white sandy beach. Shell Beach, also called Anse de Grand Galet (in French, 'Anse' means "cove" and Galet means "pebble"), is a beach in the southwestern part of Gustavia. A large number of sea shells are scattered on this beach. This beach was subject to the strong waves of hurricane Lenny in 1999, which resulted in

2574-518: Is northeast of the Dutch islands of Saba and Sint Eustatius , as well as north of the independent country of Saint Kitts and Nevis . Saint Barthélemy was for many years a French commune forming part of Guadeloupe , which is an overseas region and department of France. In 2003 the island voted in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate overseas collectivity ( collectivité d'outre-mer , abbreviated to COM ) of France. The collectivity

2673-664: Is not listed below due to its inclusion above, though the meridian does pass Wallis and Futuna .) With the exception of the United States (due to Wake Island , Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands ), all of them are located on just one side of the International Date Line , which curves around them. The following countries and territories lie outside the Americas yet are entirely, mostly, or partially within

2772-525: Is noted for its handicrafts; weaving hats and bags from palm fronds is a low-income economic activity of the Indigenous people. As the terrain is generally arid, the hills have mostly poor soil and support only cacti and succulent plants. During the rainy season, the area turns green with vegetation and grass. The eastern part of the island is greener as it receives more rainfall. A 1994 survey has revealed several hundred indigenous species of plants including

2871-580: Is one of four territories among the Leeward Islands in the northeastern Caribbean that make up the French West Indies , along with Saint Martin , Guadeloupe (200 kilometres (120 mi) southeast) and Martinique . A volcanic island fully encircled by shallow reefs, Saint Barthélemy has an area of 25 square kilometres (9.7 sq mi) and a population of 9,961 at the Jan. 2017 census. Its capital

2970-555: Is quite pronounced in St. Barthélemy and is promoted by the Environmental Commission. There are as many as 22 public beaches (most beaches on St. Barthélémy are known as "Anse de...") of which 15 are considered suitable for swimming. They are categorized and divided into two groups, the leeward side (calm waters protected by the island itself) and the windward side (some of which are protected by hills and reefs). Windward beaches are popular for windsurfing. The beach of St Jean

3069-537: Is similar to that of Basse-Terre, with volcanic hills and irregular shoreline with deep bays. There are numerous other smaller islands. Basse-Terre is a volcanic island . The Lesser Antilles are at the outer edge of the Caribbean Plate , and Guadeloupe is part of the outer arc of the Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc . Many of the islands were formed as a result of the subduction of oceanic crust of

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3168-412: Is south of Antigua and Barbuda and Montserrat and north of Dominica . The capital city is Basse-Terre , on the southern west coast of Basse-Terre Island; the most populous city is Les Abymes and the main centre of business is neighbouring Pointe-à-Pitre , both on Grande-Terre Island. It had a population of 395,726 in 2024. Like the other overseas departments, it is an integral part of France. As

3267-428: Is suitable for water sports and facilities have been created for that purpose. The long beach at Lorient has shade and is a quiet beach as compared to St. Jean. Grand-cul-de-sac is a long beach with facilities for water sports. Anse de Flamands is a very wide sandy beach and Le petit Anse (The little beach), just to the north of Anse de Flamands is very safe and popular with the locals for their children. Anse Toiny beach

3366-421: Is the political capital; however, the largest city and economic hub is Pointe-à-Pitre . The population of Guadeloupe has been decreasing by 0.8% per year since 2013. In 2017 the average population density in Guadeloupe was 240 inhabitants per square kilometre (620/sq mi), which is very high in comparison to metropolitan France's average of 119 inhabitants per square kilometre (310/sq mi). One third of

3465-405: Is the third-largest island, followed by La Désirade , a north-east slanted limestone plateau, the highest point of which is 275 metres (902 ft). To the south lie the Îles de Petite-Terre , which are two islands (Terre de Haut and Terre de Bas) totalling 2 km . Les Saintes is an archipelago of eight islands of which two, Terre-de-Bas and Terre-de-Haut are inhabited. The landscape

3564-483: The 20th meridian west and the diametrically opposed 160th meridian east to define the hemisphere. This definition excludes all of the European and African mainlands, but still includes some islands associated with these continents, more of eastern Russia and Oceania, and part of Antarctica. It includes all islands of Alaska, but excludes a small portion of northeast Greenland . There is no hemisphere that includes all of

3663-673: The Andes of Argentina at 6,960.8 m (22,837 ft). The tallest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere is the CN Tower in Toronto at 553.3 m (1,815 ft) and the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere is One World Trade Center in New York City at 541.3 m (1,776 ft). In an attempt to match the Western Hemisphere more closely with the Americas, some sources use

3762-540: The Atlantic Plate under the Caribbean Plate in the Lesser Antilles subduction zone . This process is ongoing and is responsible for volcanic and earthquake activity in the region. Guadeloupe was formed from multiple volcanoes, of which only La Grande Soufrière is not extinct. Its last eruption was in 1976, and led to the evacuation of the southern part of Basse-Terre. 73,600 people were displaced throughout three and

3861-567: The Battle of Matouba on 28 May 1802. Realising they had no chance of success, Delgrès and his followers committed mass suicide by deliberately exploding their gunpowder stores. In 1810, the British captured the island again , handing it over to Sweden under the 1813 Treaty of Stockholm . In the 1814 Treaty of Paris , Sweden ceded Guadeloupe to France, giving rise to the Guadeloupe Fund . In 1815,

3960-494: The Compagnies républicaines de sécurité , resulting in four deaths. In May 1967 racial tensions exploded into rioting following a racist attack on a black Guadeloupean, Raphael Balzinc, resulting in eight deaths. An independence movement grew in the 1970s, prompting France to declare Guadeloupe a French region in 1974. The Union populaire pour la libération de la Guadeloupe (UPLG) campaigned for complete independence, and by

4059-636: The French West India Company along with the Order's other possessions in the Caribbean. By 1674, the company was dissolved and the islands became part of the French Kingdom and added to the colony of Guadeloupe . The island proved economically unsuccessful, and was subject to the activities of pirates (most notably Daniel Montbars aka 'Montbars the Exterminator'). In 1744, British forces captured

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4158-524: The Guadeloupe woodpecker . The waters of the islands support a rich variety of marine life. However, by studying 43,000 bone remains from six islands in the archipelago , it was found that 50 to 70% of snakes and lizards on the Guadeloupe Islands became extinct after European colonists arrived; they had brought with them mammals such as cats, mongooses, rats, and raccoons, which might have preyed upon

4257-559: The Liyannaj Kont Pwofitasyon went on strike for more pay. Strikers were angry with low wages, the high cost of living, high levels of poverty relative to mainland France and levels of unemployment that are amongst the worst in the European Union. The situation quickly escalated, exacerbated by what was seen as an ineffectual response by the French government, turning violent and prompting the deployment of extra police after

4356-613: The Treaty of Vienna acknowledged French control of Guadeloupe. Slavery was abolished in the French Empire in 1848. After 1854, indentured labourers from the French colony of Pondicherry in India were brought in. Emancipated slaves had the vote from 1849, but French nationality and the vote were not granted to Indian citizens until 1923, when a long campaign, led by Henry Sidambarom , finally achieved success. In 1936, Félix Éboué became

4455-692: The green turtles , herbivores , generally about 90 centimetres (35 inches) in diameter and live amidst tall sea grasses. Western Hemisphere The Western Hemisphere consists of the Americas , excluding some of the Aleutian Islands to the southwest of the Alaskan mainland; the westernmost portions of Europe and Africa , both mainland and islands; the extreme eastern tip of the Russian mainland and islands ( North Asia ); numerous territories in Oceania ; and

4554-513: The royal palm , sea grape trees in the form of shrubs on the beaches, and as 5 to 7 metres (16 to 23 feet) trees in the interior areas of the island, aloe or aloe vera (brought from the Mediterranean ), the night blooming cereus , mamillaria nivosa , yellow prickly pear or barbary fig which was planted as barbed wire defences against invading British army in 1773, Mexican cactus , stapelia gigantea , golden trumpet or yellow bell which

4653-662: The staircases , the outbuildings and the gardens have been protected as historic monuments of France since 28 March 2002. There are two main Catholic churches both dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption or Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption ( the one in Lorient and the one in Gustavia) and a chapel of St. Catherine of Siena ( Chapelle de Sainte Catherine de Sienne ) in Colombier. Saint Barthélemy

4752-583: The 1970s, the first illegal immigrants of Haitian origin arrived in Guadeloupe to meet a need for labour in the agricultural sector; alongside this Haitian immigration , which is more visible because it is more numerous, Guadeloupe has also seen the arrival and settlement of populations from the island of Dominica and the Dominican Republic. In 2005, the prefecture, which represents the State in Guadeloupe, reported figures of between 50,000 and 60,000 foreigners in

4851-469: The 1980s the situation had turned violent with the actions of groups such as Groupe de libération armée  [ es ; fr ] (GLA) and Alliance révolutionnaire caraïbe (ARC). Greater autonomy was granted to Guadeloupe in 2000. Through a referendum in 2003 , Saint-Martin and Saint Barthélemy voted to separate from the administrative jurisdiction of Guadeloupe, this being fully enacted by 2007. In January 2009, labour unions and others known as

4950-548: The Americas that also excludes all land outside of it, regardless of the meridians or points chosen to define it. Below is a list of the sovereign states in both the Western and Eastern hemispheres on the IERS Reference Meridian , in order from north to south: Below is a list of additional sovereign states which are in both the Western and Eastern hemispheres along the 180th meridian , in order from north to south. (France

5049-483: The Caribbean, more than double the GDP per capita of the nearby Collectivity of Saint Martin , as well as 85% higher than Guadeloupe and 19% higher than metropolitan France 's GDP per capita in 2014. International investment and the wealth generated by tourists explain the high standard of living on the island. Most of the food is imported from the United States or France. Tourism attracts about 200,000 visitors every year. As

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5148-737: The Europeans for goods, including contraband material. Slavery was practised in St. Barthélemy under the Ordinance concerning the Police of Slaves and free Coloured People of 1787. The last legally owned slaves in the Swedish colony of St. Barthélemy were granted their freedom by the state on 9 October 1847. Since the island was not a plantation area, the freed slaves suffered economic hardships due to lack of opportunities for employment and many left to more prosperous islands, and few people of African descent remain on

5247-510: The North of Portugal, around 3000 people. French is the native tongue of the population, though English is understood in most hotels and restaurants; a small population of Anglophones has been resident in Gustavia for many years. The St. Barthélemy French patois is spoken by some 500–700 people in the leeward portion of the island and is superficially related to Quebec French , whereas Créole French

5346-478: The Salée River. Much of the forest on Grande-Terre has been cleared, with only a few small patches remaining. Between 300 and 1,000 metres (980 and 3,280 ft) of altitude, the rainforest that covers a large part of the island of Basse-Terre develops. Vegetation there includes the white gum tree, the acomat-boucan or chestnut tree, the marbri or bois-bandé or the oleander; shrubs and herbaceous plants such as

5445-575: The Western Hemisphere: Guadeloupe Guadeloupe ( / ˌ ɡ w ɑː d ə ˈ l uː p / ; French: [ɡwad(ə)lup] ; Guadeloupean Creole French : Gwadloup , IPA: [ɡwadlup] ) is an overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean . It consists of six inhabited islands— Basse-Terre , Grande-Terre , Marie-Galante , La Désirade , and two Îles des Saintes —as well as many uninhabited islands and outcroppings. It

5544-421: The active volcano La Grande Soufrière , the highest mountain peak in the Lesser Antilles with an elevation of 1,467 metres (4,813 ft). In contrast Grande-Terre is mostly flat, with rocky coasts to the north, irregular hills at the centre, mangrove at the southwest, and white sand beaches sheltered by coral reefs along the southern shore. This is where the main tourist resorts are found. Marie-Galante

5643-483: The area became a French colony, the Spanish name was retained – though altered to French orthography and phonology . The islands are locally known as Gwada . The islands were first populated by indigenous peoples of the Americas , possibly as far back as 3000 BC. The Arawak people are the first identifiable group, but they were later displaced c.  1400 by Kalina -Carib peoples. Christopher Columbus

5742-530: The chaotic political situation, Britain invaded Guadeloupe in 1794. The French responded by sending an expeditionary force led by Victor Hugues , who retook the islands and abolished slavery. More than 1,000 French colonists were killed in the aftermath. In 1802, the French Consulate government reinstated the pre-revolutionary government and slavery, prompting a slave rebellion led by Louis Delgrès . The French authorities responded quickly, culminating in

5841-519: The direction of the French colonial leaders Charles Liénard de L'Olive and Jean du Plessis d'Ossonville ; they formally took possession of the island for France and brought in French farmers to colonise the land. This led to the death of many indigenous people by disease and violence. By 1640, however, the Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique had gone bankrupt, and they thus sold Guadeloupe to Charles Houël du Petit Pré who began plantation agriculture, with

5940-423: The dry season called "Lent" from January to June, and the wet season called "winter", from July to December. Located in a very exposed region, Guadeloupe and its dependencies have to face many cyclones . The deadliest hurricane to hit Guadeloupe was the Pointe-à-Pitre hurricane of 1776, which killed at least 6,000 people. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo caused severe damage to the islands of the archipelago and left

6039-514: The erosion of the sand. This necessitated supplementing the beach with new sand in 2000. On the north coast, on the far eastern side of the island, there are two lagoons called the Anse de Marigot and Anse du Grand Cul-de-Sac. Morne de Vitet , 286 metres (938 feet) in height, is the highest peak on the island. Hills and valleys of varying topography cover the rest of the island. Notable are Morne Rouge, Morne Criquet, Morne de Grand Fond, Morne de Dépoudré and Morne Lurin. The largest bodies of water on

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6138-405: The first territorial council was elected, according to the law. The island has a president (elected every five years), a unicameral Territorial Council of nineteen members who are elected by popular vote and serve for five-year terms, and an executive council of seven members. Elections to these councils were first held on 1 July 2007 with the most recent election in 2022. One senator represents

6237-399: The first African slaves arriving in 1650. Slave resistance was immediately widespread, with an open uprising in 1656 lasting several weeks and a simultaneous spate of mass desertions that lasted at least two years until the French compelled indigenous peoples to stop assisting them. Ownership of the island passed to the French West India Company before it was annexed to France in 1674 under

6336-574: The first black governor of Guadeloupe. During World War II , Guadeloupe initially came under the control of the Vichy government , later joining Free France in 1943. In 1946, the colony of Guadeloupe became an overseas department of France. Tensions arose in the post-war era over the social structure of Guadeloupe and its relationship with mainland France. The 'Massacre of St Valentine' occurred in 1952, when striking factory workers in Le Moule were shot at by

6435-481: The island are Étang de Saint-Jean, Grande Saline, Grand Étang, and Petit Étang. The population is spread among 40 quartiers , roughly corresponding to settlements. They are grouped into two paroisses (parishes): The island covers an area of 25 square kilometres (10 sq mi). The eastern side is wetter than the western. Although the climate is essentially arid, the rainfall does average 1,000 millimetres (40 inches) annually, but with considerable variation over

6534-571: The island in the Senate , while a deputy jointly elected with Saint Martin represents it in the National Assembly . St. Barthélemy became an overseas territory of the European Union on 1 January 2012, but the island's inhabitants remain French citizens with EU status holding EU passports. France is responsible for the defence of the island and as such has stationed a security force on the island comprising six policemen and thirteen gendarmes (posted on

6633-409: The island its name. The official language is French; Antillean Creole is also spoken. The archipelago was called Karukera (or "The Island of Beautiful Waters") by the native Arawak people. Christopher Columbus named the island Santa María de Guadalupe in 1493 after Our Lady of Guadalupe , a shrine to the Virgin Mary venerated in the Spanish town of Guadalupe , Extremadura. When

6732-505: The island, holding it until 1764 when it reverted to French control. Thus deeming it to be of little worth, King Louis XVI traded the island to Sweden in 1784 in return for trading privileges in Gothenburg . This change of control saw progress and prosperity as the Swedes declared Gustavia (named after the Swedish king Gustav III who ruled at that time) a free port, convenient for trading by

6831-399: The island. In 1852, a devastating hurricane hit the island, followed by a fire. The economy suffered, and thus Sweden sought to relieve themselves of the island. Following a referendum in 1877, Sweden sold the island back to France in 1878, after which it was administered as part of Guadeloupe . Swedish media supported the sale of the island to France, characterizing the island's poverty as

6930-435: The island. The island's tourism industry, though expensive, attracts 70,000 visitors every year to its hotels and villas; another 130,000 people arrive by boat. It also attracts a labour force from Portugal . A team of analysts have analysed Airbnb 's Luxe offerings in 27 of their most popular luxury locations around the world and concluded that St Barths is the top location for luxury Airbnb accommodation worldwide. Corossol

7029-471: The island’s reputation as a luxury destination. St. Barthélemy has about 25 hotels, most with 15 rooms or fewer; the largest has 58 rooms. Hotels are classified in the traditional French manner; 3 Star, 4 Star and 4 Star Luxe. Of particular note are Eden Rock and Cheval Blanc . Hotel Le Toiny , the most expensive hotel on the island, has 12 rooms. Most places of accommodation are in the form of private villas, of which there are some 400 available to rent on

7128-828: The land is devoted to agriculture and all mountains are uninhabitable; this lack of space and shelter makes the population density even higher. The most populous urban unit (agglomeration) is Pointe-à-Pitre - Les Abymes , which covers 11 communes and 65% of the population of the department. The three largest urban units are: In 2011, life expectancy at birth was recorded at 77.0 years for males and 83.5 for females. Medical centres in Guadeloupe include: University Hospital Centre (CHU) in Pointe-à-Pitre, Regional Hospital Centre (CHR) in Basse-Terre, and four hospitals located in Capesterre-Belle-Eau, Pointe-Noire, Bouillante and Saint-Claude. The Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe ,

7227-677: The large islands; mangroves and mantids have almost disappeared in Marie-Galante , Les Saintes and La Désirade; the salinity of the fresh water table has increased due to "the intensity of use of the layer"; and pollution of agricultural origin (pesticides and nitrogenous compounds). In addition, the ChlEauTerre study, unveiled in March 2018, concludes that 37 different anthropogenic molecules (more than half of which come from residues of now-banned pesticides, such as chlordecone) were found in "79% of

7326-508: The leeward coast of Basse-Terre. The coastal forest is more difficult to develop because of the nature of the soil (sandy, rocky), salinity , sunshine and wind and is the environment where the sea grape, the mancenilla (a very toxic tree whose trunk is marked with a red line), the icaquier or the Coconut tree grow. On the cliffs and in the Arid zones are found cacti such as the cactus-cigar (Cereus),

7425-543: The main islands, has a basement from the Mesozoic , overlaid with thick limestones from the Pliocene to Quaternary periods. Grande-Terre and Marie-Galante have basements probably composed of volcanic units of Eocene to Oligocene , but there are no visible outcrops. On Grande-Terre, the overlying carbonate platform is 120 metres thick. The islands are part of the Leeward Islands , so called because they are downwind of

7524-444: The mountain palm, the balisier or ferns; many epiphytes: bromeliads , philodendrons, orchids and lianas . Above 1,000 m (3,300 ft), the humid savannah develops, composed of mosses, lichens , sphagnum or more vigorous plants such as mountain mangrove , high altitude violet or mountain thyme. The dry forest occupies a large part of the islands of Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes, La Désirade and also develops on

7623-416: The native reptiles. In recent decades, Guadeloupe's natural environments have been affected by hunting and fishing, forest retreat, urbanization and suburbanization. They also suffer from the development of intensive crops (banana and sugar cane , in particular), which reached their peak in the years 1955–75. This has led to the following situation: seagrass beds and reefs have degraded by up to 50% around

7722-521: The naturalized varieties of flora; some grow in irrigated areas while the dry areas are dominated by the cacti variety. Sea grapes and palm trees are a common sight with mangroves and shrubs surviving in the saline coastal swamps. Coconut palm was brought to the island from the Pacific islands . Important plants noted on the island include flamboyant trees , frangipanis , sabal palms , wild trumpet and Manchineel trees . Other trees of note include

7821-1033: The nearer Virgin Islands , St. Barthélemy lies immediately southeast of the islands of Saint Martin and Anguilla . St. Barthélemy is separated from Saint Martin by the Saint-Barthélemy Channel . It lies northeast of Saba and St Eustatius , and north of St Kitts . Several smaller uninhabited islands lie offshore, the largest of which are Île Fourchue , Île Coco, Île Chevreau (Île Bonhomme), Île Frégate , Île Toc Vers , Île Tortue , Roche Plate (Table à Diable) and Mancel ou la Poule et les Poussins. There are numerous smaller islets, such as La Petite Islette, L'Îlet au Vent, Île Pelé, Île le Boulanger, Roche le Bœuf, Île Petit Jean, L'Âne Rouge, Les Gros Islets, La Baleine des Gros Islets, Pain de Sucre, Les Baleines du Pain de Sucre, Fourmis, Les Petit Saints, Roches Roubes, Les Baleines de Grand Fond and Les Grenadins. St. Barthélemy forms, with St. Martin, Anguilla, and Dog Island ,

7920-510: The new arrivals began cultivating cacao . However, the settlement was attacked by Caribs in 1656 and briefly abandoned. De Poincy was the dominant administrator in this period and a member of the Order of Saint John . He facilitated the transfer of ownership from the Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique to the Order. He continued to rule the island until he died in 1660. Five years later, it was bought by

8019-506: The northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean. It is located in the Leeward Islands in the northern part of the Lesser Antilles , a partly volcanic island arc . To the north lie Antigua and Barbuda and the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat , with Dominica lying to the south. The two main islands are Basse-Terre (west) and Grande-Terre (east), which form a butterfly shape as viewed from above,

8118-401: The northwest, has a 4 fathoms patch near mid-entrance. In the bight of St. Jean Bay, there is a narrow cut through the reef. The north and east sides of the island are fringed, to a short distance from the shore, by a visible coral reef. Reefs are mostly in shallow waters and are clearly visible. The coastal areas abound with beaches and many of these have offshore reefs, some of which are part of

8217-410: The parish of Our Lady of the Assumption ( Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption ), which in turn depends on the diocese of Basse-Terre and Pointe-à-Pitre ( diocèse de Basse-Terre et Pointe-à-Pitre ) whose see is located in the cathedral of Our Lady of Guadeloupe ( Notre-Dame-de-Guadeloupe ). The presbytery is located in the district of Lorient and dates from 1822. The building, including the masonry terrace,

8316-542: The prevailing trade winds , which blow out of the northeast. This was significant in the days of sailing ships . Grande-Terre is so named because it is on the eastern, or windward side, exposed to the Atlantic winds. Basse-Terre is so named because it is on the leeward south-west side and sheltered from the winds. Guadeloupe has a tropical climate tempered by maritime influences and the Trade Winds . There are two seasons,

8415-419: The prickly pear, the chestnut cactus, the "Tête à l'anglais" cactus and the aloes. The Mangrove forest that borders some of Guadalupe's coasts is structured in three levels, from the closest to the sea to the farthest. On the first level are the red mangroves ; on the second, about 10 metres (33 ft) from the sea, the black mangroves form the shrubby mangrove; on the third level the white mangroves form

8514-513: The sea, the females come to the shore to lay eggs and are protected by private societies. Three species of turtles are particularly notable. These are: The leatherback sea turtles are the largest of the type found here, sometimes measuring as much as 3 metres (10 feet) (average is about 1.5 m or 5 ft) and weighing about 450; the hawksbill turtles , are found near reefs, generally about 90 centimetres (35 inches) in diameter and weigh about 60 and their diet consists of crabs and snails ; and

8613-421: The seismic zoning of France and are subject to a specific risk prevention plan. The 1843 earthquake in the Lesser Antilles is, to this day, the most violent earthquake known. It caused the death of more than a thousand people, as well as major damage in Pointe-à-Pitre. On 21 November 2004, the islands of the department, in particular Les Saintes archipelago, were shaken by a violent earthquake that reached

8712-485: The tall mangrove. Behind the mangrove, where the tide and salt do not penetrate, a swamp forest sometimes develops, unique in Guadeloupe. The representative species of this environment is the Mangrove-medaille. Few terrestrial mammals, aside from bats and raccoons , are native to the islands. The introduced Javan mongoose is also present on Guadeloupe. Bird species include the endemic purple-throated carib and

8811-713: The terrain. Summer is from May to November, which is also the rainy season. Winter from December to April is the dry season. Sunshine is very prominent for nearly the entire year and even during the rainy season. Humidity, however, is not very high due to the winds. The average temperature is around 25 °C (77 °F) with day temperatures rising to 32 °C (90 °F). The average high and low temperatures in January are 28 °C (82 °F) and 22 °C (72 °F), respectively, while in July they are 30 °C (86 °F) and 24 °C (75 °F). The lowest night temperature recorded

8910-576: The tutelage of their Martinique colony. Institutionalised slavery, enforced by the Code Noir from 1685, led to a booming sugar plantation economy. During the Seven Years' War , the British captured and occupied the islands until the 1763 Treaty of Paris . During that time, Pointe-à-Pitre became a major harbour, and markets in Britain's North American colonies were opened to Guadeloupean sugar, which

9009-529: The two 'wings' of which are separated by the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin  [ ceb ; fr ; nl ; sv ] , Rivière Salée  [ fr ] and Petit Cul-de-Sac Marin  [ ceb ; fr ] . More than half of Guadeloupe's land surface consists of the 847.8 km Basse-Terre. The island is mountainous, containing such peaks as Mount Sans Toucher (4,442 feet; 1,354 metres) and Grande Découverte (4,143 feet; 1,263 metres), culminating in

9108-678: The watersheds analyzed in Grande-Terre and 84% in Basse-Terre." A report by the Guadeloupe Water Office notes that in 2019 there is a "generalized degradation of water bodies." Despite everything, there is a will to preserve these environments whose vegetation and landscape are preserved in some parts of the islands and constitute a sensitive asset for tourism. These areas are partially protected and classified as ZNIEFF, sometimes with nature reserve status, and several caves are home to protected chiropterans. The Guadalupe National Park

9207-712: Was elected for its administration, which has provided the island with a certain degree of autonomy. A senator represents the island in Paris . St. Barthélemy has retained its free port status. Saint Barthélemy ceased being an outermost region and left the EU , to become an OCT, (Overseas Country or Territory) on 1 January 2012. The island sustained damage from Hurricane Irma in September 2017 but recovered quickly, and by early 2018 transport and electricity were largely operational. Approximately 250 kilometres (160 mi) east of Puerto Rico and

9306-543: Was created on 20 February 1989. In 1992, under the auspices of UNESCO , the Biosphere Reserve of the Guadeloupe Archipelago ( Réserve de biosphère de l'archipel de la Guadeloupe ) was created. As a result, on 8 December 1993, the marine site of Grand Cul-de-sac was listed as a wetland of international importance. The island thus became the overseas department with the most protected areas . The archipelago

9405-414: Was for many years a French commune forming part of Guadeloupe , which is an overseas region and department of France. Through a referendum in 2003 , island residents sought separation from the administrative jurisdiction of Guadeloupe. The island officially became a separate collectivity on 22 February 2007. The island of Saint Barthélemy became an Overseas Collectivity (COM). A governing territorial council

9504-621: Was not inhabited permanently due to its lack of fresh water sources and poor soil. Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter the island in 1493. Sporadic visits continued for the next hundred years until formal colonisation began taking shape. By 1648 the island was settled by the French, encouraged by Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy , the lieutenant-governor of the French West India Company, and initially comprised about 50 to 60 settlers, later augmented by smaller numbers coming from St Kitts . Led by Jacques Gentes,

9603-431: Was originally from South America, bougainvillea and others. Marine mammals are many, such as dolphins , porpoises and whales , are seen here during the migration period from December until May. Turtles are a common sight along the coastline of the island. They are a protected species and on the endangered list. It is stated that it will take 15–50 years for this species to attain reproductive age. Though they live in

9702-493: Was the first European to see Guadeloupe, landing in November 1493 and giving it its current name. Several attempts at colonisation by the Spanish in the 16th century failed due to attacks from the native peoples. In 1626, the French, under the trader and adventurer Pierre Belain d'Esnambuc , began to take an interest in Guadeloupe, expelling Spanish settlers. The Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique settled in Guadeloupe in 1635, under

9801-555: Was traded for foodstuffs and timber. The economy expanded quickly, creating vast wealth for the French colonists. So prosperous was Guadeloupe at the time that, under the 1763 Treaty of Paris, France forfeited its Canadian colonies in exchange for the return of Guadeloupe. Coffee planting began in the late 1720s, also worked by slaves and, by 1775, cocoa had become a major export product as well. The French Revolution brought chaos to Guadeloupe. Under new revolutionary law, freedmen were entitled to equal rights. Taking advantage of

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