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.
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]
See also: Communes of the Guadeloupe département
Economy
Main article: Economy of Guadeloupe
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Guadeloupe
Culture
Main article: Culture of Guadeloupe
See also
External links
