Guadeloupe

Région Guadeloupe
Flag of Guadeloupe	Logo of Guadeloupe
(Region flag)	(Region logo)
Location
Administration
Capital	Basse-Terre
Regional President	Victorin Lurel (PS) (since 2004)
Departments	Guadeloupe
Arrondissements	2
Cantons	40
Communes	34
Statistics
Land area1	1,780 km²
Population	(Ranked 23rd)
- January 1, 2006 est.	ca. 453,000
- March 8, 1999 census	386,566
- Density (2006)	249/km²
1 French Land Register data, which exclude lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) as well as the estuaries of rivers

Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of 1,780 square kilometres, ten times the size of Washington, D.C.. Geologically, it is very diverse, ranging from high mountains to flat plains. Guadeloupe was colonized by the French. It is an overseas department or region of France. As part of France, Guadeloupe is part of the European Union and its currency is the euro. Guadeloupe is however not party to the Schengen Agreement.

Its mixed cultural backround resulted from the need of intensive labour to work in the sugarcane fields. This is why France first brought slaves from Africa and later brought indentured labourers from India and China. Today there exists a Creole culture which can be noticed in its Creole food and language.

Nowadays, tourism is the first source of the economy. The southern coast of Grande-Terre has the most popular white sand beaches. Pigeon Island in Basse-Terre is best for snorkeling. The volcano of La Soufrière is beautiful to visit either by car or hike. There are many beautiful scenic views and there are many itineraries to hike in all the different islands. Visitors find Guadeloupe's people very friendly.

Geography

Map of the Guadeloupe archipelago

Guadeloupe is a group of islands situated among the Leeward Islands or the Lesser Antilles in the Eastern Caribbean Sea and comprises five islands: Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Désirade, Les Saintes, and Marie-Galante. Further to the north, Saint-Barthélemy and the French section of Saint Martin once belonged to Guadeloupe. However, on December 7, 2003, both of these areas voted to become an overseas territorial collectivity.

The neighboring islands to Guadaluope are Antigua to the north, Montserrat to the northwest, and Dominica to the south.

Guadeloupe's political capital is Basse-Terre located in the southernwest coast of Basse-Terre Island. The largest urban town in Grande-Terre is Pointe-à-Pitre .

Topography

Gaudalupe's two largest islands, Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre, are similar to the shape of a butterfly and are divided by a narrow mangrove channel called Rivière Salée. Basse-Terre, the western island, is mountainous and volcanic; its highest peak, La Soufrière 4812 ft (1467 m), erupted in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and is still active. Grande-Terre, the eastern island, is flat and is composed of limestone on its outer surface due to the island being submerged under water in earlier geological periods.

Marie-Galante and La Désirade, flat dessert-like islands, are also of limestone composition. Les Saintes is comprised of eight islands, only two are inhabited: Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas . Les Saintes' typical landscape is composed of volcanic hills and deep bays.

Climate

Green Sea Turtle

Guadeloupe's mean temperature on the flatter islands is 88°F (31°C); at the higher elevations it is 74°F (23°C). Basse-Terre Island is cooler and rainier than Grande-Terre.

The names of the islands come from the description of the winds that blow over the terrain, not the terrain itself. Thus, the small and flat eastern island is named Grande-Terre which means 'big island', while the western, mountainous island is named Basse-Terre which means 'flat island'.

Fauna and Flora

Guadeloupe's vegetation is very diverse due to its topography. Basse-Terre is a contrast of bamboos, mangrove swamps, and abundant forest trees, such as gums and chesnut trees. The forest has thick fern, flowering heliconia, and ginger plants. The main birds found in Guadeloupe are pelicans, hummingbirds, and the endangered Guadeloupean wren. Two other endangered species are the green sea turtle, and the leatherback turtle. There are raccoons, mongooses, agoutis and iguanas.

History

Natives

Guadeloupe was first settled by Arawak Indians from Venezuela about 300 B.C.E., who fished and developed agriculture on the island. Carib Indians, also from Venezuela, pushed out most of the Arawak in the 8th century. They also subsisted on agriculture and fishing. The Caribs renamed the island "Karukera" or the "Island of beautiful waters".

Discovery and Settlement

Guadeloupe was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his second trip to the Americas in 1493. He called it Santa María de Guadalupe de Extremadura, after the image of the Virgin Mary venerated at the Spanish monastery of Villuercas, in Guadalupe, Extremadura. The Spanish made two attempts to settle Guadeloupe in the 1500s, but because of the fierceness of the Caribs the Spanish abandoned their claim to the islands.

After three decades, the French American Islands Company delegated Charles Liénard and Jean Duplessis, Lord of Ossonville, to colonize one or any of the region’s islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique or Dominica. Due to Martinique’s inhospitable nature, they settled in Guadeloupe. The French took possession of the island on June 28, 1635. They drove out many of the Carib Amerindians, planted crops and built the first sugar mill. By 1674, Guadeloupe was annexed to the Kingdom of France and a slave-based plantation was established.

First British Seizure

Over the next century, the island was seized several times by Great Britain, the first time between 1759 and 1763. During this time Pointe-à-Pitre was developed into a major harbor enabling planters to export sugar and import North American lumber and food. Many French colonists actually grew wealthier under the British occupation and the economy expanded rapidly. Another indication of Guadeloupe's prosperity at this time was that in the Treaty of Paris (1763) France, defeated in war, agreed to forfeit its territorial claims in Canada in return for British recognition of French control of Guadeloupe.

1789's French Revolution - Monarchists and Republicans

In 1790, the upper classes of Guadeloupe refused to obey the new laws requiring equal rights for the free and attempted to declare independence, resulting in great disturbances. A fire broke out in Pointe-à-Pitre and devastated a third of the town. A struggle between the monarchists (who wanted independence) and the republicans (who were faithful to revolutionary France) ended in the victory of the monarchists, who declared independence in 1791. This was followed by their refusal to receive the new governor appointed by Paris in 1792.

Second British Seizure

In 1794, the British again invaded Guadeloupe, forcing the French to send a contingent of soldiers guided by Victor Hugues, who freed and armed the Guadeloupean slaves. Eventually, the British withdrew, but Hugues took advantage of the situation and killed 300 royalists and plantation owners. Hugues is best known for authorizing privateers to attack ships throughout the Caribbean, bringing great wealth to the island. With an army composed of White, Mulatto and ex-slave soldiers, Hugues worked to export the revolution to neighboring islands, including Dominica, Saint Martin, la Grenada, Saint Vincent and Saint Lucia.

Because of Hugues' attacks, American interests were threatened, creating tension between France and the United States, ultimately resulting in the U.S. declaring war on France. France responded by sending General Richepance to Guadeloupe to restore the status quo. A group of revolutionary soldiers led by Louis Delgres killed themselves on the slopes of the Matouba Volcano when it became obvious that the invading troops would take control of the island. The occupation force killed approximately 10,000 Guadeloupeans in the process of restoring order to the island. Richepance then re-established slavery.

Third British Seizure

In 1810, the British once again seized the island and held it until 1813, when it was ceded to Sweden as a consequence of the Napoleonic Wars. Sweden already had a colony in the area, but only a year later Sweden left the island to France in the Treaty of Paris of 1814. French control of Guadeloupe was finally acknowledged in the Treaty of Vienna in 1815.

Slavery Abolished

Slavery was abolished on the island in 1848 at the initiative of Victor Schoelcher . Once the African slaves were permanently emancipated, the plantation owners on Guadeloupe faced terrible economic hardships, being forced to pay wages to their workers. Workers from China and India came in to replace the freed African slaves. and having to pay these workers for their efforts helped to cause the economic downfall of many planters on Guadeloupe. Several planting estates, no longer profitable without slave labor, were bought out by foreign companies in the late 19th century.

Current History

The harsh economic conditions on Guadeloupe caused much social unrest among the island's people, and several revolts and strikes by workers occurred during this period of economic depression. In response to Guadeloupe's stagnating economic situation, island officials began to diversify the economy so the region wouldn't be forced to rely only on growing sugarcane to survive in the marketplace. Sugarcane, in fact, lost its profitability due to high labor costs. Following the Second World War, farmers on the island began producing crops such as pineapples, bananas and rice to subsidize the economy. Today, bananas and sugar are still Guadeloupe's main exported products.

The early twenty-first century population of Guadeloupe is mostly of African origin with a significant and active European and Indian population. Lebanese, Chinese, and people of many other origins are also present.

Politics

In green (with red legend) are the former constituent parts of the Guadeloupe region/department among the Leeward Islands. On February 22, 2007, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy seceded from Guadeloupe, but Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and Les Saintes are still part of the Guadeloupe region/department.

Government

Guadeloupe became an overseas department of France in 1946, and as such, is part of the European Union. Its head of state is the President of the French Republic, who appoints a Prefect (resident at the Prefecture building in Basse-Terre) as his representative. It honors the French Constitution of September 1958, and utilizes the French legal system. Guadeloupe is represented in the French parliament by two senators in the French Senate and four deputies of representatives in the French National Assembly.

The legislative branch is composed of a unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council. The judicial branch is composed of two courts: A Court of Appeals and an Assize Court, used for the settling of felonies. These courts are located in Basse-Terre with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique.

Military

There is no regular military force in Guadeloupe. Defense is the responsibility of France.

Administrative divisions

There are two arrondissements: Basse-Terre and Pointe-à-Pitre. Pointe-à-Pitre arrondissement consists of Grande-Terre, La Désirade, Marie-Galante Island, and Îles de la Petite Terre. Basse-Terre arrondissement consists of Basse-Terre, and the Îles des Saintes. There are forty cantons.

Economy

Carbet Falls

Agriculture

The economy of Guadeloupe depends on tourism, agriculture, light industry and services. It also depends on France for large subsidies and imports.

Guadeloupe was once primarily dependent on the growth and exportation of sugarcane, but when the sugar market became less profitable, the island was forced to concentrate its efforts on other cash crops such as bananas, which bring in approximately 50 percent of the island's export earnings. Other moneymakers in the agricultural industry include crops such as eggplant, coffee, cocoa, pineapples and many varieties of flowers which are grown along the island's coast. Other local crops are guinnep, noni, sapotilla, paroka, pikinga, giraumon squash, yam, gourd, plantain, christophine, monbin, prunecafé, jackfruit, and pomegranate. Rum production and exportation is also part of Guadeloupe's agricultural economy.

Many of the region's self-sufficient residents grow their own small crops for their families. Most manufactured goods, such as foods, fuels, vehicles, clothing, and construction materials are imported, mainly from France, but from other countries as well. Unemployment is especially high among the young. Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

Tourism

Tourism is the main economic industry on Guadeloupe. Most tourists who visit the island come from the United States, but travelers come from all over the world to enjoy the beautiful beaches and experience all that this island has to offer. The number of cruise ships that dock on the island's port has been increasing in recent years, making cruise ship tourism a growing market.

A popular destination is the southern coastal beaches of Grande-Terre, in Gossier, Saint-Félix, Sainte-Anne, or further to the east Saint-François. Mountainous green forests and ocean views line the way to Basse-Terre, the home of the Volcano La Soufrière and Carbet Falls. Pigeon Island is Guadeloupe's most popular snorkeling location.

Transportation

File:Aéroport Guadeloupe.jpg

Guadeloupe International Airport

Guadeloupe Pole Caraïbes Airport, north of Pointe-à-Pitre, is an international airport used by French, U.S., Canadian, British, and Dutch airlines. France has the best air connection with Guadeloupe, with several local and international carriers flying directly between Paris and Point-à-Pitre. Canadian and American travellers can fly directly on Air France or Air Canada; those taking other carriers must connect at San Juan, Puerto Rico. Several carriers fly between Guadeloupe and other Caribbean islands: Air Martinique and Air Guadeloupe fly between Pointe-à-Pitre and Fort-de-France on Martinique, while Antigua-based LIAT connects Guadeloupe with the English-speaking Caribbean. There's no departure tax. There is a secondary airport on Marie-Galante, and five more small airports in the other islands. Flying between the islands is faster but not necessarily more convenient. Air Caraïbes has daily flights between Pointe-à-Pitre and Marie-Galante, La Désirade and Terre-de-Haut.

The port of Pointe-à-Pitre is equipped to handle cargo of minerals, sugar, and cereals. The port of Basse-Terre specializes in the banana export trade. Getting between Guadeloupe and its associated islands is easiest by ferry. There's service between Pointe-à-Pitre and Les Saintes, Saint-François, Trois-Rivières and Marie-Galante. There are also ferry routes between Saint-François and Marie-Galante and La Désirade.

Guadeloupe has a good public bus system that operates from early morning to early evening, with fairly frequent service on main routes. On Sunday, service is much lighter and there are no buses on most secondary routes. Taxis are plentiful but expensive.

The road system on the main islands is kept in excellent condition. Except for some privately owned plantation lines, there are no railways in Guadeloupe. Vehicles drive on the right. Traffic rules and signage are the same as in France.

Bicycles, scooters and motorbikes are also an option, but given the unfamiliar terrain and the volume of traffic in Guadeloupe, 2 wheel riders are recommended only for the most experienced. Motorcycles can be fun on Terre-de-Haut and Marie-Galante, since there are few autos on the road.

Education

French is the official language of instruction. In addition to primary schools, there are secondary schools as well as a teacher-training colleges. A school of humanities, a law and economics school, a school of medicine, and a school of science at Pointe-à-Pitre are part of the University of the Antilles and Guyana. Many students pursue higher education opportunities in France, which is economically feasible only to a few, due to Guadeloupe's national status. Guadeloupe has a 90 percent literacy rate.

Demographics

Guadeloupe's estimated population is 453,000 (July 2006 est.), most of whom live in Basse-Terre(est. over 200,000) and Grande-Terre(est. over 200,000). About 3,000 people live in Les Saintes, 1,600 on La Désirade, and 13,000 on Marie-Galante.

French censuses do not record ethnicity, so estimates of the percentages of Guadeloupe ethnic composition vary. Guadeloupeans are primarily of African heritage from the Guinean coast mixed with some French ancestry. Generally the Black/Mulatto population is judged at about 90% of the total population. Roughly 5% are white.

The remaining 5% of the population is comprised of Tamil/East Indians, Lebanese/Syrians, Chinese, and also smaller groups from various Caribbean islands, mainly from Haiti and Dominica. There are several tens of thousands of Indians from the Indies in Guadeloupe, mainly in Grande Terre, in the area of Le Moule and Saint-François.

In spite of a creolization of their way of life, the Chinese succeeded in preserving many elements of their cultural inheritance. One can even speak about cultural exchange between the populations: the colombo of tamoul origin, for example, became the national dish of Guadeloupe, whereas the creole language and Catholicism conquered many of the Hindu families; this was not an obstacle with the simultaneous practice of their own religion.

The Hindu temples are easy to find in the countryside by the presence of red and blue flags, receptacles contain offerings, candles, and oil lamps. The most significant and spectacular temple is the one of Chanzy close to Capesterre, its architecture purely Indian. The white people, called Békés, are not very many and form a real caste, the names of the great families can be seen on the majority of the frontages of the important companies of Guadeloupe. They always control as lords the economic frame of the island: the culture and the trade of banana, of sugar cane, rum, they also succeded in diversifying their activities. The Lebanese and the Syrians : They form as everywhere else a community whose essential activity is trade, and hold in the island, the major part of the jewels stores, fabrics and clothing, in particular in the main commercial streets of Pointe à Pitre: the Nozières, Frébault and Shoelcher streets.

The predominant religion in this region is Roman Catholicism 95%, Protestants 1%, Hindu/African 3%, and Jehovah's Witness 4%.

Culture

Guadeloupe's culture is a mixture of African, French, East Indian, and West Indian influences. The mix is visible in the architecture, which varies from French colonial buildings to Hindu temples; in the foods, which inputs are originated from all cultures making the island cuisine a unique Creole cuisine; and in the widely spoken local Creole lenguage.

Guadelupe is a place where you can see women wearing traditional Creole dress, especially during festivals and cultural events. The typical dress consists of a bright colored skirt, blouse, and scarf. Jewelry is also important, mainly of gold. Gold is a product of European, African and Indian inspiration.

Music and dance are also very popular as an interaction of African, French and Indian cultures. Its musical heritage is intertwined with that of its sister island, Martinique. Despite their small size, the islands have created a large popular music industry, which gained in international renown after the success of zouk music in the later 20th century. Zouk's popularity was particularly intense in France, where the genre became an important symbol of identity for Martinique and Guadeloupe. Zouk's origins are in the folk music of Martinique and Guadeloupe, especially Martinican chouval bwa and Guadeloupan gwo ka , and the pan-Caribbean calypso tradition.

Guadeloupe's culture is probably best known for the islanders' literary achievements, particularly the poetry of Saint-John Perse , the pseudonym used by Alexis Léger. Perse was born in Guadeloupe in 1887. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1960 for the evocative imagery of his poetry. One of his many noted works is Anabase. Other important literary contributions are produced by many living writers, poets, novelists, essayists and journalists, among them Maryse Condé, Ernest Pépin and Simone Schwartz-Bart.

Also culturally important are the arts, particularly painting and sculpture. Famous painters and/or sculptors include Michel Rovelas, Claudie Cancellier, Jean-Claude Echard, Christian Bracy, Roger Arekian, les Frères Baptiste, Michelle Chomereau-Lamothe, Léogane, Pédurand, Nicole Réache, Victor Sainsily.

Football (soccer) is popular in Guadeloupe. Thierry Henry, a star of the French National Team and Spanish League club FC Barcelona, often visits, as his father Antoine was originally from the island. Lilian Thuram, a star football defender for France and FC Barcelona, was born in Guadeloupe. The French national team and Manchester United striker, Louis Saha, is also of Guadeloupean descent as is Swansea City goalkeeper Willy Gueret. The region's football team also experienced recent success, advancing all the way to the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals, where they were slightly defeated 1-0 by CONCACAF powerhouse, Mexico. Many valuable track and field athletes, such as Marie-José Perec, Patricia Girard-Léno and Christine Arron, are also Guadeloupe natives.

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questionable images

File:Giant avocados guadeloupe.jpg

Giant avocados

File:Guadeloupe cathedral.jpg

Guadeloupe's Cathedral

File:Flower guadeloupe.jpg

Guadeloupe's flower

File:Guadeloupe1.jpg

Terre-de-Haut Island

View from Guadeloupe

File:Colonial architecture guadeloupe.jpg

Guadeloupe's colonial architecture

File:Horse guadeloupe.jpg

File:Volcano la soufriere.jpg

Active volcano La Soufrière

File:Caribbean cruise guadeloupe.jpg

Caribbean Cruise in Guadeloupe

Sources and Further Reading

Print Sources

1. Roberts, Adolphe. 1971. The French in the West Indies. Cooper Square Pub. ISBN 0815403771 or ISBN 9780815403777.
2. Stevenson, Elizabeth, 1979. Lafcadio Hearn. Octagon Books. ISBN 0815403771 or ISBN 9780815403777.
3. Garraway, Doris. 2005. The Libertine Colony: Creolization In The Early French Caribbean. Duke University Press. ISBN 0822334658 or ISBN 9780822334651.
4. Tomich, Dale. 1990. Slavery in the Circuit of Sugar: Martinique and the World Economy, 1830-1848. Johns Hopkins Univ Press. ISBN 0801839181 or ISBN 9780801839184.
5. Miller, Debra.2005. Caribbean Islands. Lonely Planet. ISBN 1741040558.
6. The World Book Encyclopedia. 2004. Guadeloupe. Chicago: World Book, Inc.. ISBN 0716601044.
7. The Encyclopedia Americana. 2002. Guadeloupe. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier. ISBN 071720135X

External links

• Préfecture de la région Guadeloupe - Official site of the prefecture of Guadeloupe (written in French)
• Région Guadeloupe - Official site of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe (written in French)
• Les Îles de Guadeloupe - Official site of the Guadeloupe Islands Tourism Board
• Office du Tourisme de Marie-Galante - Official site of the Tourist Board of Marie-Galante
• Office Municipal du Tourisme de Terre de Haut, Les Saintes - Official site of the Tourist Board of Les Saintes
• Office du Tourisme du Moule - Official site of the Tourist Board of Le Moule
• Guadeloupe Islands - site of the Guadeloupe Islands Tourism Board (written in French)
• Bouillante - site of Bouillante Tourism Board (written in French)

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