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GUADELOUPE
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
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
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.
Geography
Guadeloupe comprises five islands: Guadeloupe proper (Basse-Terre), Grande-Terre
(separated from Basse-Terre by a narrow sea channel called salt river) with
the adjacent islands of La Désirade, Îles des Saintes and Marie Galante.
Further to the north, Saint-Barthélemy and the French part of Saint-Martin
come under the juridiction of Guadeloupe. Basse-Terre has a rough volcanic
relief whilst Grande-Terre features rolling hills and flat plains.
Transportation in Guadeloupe
Railways:
total: NA km; privately-owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines
Highways:
total: 2,082 km
paved: 1,742 km
unpaved: 340 km (1985 est.)
note: in 1996 there were a total of 3,200 km of roads
Seaports and harbors:
Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,240 GRT/109 DWT
ships by type: passenger 1 (1999 est.)
Airports:
9 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
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