The New Student's Reference Work/Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe (ga̤′dȧ-lo͞op′), an island, one of the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies and the most important of those belonging to France. It is about 77 miles northwest of Martinique. It covers 494 square miles, and is divided into Grand-Terre on the east and Basse-Terre on the west by a strait called Salt River. Grand-Terre is a coral island. Earthquakes are frequent, and in the towns the houses are now built of wood or iron. Sugar and coffee are exported. The colony has a French governor. The island was discovered by Columbus in 1493, and colonized by the French in 1635. The area of the two islands is 583 square miles, with an estimated population of 182,000, including about 15,000 coolies. The chief town is Point-à-Pitre (population 18,000), with a fine harbor. The seat of government is Basse-Terre (population 8,000). The chief products consist of sugar, coffee, cacao, bananas, manioc, sweet potatoes, Indian corn and tobacco.