Geography of Guadeloupe

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In green (with red legend) are the constituent parts of the Guadeloupe région/département among the Leeward Islands

Map of the Guadeloupe archipelago

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 jurisdiction of Guadeloupe. On December 7, 2003, both of these areas voted to become an overseas territorial collectivity. [1]

Location

Caribbean, islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates

16°15′N 61°35′W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

Total: 1,780 km²
Land: 1,706 km²
Water: 74 km²
Note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands: the main islands Basse-Terre on the west and Grande-Terre on the east, the nearby smaller islands Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2) and Iles de la Petite Terre, and more to the northwest, beyond St Kitts and Nevis: Saint Barthélemy and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin).

Area--comparative

10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

Total: 10.2 km
Border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline

306 km

Maritime claims

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

Subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain

Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes

Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Soufriere 1,467 m

Natural resources

Cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use

Arable land: 14%
Permanent crops: 4%
Permanent pastures: 14%
Forests and woodland: 39%
Other: 29% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 km² (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: Hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere is an active volcano
Environment--current issues: NA