GUADELOUPE, (Fr. gwid loop), West Indies, an island (or twin-islands, strictly speaking) of the inner chain of the Caribbees. (See Arrrn.u.$). It lies in lat. N. and long. 61° W. and, with its dependencies, has an area of 688 square miles. A strait divides it into two parts, called Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. The former is very mountain ous, and its volcanic character was manifested most impressively by the eruption of La Soufriere in 1797 and the disastrous earth quake in 1843. The eastern division, or Grande Terre, on the contrary, is a calcareous plain, which at no point attains an elevation of more than 450 feet. The mean temperature of Guadeloupe is F., the maximum being 101° and the minimum 61°. Of the total area 32 per cent is under cultivation. The cultivated portion is divided among the important crops as follows: Sugar cane, 49 per cent; provisions for local consumption, 28 per cent; coffee, per cent; cocoa, 7 per cent; and the remaining 5V2 per cent is given over to vanilla, lime trees, etc. The soil is fertile, and the rain fall is usually sufficient for the needs of the crops. The dependencies referred to above are the ad jacent islands Marie Galante, Les Saintes, Desirade, Saint Barthelmy and Saint Martin. The chief products are sugar, coffee of the fin est quality, rum, vanilla and cocoa. In 1917 the total trade of Guadeloupe amounted to $17, 000,000 an increase of 94 per cent over 1912, and 31 per cent over 1916; the value of the exports was $9,454,550; imports from the United States amounted to $7,625,662, the chief items being, flour, rice, breadstuffs, fish, oil, vegetables, cement, fertilizers, etc. Revenues approximate $934,000 ( or 4,670,290 francs in the local bud get of 1915) ; expenditures, including the ap propriations made by France from time to time, are somewhat in excess of tfiat sum.
Guadeloupe is a department of France, repre sented in the French chambers by one senator and two deputies. Its local interests are di rested by a governor and a general legislative assembly of 30 members. There are 114 ele mentary schools, with 14,226 pupils, one lycee, with 301 pupils and a secondary school for girls, with 130 pupils (statistics of 1913-14). The chief seaport, Pointe-i-Pitre (22,664 in habitants), is situated on the eastern side of Basse-Terre. Several times its buildings have been destroyed or severely damaged by earth quakes. Le Moule, the principal town of Grande-Terre, resembles Pointe-a-Pitre in size and situation. There is a fortnightly passenger service between France and Colon, Panama, the steamers of this service call on the outward and homeward voyages at the ports of Basse-Terre and Pointe-a-Pitre. A small steamer also makes monthly trips between Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Thomas, Porto Rico, Haiti and Santo Domingo. There is also a fort nightly service between Gaudaloupe and New York. There is a wireless telegraph station at Pointe-a-Pitre. After the discovery, Gaude loupe belonged to Spain until 1635; in that year it was taken by the French; in 1794 Eng land seized it, freed the slaves, and retained possession until 1802; then it passed again into French hands, together with Martinique, Eng land taking Saint Lucia in exchange; the restoration of slavery by the French was re sisted by the negroes, and was attended with great suffering and loss of life; for a brief period in 1810 England once more held Guade loupe, but returned it to France; emancipation was declared in 1848. Total population 212, 430 (3,460 French born and 12,306 foreigners). Consult 'Annuaire de la Gaudeloupe et Dependences) (Basse-Terre).
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