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French West Indies
(Guadeloupe and Martinique)
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French Embassy information on the French West Indies.
"Martinique.
With an area of 1,100 square km Martinique is the smallest
of the overseas departments. It lies in the Lesser
Antilles in the Caribbean. It is volcanic in origin,
offering a varied landscape dominated by the volcano of
Mount Pelée (1,397 metres), whose eruption in 1902
destroyed the then capital of St Pierre. Its population of
381,400 reflects a history of inter-marrying: black
Africans, descendants of Indian immigrants, Syrians,
Chinese. The European population is made up of Békés
(white Creoles) - descendants of the first colonists - and
people from metropolitan France.
The first inhabitants of the island were Arawak Indians.
The island became a colony of the Kingdom of France in
1674. Slavery was abolished by decree of 27 April 1848 at
the initiative of Victor Schoelcher. Martinique has been
an overseas department since 1946.
The tertiary sector accounts for 75% of all jobs.
Agriculture is the chief source of the island's export
earnings. Bananas are the main crop and principal economic
resource, accounting for 49.5% of final agricultural
output and generating nearly 40% of export earnings.
Tourism is developing fast. It employs over 11,000 people
and contributes more than 7% to commercial GDP.
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Guadeloupe
This archipelago in the Lesser Antilles, with a total area
of 1,704 square km, is made up of six islands: Guadeloupe
proper comprising Basse-Terre, dominated by the volcano of
La Soufrière (1,484 metres), and Grande-Terre, with the
adjacent islands of La Désirade, Îles des Saintes, Marie-Galante
and, further to the north, St Barthélemy and the French
part of St Martin. Guadeloupe proper is the largest island
in the French West Indies with an area of 1,438 square km
and a population of 422,500.
The original inhabitants were Arawak Indians. The island
became a colony of the Kingdom of France in 1674. The
following century saw the development of an economy based
on sugar and slavery; slavery was abolished by decree of
27 April 1848 at the initiative of Victor Schoelcher.
Guadeloupe has been an overseas department since 1946.
The economy is based on agriculture (bananas are still the
principal money crop), tourism and services.
Tourism, as the department's main economic activity, is
virtually the only source of income for St Martin and St
Barthélemy."
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