Basse-Terre (island)
Basse-Terre | ||
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Anse à la Barque on the west coast | ||
Waters | Caribbean Sea | |
Archipelago | Lesser Antilles | |
Geographical location | 16 ° 9 ′ N , 61 ° 40 ′ W | |
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length | 46.1 km | |
width | 27.6 km | |
surface | 848 km² | |
Highest elevation |
La Soufrière 1467 m |
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Residents | 186,000 (2006) 219 inhabitants / km² |
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main place | Basse-Terre | |
Fort Delgrès in the southwest |
Basse-Terre is the western and larger of the two main islands of the French overseas department of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean . The eastern main island is called Grande-Terre . On the island is the capital of Guadeloupe, which is also called Basse-Terre .
This island is of volcanic origin, with the Grand-Découverte Soufrière volcanic complex (GDS) on Basse-Terre said to be 200,000 years old. The complex with its 1467 m high La Soufrière is still classified as active. Around this volcanic complex, the outgassing sulfur fumes created a forest-free zone, which is unique on the otherwise heavily forested island.