Marie-Galante
| Marie-Galante | ||
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| Waters | Caribbean Sea | |
| Archipelago | Leeward Islands | |
| Geographical location | 15 ° 56 ′ N , 61 ° 16 ′ W | |
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| length | 15.6 km | |
| width | 15.1 km | |
| surface | 158 km² | |
| Highest elevation | Morne Constant 204 m |
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| Residents | 13,470 (2004) 85 inhabitants / km² |
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| main place | Grand-Bourg | |
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Marie-Galante is one of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean . It belongs to the French overseas department of Guadeloupe . The almost circular island (diameter about 15 km) has an area of 158 km².
There are three municipalities on the island: Grand-Bourg , Capesterre and Saint-Louis .
The island was discovered by Columbus on his second voyage on November 3, 1493 and named after his caravel Maria Galanda . In 1648 the first French settlers settled and cultivated sugar cane . In the middle of the 20th century, the island had around 30,000 residents. Due to the decline in sugar production, large parts of the population emigrated.
The island's main product is rhum agricole (white and brown). Once there were almost 100 windmills for pressing sugar cane on the island, which earned it the nickname l'île aux cent moulins ("the island of 100 mills"). Of these, around 70 towers are still partially visible today.
Web links
- Official tourism website (French)
- Regional administration (French)