Many travelers and just curious people, hearing the name of this island for the first time, ask themselves: “Where is Guadeloupe?”. This is a region that belongs to France, and at the same time an overseas department of this country. It is located among the group of Caribbean islands, otherwise known as the West Indies. This place hosts a significant event every year - the Guadeloupe Carnival, which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world.
Geographic location
Guadeloupe is an overseas department of France, that is, it is located outside the territory of this state. The island group was formerly a French colony. It is far from the borders of the country, the nearest states are Puerto Rico, the Commonwe alth of Dominica and the Dominican Republic. Guadeloupe includes about eight major islands. The total area is approximately 1630 square kilometers. The largest in the archipelago is called the island of Guadeloupe. Smaller ones are Basse-Terre, Grand-Terre, La Desirade and others.
In the center, the island groups are separated by the S alt River. On the map of Guadeloupeit is practically invisible, it is crossed by several bridges, allowing you to easily move from one part of the archipelago to another. The administrative center of the region is Basse-Terre, but the largest city is Pointe-a-Pitre.
General information
The location of Guadeloupe is more known to the inhabitants of Latin America: their continent is located closer to the islands than Eurasia. The shores of the islands are washed by the Caribbean Sea and, on the opposite side, by the Atlantic Ocean. The population is approximately 400 thousand people. Most of the inhabitants are blacks or mulattoes. There are also white people, Chinese, Arabs, but in general they are no more than 10 percent of the total. In terms of religion, Catholicism is more common.
French authorities have the power to appoint the prefect of Guadeloupe. A separate elected body, the General Council, also participates in making important decisions for the region. The climate in these parts is maritime tropical, in summer and autumn there are frequent rains and in general it is very humid. The air temperature practically does not fall below 17 degrees Celsius, even in winter. Hurricanes are not uncommon for these places. It is also worth noting that the level of humidity depends on the specific location. On the Grand Tour, for example, places are drier than the western territories of the archipelago.
Guadeloupe Time
The time zone adopted in the region is the same as in Bolivia and Venezuela. It is called Atlantic time, denoted as UTC-4. Therefore, in France, the day comes 5 hours earlier. This time zoneused in the territory all year round and does not change depending on whether it is winter or summer.
The island of Guadeloupe on the map looks like a butterfly, in its eastern part there is a pronounced elongated cape. There are not many rivers in these parts, but in some places you can see waterfalls. Some of the islands are of volcanic origin. The relief here is quite hilly, there are mountains, significant elevation changes.
Flora and fauna
Because of the insular position and remoteness from the mainland of French-owned Guadeloupe, the vegetation and wildlife here are not very diverse. Tropical trees and ferns are common. Of the birds, you can find a unique species that is not found anywhere else - the Guadalupe melanerpes, which belongs to the order of woodpeckers. Animal of small size, feeds mainly on termites.
In the 19th century, rats began to breed on the islands, which destroyed the sugar cane in the fields. In order to exterminate rodents, mongooses were brought to the overseas department of France. Now their numbers in the territories have also increased greatly. As for other animal species, you can also see rabbits, iguanas. Some areas have a particularly high bird population.
The island territories, like other similar ones in the world, are rich in fish and other inhabitants of the seas: mollusks, crustaceans.
Attractions
Tourists often come to see the capital of Guadeloupe Basse-Terre, as the area is famous for its interesting landscapes, amazing nature with waterfalls, rivers and tropical forests.
Nearby is the national park of the region, a great area for walking. There are other places to visit as well. Knowing where Guadeloupe, its main island, is located, you can easily find the island of Marie-Galante, located a little in the distance. It is a quiet place with gorgeous beaches, wildlife, and this is where the locals produce the best rum in the region.
From the local cuisine, you should definitely try dishes from turtles, crabs or sea urchins. The amazing cuisine is famous for unusual combinations of products. Traditional dishes contain features of French, Mexican and some others. In addition to seafood, guests of the archipelago should try fresh fruits, which are in abundance here.
Events
From the beginning of January and for several weeks, a costumed carnival is held in the region. Its main event is city parades. On some days, you can see people dressed in pajamas or in chic colorful clothes on the streets. Music plays everywhere, it is customary to have fun and sing. Those wishing to visit the winter carnival especially often wonder where Guadeloupe is and how to get there.
Russian citizens will need to apply for a visa at the French Embassy. You can get there by plane, most flights in this direction follow with transfers. You can fly to Guadeloupe from the Dominican Republic or from Saint Martin. It is also possible to get there by water transport. This can be done from the ports of the Dominican Republic or Martinique.
