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Ee Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/13 : CIA- RDPO8C01297R000300260001 -2 Lary 
8 September 1948 
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THE FOREIGN SERVICE 
of the 
_ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
American Consulate, Martinique, July 13, 1948. 
No. 8 
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Reference: 
Dept's Instruction, May 26, 1948 Sei reete letter No. IT-1010- 
' 
 YGP from OIT dated May 7, 1948 
. Subject: 
GUADELOUPE, FRENCH WEST INDIES 
Prepared by: 
Frederick D. Hunt 
American Consul 
Guadeloupeis an island of the lesser Antilles between the Windward Group 
and the Leeward Group. 
It is located between the 15,80 and 16,40 degrees north 
latitude and 61.00 to 61.50 longitude west. 
The Atlantic Ocean is on @BQ east 
or windward side wate the Caribbean Sea is on the. hecwerd side. 
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Guadeloupe is “aebaay composed of two islands known as Basse—Terre on the 
West and Grande-Terre on the east. 
The former is rugged and mountainous while 
the latter is low rolling country. 
The two islands touch each other, being 
separated only by a strip of water about 150 feet wide which is called the 
Riviere Saleé or Salty River. 
Where the two islands meet forms a-bay on the 
- southern side and here is located Pointe-a—Pitre, the principal/port and economic 
city. 
The political capital is located at Basse-Terre, which is on the west 
side of the island by that name and is forty-two miles distant from Pointe-a~ 
Pitre, by road. 
Grande-Terre has an area of about 400 square miles and a population around 
174,000 persons. 
Basse-Terre has an area of about 650; tiles but a population of . 
only 88,500. 
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There are five small islands which are political dependencies’ 
of Guadeloupe.~__~ 
Three of them are very close, but two are much further to the north and form 
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what is actually part of the Virgin Islands Group. 
The three close by are: 
Marie Galante on the south with an area of 100 square miles and 30,000 inhabi- 
tants; Les Saintes, a small group of rocky islands, also to the eouenH composing 
about 9 square miles and having about 2,000 inhabitants; and Desirade, a small 
_ island off the east coast of Grandeterre, having 18 square miles area and 
about 1,750 inhabitants. 
In the north, at about 18 degrees latitude, are St. 
Barthelemy with 16 square miles and 2, 500 population and: just west of that 
island is St. Martin which is half Dutch and half French. 
The northwest side which is French. has an area of about 30 square miles 
and a population of about 7,000. 
The climate is warm and humid but is tempered by the prevailing trade winds 
which come from the southeast most of the year. 
The hottest months are September 
and October when these winds are very weak. 
The temperature ranges from 73 to 
90 degrees in the lowlands. 
Humidity ranges from 60 to 90 degrees and average 
rainfall is about 81 inches. 
The climate might be compared with New York City 
or Washington in July and August except that there is much more relief from the 
heat at night. 
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The Government ¢ Guadeloupe and its dependancies 
is as a 
‘Depa rtment 
of France. 
The Civil head is a Prefect sppointed by 
the Minister 
of Interior, 
assisted by a Secretary Geheral, 
and 
a Sub-Prefect. 
This Government has existed since the assimilation 
became effective on January 1, 1948 but hes not proven very 
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/13 : CIA-RDP08C01297R000300260001-2 
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/13 : CIA-RDP08C01297R000300260001-2 
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The whole 
island is divided into 34 @ommunes, 
each 
under. 
an selected Mayor anc council which performs municipal 
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Government. 
Hach Commune sends 
e member to the Legislative 
Council which had considerable power under the colonifal 
regime but now it is restricted merely to discussion and 
te approval of the budget for local expenditures @& locally 
reised funds. 
The Island sends three deputies and one 
Senator 
to the Parliament 
in Paris. 
The three principal 
“cities are Pointe-a-Fitre, with about 40,000 inhabitants, 
Le Moule with about 17,000 and Basse-Terre with 14,500. 
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/09/13 
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CIA- 
300260001-2 
wumenmm Olciassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/13 
: CIA-RDP08C01297R0003 
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