Grande-Terre

This article is about a part of Guadeloupe Island. For other uses of the toponym "Grande-Terre", see Grande Terre.

Grande-Terre

File:Guadeloupe Grande-Terre Places of interest map-fr.svg Map of places of interest in Grande-Terre, the eastern part of Guadeloupe island, a French island in the Antilles.
File:Caribbean - Grande Terre.PNG
Geography
Location	Caribbean Sea
Coordinates
Archipelago	Leeward Islands
Area
Country
France
Overseas department	Guadeloupe
Largest settlement	Abymes; Eastern part of Pointe-à-Pitre (pop. 104,964)
Demographics
Population	197,603 (as of 2006)
Density	337 /km2 (873 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Black / Mulatto 66%, White 9%, from Tamil Nadu and other parts of India 14%, Lebanese / Syrians 6%, Chinese / others 5%

Petite Terre Islands appear about 10 km (6.2 mi) to the south-east of the island of Grande-Terre. Grande-Terre was so named in contrast with these two small islands.

Grande-Terre Island (French: île de Grande-Terre or île de la Grande-Terre) is the name of the eastern-half of Guadeloupe proper, in the Lesser Antilles. It is separated from the other half of Guadeloupe island, Basse-Terre, by a narrow sea channel called Rivière Salée (in English Salt River). Pointe de la Grande Vigie, in Grande-Terre, is the northernmost point of Guadeloupe island. To the east lies La Désirade, to the south lies Marie Galante

Despite its name, Grande-Terre (literally "Large Land" in French) is smaller than Basse-Terre Island. It was called like that, in contrast with the much smaller Petite Terre Islands ("Small Land" Islands), two very small islands located about 10 km south-east of the Grande-Terre (see map to the left).

Grande-Terre's indented coastline is surrounded by coral reefs and the island itself is a limestone plateau. Its surface is a series of rolling hills, white sand beaches and cliffs. The island's beaches consist of both white and black sands, as well as beaches of golden sand. Of the two islands, Grande-Terre is home to the majority of Guadeloupe's farmlands and tourist resorts.

File:Grande terre.jpg

Grande-Terre Island (upper right) from space, September 1994. North is to the upper left in this view.

The island has a land area of 586.68 km². At the 2006 census the population of Grande-Terre was 197,603 inhabitants living in 10 communes (municipalities). The population density was 337 inhabitants per km² (872 inh. per sq. miles). The most populated communes are, in descending order of population, Les Abymes (part of the Pointe-à-Pitre urban area), Le Gosier (part of the Pointe-à-Pitre urban area), Pointe-à-Pitre (part of the Pointe-à-Pitre urban area), Le Moule, Sainte-Anne, and Morne-à-l'Eau.

File:Pointe de la Grande Vigie - Guadeloupe.jpg

Panorama of la Pointe de la Grande Vigie in the north of Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe.