or Guadeloupe, one of the Leeward group of islands in the West Indies, and one of the most important colonies of France, and situated in N. Lat. 16° 20', W. Long. 62. It consists properly of two islands separated from each other by a narrow channel, about 5 miles in length, by from 30 to 100 yards wide, and with depth sufficient for vessels of 60 tons. This channel, called La Riviere Salce, or Salt River, runs nearly N. and S., and has a large bay at each end, that on the N. being called the Grand Cul-de-Sac, that on the S. the Petit Cul-de-Sac. The western or larger island, called Guadaloupe proper, or Base Terre, is 27 miles in length, by 15 in breadth; the eastern, or Grande Terre is nearly 30 miles long, by from 10 to 12 broad. Guadaloupe proper is of volcanic formation, and is traversed from N. to S. by a ridge of hills having a medium height of 2296 feet. Its principal peaks are La Soufriere, an active volcano 5108 feet high, and Grosse-Montagne, Deux-Mamelles, and Piton de Bouillante, extinct volcanoes. It is copiously watered by numerous small streams, two of which, the Goyare and the Lizardo, are navigable for small craft. The soil is fertile, and the surface is agreeably diversified by hill and dale, wood and garden. The products, natural and cultivated, are those of the West Indies generally. The principal town, Base Terre, stands on the S.W. coast. It is the residence of the governor, and has some fine public buildings, fountains, and gardens, and about 6000 inhabitants. Grande Terre, unlike Guadaloupe proper, is marshy, sterile, and flat, nowhere rising more than 115 feet above the sea. Its chief town, St Louis or Point à Pitre, the former capital of the island, is at the S. entrance to the Salt River, and has an excellent harbour. It formerly contained about 15,000 inhabitants, but was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake on 8th February 1843, on which occasion 4000 of its inhabitants perished. The climate is humid, and hurricanes and earthquakes are frequent. The rainy season lasts from the middle of July to the middle of October. The chief exports are sugar, molasses, rum, cotton, coffee, dye-woods, and copper. The sugar crop amounts to about 60,000 hogsheads annually. A considerable quantity of fish is taken in the neighbouring seas. The government consists of a governor, with a privy council of six, and a colonial council of thirty members. The government of Guadaloupe comprises, besides that island, those of Marie-Galante, Desirade, Les Saintes, and the northern portion of St Martin. Marie-Galante lies 14 miles S.S.E. of Guadaloupe, and is about 12 miles in length, by 8 in breadth. It is traversed from N. to S. by a range of hills running parallel to the E. coast, where it presents a front of high and precipitous rocks. The W. and N. sides of the island are level; and parallel with the former is a narrow lagoon, 7 or 8 miles in length, separated from the sea by a low narrow tract of land. The island abounds in woods, particularly the wild cinnamon tree. Its principal town, Grandbourg or Base Terre, stands near the S.W. point. Desirade, or Desendu, lies about 4 miles E. from the S.E. extremity of Grande Terre, and is about 8 miles long by 3 wide. It rises from the sea with a steep ascent, and then extends in a table-land, which consists of limestone rocks, in which many caverns occur, but it is without water. The soil in some places is of a deep black mould, and fertile; in others it is sandy and unproductive. The only anchorage is at the Anse-Galet, on the E. side of the island. Les Saintes are a group of rocky islets 6 or 7 miles S. of Guadaloupe, and consist of lofty and steep peaks, some of which are united by flat ground and ridges of inferior elevation. The two largest are called Terre d'en Haut and Terre d'en Bas. St Martin is a small island immediately S. of the British island of Anguilla, in N. Lat. 18° 5', and W. Long. 63° 6'. Its form is nearly that of an equilateral triangle, each side being about 7 miles in length, and comprising an area of about 33 square miles. It is deeply indented with bays and lagoons, some of which afford good anchorage. The surface is generally hilly, the highest point being 1361 feet above the sea. It was colonized by the French and Dutch in 1638, but these were expelled by the Spaniards, who themselves abandoned the island in 1750, and the original settlers resumed possession. The southern portion of the island belonged to the Dutch. Guadaloupe was discovered by Columbus in 1493. In 1635 the French established a settlement upon the island, and retained possession of it till 1759, when it was taken by the English. It was subsequently, on several occasions, taken and retaken by these nations, and was finally ceded to France in 1814. Pop. (1854) 132,810. Slavery was abolished here by a decree of the French Republic in 1848, at which time about 100,000 persons were emancipated.