Saint-Barthélemy

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Gustavia Harbor, St. Barth

Saint-Barthélemy is a French island located in the Caribbean at [17°54′N 62°50′W], among the Leeward Islands. Its land area is 21.0 km² (8.1 sq. miles). Administratively, the whole island of Saint-Barthélémy is a French commune (commune de Saint-Barthélémy) part of Guadeloupe, which is an overseas région and overseas département of France, and therefore part of the European Union. The island is also known as Saint Barts, Saint Barths, or Saint Barth. In 2003 the population voted in favour of secession from Guadeloupe in order to form a separate overseas collectivity of France. However, as of the end of 2005 Saint-Barthélémy is still part of the région and département of Guadeloupe. Saint Barthelemy has their very own bobsled team, however, to date the team has not achieved competitive success. They also compete in carotchie.

At the 1999 census, the population of Saint-Barthélémy was 6,852 inhabitants (up from 2,491 habitants at the 1974 census), which means a population density of 326 inh. per km² in 1999.

Contents

1 History
2 Geography
3 Transportation
4 Miscellaneous
5 See also
6 External links

History

Saint-Barthélemy was first claimed by France in 1648. It was sold to Sweden in 1785, which sold it back to France in 1878.

Geography

Located approximately 150 miles east of Puerto Rico, it lies near the islands of Saint Martin, Saba, and Anguilla.

Gustavia, which is the main town of the island, was named after King Gustav III of Sweden, and remains as a reflection of the Swedish period.

Saint Barts - NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image

Transportation

Saint Barts has a small airport (IATA identifier SBH) that is served by small regional commercial aircraft and charters. Most visiting aircraft carry less than twenty passengers, such as the Twin Otter, a common sight around Saint Barths and throughout the northern West Indies. The short airstrip is right on the beach and incoming planes fly right over the heads of sunbathers. The nearest commercial airport is on the neighboring island of Saint Martin.

Ferries to and from Saint Martin are the only other real option, unless one is arriving by private charter boats/yachts.

Small cars -- such as the Smart Car, Suzuki and Jeep -- as well as motor scooters and small motorcycles are the most common type of transportation around the island. The tendency for local drivers to zip around the island at high speeds on the narrow hillside roads can prove harrowing.

Miscellaneous

Most hotels in Saint Barts are small and exclusive, but private villas are also available.

In August of 2000, tabloid photos surfaced of Natalie Portman sunbathing topless on a deserted island off the coast of Saint-Barthélemy.

External links

Overseas French departments and territories
Département d'outre-mer>Departments : Guadeloupe¹ · French Guiana · Martinique · Réunion
These overseas departments are also overseas regions.
¹Guadeloupe currently includes Saint-Barthélemy and Saint Martin, who have voted to become separate collectivités d'outre-mer in 2003; the change will be implemented in early 2007.
Overseas community : Mayotte (collectivité départementale) · French Polynesia (pays d'outre-mer) · Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (collectivité territoriale) · Wallis and Futuna (territoire)
Each overseas community has its own status.
Special status : New Caledonia
Uninhabited lands : French Southern Territories (Amsterdam Island, Saint-Paul Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Adélie Land) · Clipperton · Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean