Basse-Terre

Basse-Terre
/bahs tair"/; Fr. /bahs terdd"/, n.
1. a seaport in and the capital of Guadeloupe, in the French West Indies. 15,690.
2. See under Guadeloupe.

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Island (pop., 1999: 172,693) and seaport (pop., 1999: 12,410), Guadeloupe, West Indies.

It is the western part of the French department of Guadeloupe (whose eastern part is Grande-Terre). Located north of Dominica, it is about 35 mi (56 km) long. Its extremely rugged terrain culminates in the volcanic summit of Mount Soufrière, at 4,813 ft (1,467 m). The town of Basse-Terre (founded 1643; pop., 1999: metro. area, 54,076), on the southwestern coast, is the capital of Guadeloupe.

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      administrative capital of Guadeloupe (an overseas département of France), on the eastern Caribbean (Caribbean Sea) island of Basse-Terre. The town, dating from 1643, is situated on the southwestern coast of the island between the sea and the 4,813-foot (1,467-metre) peak of Soufrière and is some 4 miles (6 km) from the island's southern tip. There is a deepwater anchorage but no harbour. Basse-Terre was Guadeloupe's commercial hub until the late 18th century, when it was eclipsed by the town of Pointe-à-Pitre on adjoining Grande-Terre island. The port of the town was destroyed by hurricanes in 1979, which was a serious blow to the efforts to expand and modernize the economy. The island's banana crop was severely damaged by drought in 1994 and by another hurricane in 1995. Pop. (2003) commune, 12,900; urban agglom., 54,076.

      island in the eastern Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Along with Grande-Terre, its twin to the east, the islands constitute the core of the French overseas département of Guadeloupe. The two islands are separated by a narrow channel called the Salée River. The island is the site of Guadeloupe's administrative capital, the town of Basse-Terre, on the southwest coast. Basse-Terre is mountainous and volcanic, although the east coast is somewhat flatter than the rest of the island. It receives more precipitation than Grande-Terre, and vegetation is lush. A tropical forest covering about 66 square miles (170 square km) was designated a French national park, the National Park of Guadeloupe, in 1989. The active volcano Soufrière is located within the park, in the island's southern interior. Area 325 square miles (842 square km). Pop. (1999) 172,693.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Basse Terre — is French for low ground . It may refer to:* Basseterre, the capital of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. * Basse Terre, the capital city of Guadeloupe, an overseas région and département of France, located in the Lesser …   Wikipedia

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  • Basse-Terre —   [bas tɛːr], Hauptstadt des französischen Übersee Départements Guadeloupe in der Karibik, am Fuß des Vulkans Soufrière (wegen drohender Ausbrüche wurde die Stadt zuletzt 1976 evakuiert), 14 000 Einwohner; Bischofssitz; botanischer Garten;  … …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Basse Terre — (spr. Bahs Tähr), 1) Bezirk u. Hauptstadt auf der SWKüste der französischen Kleinen Antilleninsel Guadeloupe (s.d.), Sitz des Gouverneurs u. des Gerichtshofs, mit Fort u. Hafen; 12,500 Ew.; darunter viele Sklaven; 2) (St. Kitts), Hauptstadt auf… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Basse-Terre — (spr. baß tähr), befestigte Hauptstadt der brit. westind. Insel Saint Christopher, (1901) 9962 E. – B., befestigte Hauptstadt der franz. westind. Insel Guadeloupe, (1901) 7838 E.; schlechter Hafen …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Basse-Terre — (frz. Baß tärr), Hauptstadt auf der franz. Antille St. Christoph, 7000 E., Hafen, Salzteiche …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Basse-Terre — [bäs ter′] 1. W island of the two major islands of Guadeloupe, West Indies: 327 sq mi (847 sq km) 2. seaport on this island: capital of Guadeloupe: pop. 14,000 …   English World dictionary

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