Saint Barthélemy

For other uses, see Saint Barthélemy (disambiguation).

Gustavia Harbour, 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-Barthélemy is a French commune (commune de Saint-Barthélemy) 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 Saint-Barthélemy currently remains part of the région and département of Guadeloupe.

At the 1999 census, the population of Saint-Barthélemy was 6,852 inhabitants, with a a population density of 326 inh. per km² in 1999. Unlike most Caribbean islands, its population is nearly all white.

Many of the full time residents are French citizens who work at the various establishments on the island. French is the primary language spoken, but many locals also speak English, particularly at the hotels and restaurants.

St. Barts has long been considered a playground of the rich and famous and is known for its beautiful pristine beaches, gourmet dining in chic bistros and high-end designer shopping. St. Barts has about 25 hotels, most of then with 15 rooms or fewer, and the largest, the Guanahani has just 70 rooms. Hotels are classified in the traditional French manner 3 Star, 4 Star and 4 Star Luxe.

In green (with red legend) are the constituent parts of the Guadeloupe region/department among the Leeward Islands, including Saint-Barthélemy.

Villa vacations are extremely popular and there are hundreds of villas terraced into the hillsides throughout the island as well has many beachfront locations. Villas here by definition can range from one-bedroom bunglalows to large luxurious homes. St. Barth Properties [1] and Wimco[2] are the two main villa rental agencies on the island.

Singer Jimmy Buffett is a frequent visitor on the island, and owns a house there. He also owned a hotel, the Autor de Rocher, before it burned down.

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. The Swedish period left its mark in the names of many of the streets and the town (in honour of King Gustav III) and leaving its national arms, the three crowns, in the island's coat of arms.

Geography

NASA NLT Landsat 7 (visible color) satellite image.

Located approximately 150 miles east of Puerto Rico, Saint-Barthélemy 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.

Beaches

Of the 20 beaches on the small island, several are considered especially inviting. On the southern side of the island, Saline and Gouvernor beaches are pristine beaches with no development upon them. On the western edge of the island is Colombier beach, which is only reachable by boat or a hike. St. Jean and Flammands beaches are also popular and attractive beaches which have hotels and other establishments on them. Shell Beach is popular for families with kids as it has little surf, and lots of tide pools.

Transportation

Saint Barts has a small airport (IATA identifier SBH) that is served by small regional commercial aircraft and charters. Most visiting aircraft carry fewer than twenty passengers, such as the Twin Otter, a common sight around Saint Barths and throughout the northern West Indies. The short airstrip is at the base of a steep hill ending directly on the beach. The arrival descent is extremely steep over the hilltop traffic circle and departing planes fly right over the heads of sunbathers (although small signs advise sunbathers not to lie directly at the end of the runway). The nearest commercial jet airport is on the neighboring island of Saint Martin. There are also charters to Saint Barts from San Juan, Puerto Rico available through Tradewind Aviation.

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

Sports

Saint-Barthélemy has its own bobsled team. To date the team has not achieved competitive success. The island also competes in carotchie.

See also

• European colonization of the Americas
• Possessions of Sweden
• Swedish slave trade

External links

• The Insiders' Guide to St. Barthélemy
• Saint Barths Online
• Official Flag
• Radio St Barth
• Map of St Barth
• Sailing Guide for St Barth
• Saint Barts premier talk forum
• [3] Activities and attractions
• If you can tip $17,000, this is the island for you - A satirical travel column by Dave Barry
• Maison Noureev The house of legendary ballet dancer Rudolph Noureev