Saint Barthélemy

The island was named by Christopher Columbus in honour of Bartholomew the Apostle in 1493; it was also a way of honouring his younger brother Bartholomew Columbus. == History ==

Early period Before European contact the island was possibly frequented by Eastern Caribbean Taíno and Arawak people, who called the island 'Ouanalao', though it is believed that the island was not inhabited permanently due to its lack of fresh water sources and poor soil. Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter the island in 1493. Led by Jacques Gentes, the new arrivals began cultivating cacao. In 1656, the settlement was attacked by Caribs and briefly abandoned. De Poincy was the dominant administrator in this period and a member of the Order of Saint John. He facilitated the transfer of ownership from the Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique to the Order. He continued to rule the island until he died in 1660. Five years later, it was bought by the French West India Company along with the Order's other possessions in the Caribbean. 19th century In March 1801, British forces occupied the island as part of the French Revolutionary Wars. The Swedish put up no resistance due to being heavily outnumbered and agreed to surrender after assembling a council of war. Slavery was practised in St. Barthélemy under the Ordinance concerning the Police of Slaves and free Coloured People of 1787. The last legally owned slaves in the Swedish colony of St. Barthélemy were granted their freedom by the state in October 1847. Since the island was not a plantation area, the freed slaves suffered economic hardships due to lack of opportunities for employment and many left to more prosperous islands, and few people of African descent remain on the island. The economy suffered, and Sweden sought to divest themselves of the island. Following a referendum in 1877, Sweden sold the island back to France in 1878, Swedish media supported the sale of the island to France, characterizing the island's poverty as a source of national humiliation for Sweden. 20th century On 19 March 1946, the people of the island became French citizens with full rights. 21st century Saint Barthélemy was for many years a French commune, forming part of Guadeloupe, which is an overseas region and department of France. Through a referendum in 2003, island residents sought separation from the administrative jurisdiction of Guadeloupe. The island became a separate collectivity in February 2007. The island of Saint Barthélemy became an Overseas Collectivity (COM). Saint Barthélemy ceased being an outermost region and left the EU, to become an OCT, (Overseas Country or Territory) in January 2012. The island sustained damage from Hurricane Irma in September 2017 but recovered quickly, and by early 2018 transport and electricity were largely operational. == Geography ==

and St Kitts Approximately east of Puerto Rico and the nearer Virgin Islands, St. Barthélemy lies immediately southeast of the islands of Saint Martin and Anguilla. St. Barthélemy is separated from Saint Martin by the Saint-Barthélemy Channel. It lies northeast of Saba and St Eustatius, and north of St Kitts. Marine areas St. Barthélemy forms, with St. Martin, Anguilla, and Dog Island, a distinct group that lies upon the western edge of a flat bank of soundings composed chiefly of shells, sand, and coral. From St. Barthélemy, the bank extends east-southeast, ending in a small tongue or spit. It is separated from the main bank by a narrow length of deep water. East of the island, the edge of the bank lies away. As the sea surrounding the St. Barthélemy is rich in coral reefs and other precious marine life, the area has been declared a protected area since 1996. Environmental awareness is quite pronounced in St. Barthélemy and is promoted by the Environmental Commission. and Anse du Grand Cul-de-Sac. Interior areas Morne de Vitet, in height, is the highest peak on the island. Hills and valleys of varying topography cover the rest of the island. Notable are Morne Rouge, Morne Criquet, Morne de Grand Fond, Morne de Dépoudré and Morne Lurin. The largest bodies of water on the island are Étang de Saint-Jean, Grande Saline, Grand Étang, and Petit Étang. Populated areas The population is spread among 40 quartiers, roughly corresponding to settlements. They are grouped into two paroisses (parishes): Climate The island covers an area of . The eastern side is wetter than the western. The climate is essentially arid. Rainfall averages annually, but with considerable variation over the terrain. Summer is from May to November, which is also the rainy season. Winter from December to April is the dry season. Sunshine is very prominent for nearly the entire year and even during the rainy season. Humidity is not very high, due to the winds. The average temperature is around with day temperatures rising to . The average high and low temperatures in January are and , respectively. In July, they are and . The lowest night temperature recorded is . The Caribbean sea waters in the vicinity generally maintain a temperature of about . == Demographics ==

In 2023, Saint-Barthélemy had a population of 10,660. French is the native tongue of the population. English is understood in most hotels and restaurants. A small population of Anglophones have been resident in Gustavia for many years. The St. Barthélemy French patois is spoken by some 500–700 people in the leeward portion of the island and is superficially related to Quebec French. Créole French is limited to the windward side. Unlike other populations in the Caribbean, language preference between the Créole and Patois is geographically, and not racially, determined. Swedish is not commonly spoken in Saint Barthélemy, despite the Swedish colonial rule. Historical population Structure of the population Religion The majority of the population of Saint Barthélemy are Christian. Saint Barthélemy is considered the most religiously homogeneous territory in the French West Indies, with particular importance given to the Catholic Church. There are two main Catholic churches, both dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption or Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption (the one in Lorient and the one in Gustavia) and a chapel of St. Catherine of Siena (Chapelle de Sainte Catherine de Sienne) in Colombier. Saint Barthélemy is also part of the Diocese of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba (''diocèse de la Caraïbe du Nord-Est et d'Aruba), which is under the Church of England (Church in the Province of the West Indies) that serves a small minority on the island. It is centered in the Anglican Church of Saint Bartholomew (Église anglicane de Saint-Barthélemy''), built between 1853 and 1855. The small Pentecostal Christian community does not have a church building of its own and therefore offers religious services at St Barth's Beach Hotel. The main religious holidays are Christmas, the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15 August), All Saints' Day (1 November) and the feast of St. Bartholomew (patron saint of the island) on 24 August. == Politics and government ==

Until 2007 the whole island of St. Barthélemy was a French commune (commune de Saint-Barthélemy), forming part of Guadeloupe which is an overseas région and overseas département of France. In 2003, the population voted through a referendum in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate overseas collectivity (''collectivité d'outre-mer, or COM'') of France. On 7 February 2007, the French Parliament passed a bill granting COM status to both St. Barthélemy and (separately) to the neighbouring Saint Martin. The new status took effect on 15 July 2007, when the first territorial council was elected, according to the law. The island has a president (elected every five years), a unicameral Territorial Council of nineteen members who are elected by popular vote and serve for five-year terms, and an executive council of seven members. Elections to these councils were first held on 1 July 2007 with the most recent election in 2022. One senator represents the island in the Senate, while a deputy jointly elected with Saint Martin represents it in the National Assembly. St. Barthélemy became an overseas territory of the European Union on 1 January 2012, but the island's inhabitants remain French citizens with EU status holding EU passports. France is responsible for the defence of the island and as such has stationed a security force on the island comprising six policemen and thirteen gendarmes (posted on a two-year term). The French State is represented by a prefect appointed by the president on the advice of the minister of the interior. As a collectivity of France, the island's national anthem is La Marseillaise, though ''L'Hymne a St. Barthélemy'' is also used unofficially. == Economy ==

s and yachts in St. Barts The economy of the island is based on tourism and duty-free retail. The official currency of St. Barthélemy is the euro. In that same year the nominal GDP per capita of Saint Barthelemy was 38,994 euros (US$51,735 at 2014 exchanges rates; US$43,626 at Feb. 2022 exchange rates), as well as 85% higher than Guadeloupe and 19% higher than metropolitan France's GDP per capita in 2014. Tourism International investment and the wealth generated by tourists explain the high standard of living on the island. Corossol is noted for its handicrafts; weaving hats and bags from palm fronds is a low-income economic activity of the Indigenous people. == Wildlife ==

Flora As the terrain is generally arid. The hills have mostly poor soil and support only cacti and succulent plants. During the rainy season, the area turns green with vegetation and grass. The eastern part of the island is greener, with more rainfall. A 1994 survey revealed several hundred indigenous species of plants, including the naturalized varieties of flora. Some grow in irrigated areas, while the dry areas are dominated by cacti. that covers , and is divided into five zones all around the island to form a network of protected areas. The Reserve includes the bays of Grand Cul de Sac, Colombier, Marigot, Petit Cul de Sac, and Petite Anse and waters around offshore rocks such as Les Gross Islets, Pain de Sucre, Tortue, and Forchue. The Reserve is designed to protect the islands' coral reefs, seagrass, and endangered marine species, including sea turtles. The Reserve has two levels of protection. The yellow zones of protection are where certain non-extractive activities, like snorkeling and boating, are allowed. The red zones of high protection are where most activities, including SCUBA, are restricted to protect or recover marine life. Anchoring is prohibited in the Reserve. Mooring buoys are in place in some of the protected bays like Colombier. == Landmarks and architecture ==

As well as Gustavia, the capital of St. Barthélemy, there are many notable places and monuments on the island which testify to the island's colonial history under the Spanish, Swedish, British, and French, and now a French territory. the town's architectural buildings were destroyed. Subsequently, new structures were built in the town around the harbour area. The oldest colonial structure in the town is stated to be the bell tower, now without a bell, built in 1799, as part of a now destroyed church, in the southeast end of the town on Rue Du Presbytere. Now, a large clock is installed in place of the bell. This church has a bell tower which is separated from the main church, and which rings loud and clear. Gustavia Lighthouse The white tower of the Gustavia Lighthouse was built in 1961. Situated on the crest of a hill north of the town, its focal plane is above the level of the sea. It flashes every 12 seconds, white, green, or red, depending on direction. The round conical tower has a single red band at the top. Forts Among the notable structures in the town are the three forts built by the Swedes for defense purposes. One of these forts, known as Fort Oscar (formerly Gustav Adolph), which overlooks the sea is located on the far side of La Pointe. The ruins have been replaced by a modern military building, which houses the local gendarmerie. == Education==

The island's public preschools and primary schools, under the authority of the , are • École primaire Gustavia • École maternelle Gustavia Private primary schools: • École primaire privée Saint Joseph • École primaire privée Sainte Marie == Culture ==

Festivals and holidays Some of the festivals held each year in St. Barthélemy are: • The St. Barts Music Festival is held every January, usually during the 2nd and 3rd weeks. • A French Carnival in February or March held for two weeks before Ash Wednesday and concluding with Ash Wednesday; on Ash Wednesday a black and white parade held at Shell Beach is the occasion of a notional burning of the image of Vaval, the Carnival King. • St. Barth Film Festival, held annually at the end of April, was established in 1996, and hosts Caribbean films for five days. • Armistice Day on 8 May. • Abolition of Slavery Day on 27 May and 9 October. • Bastille Day on 14 July. • Victor Schoelcher Day on 21 July, honouring Schoelcher, a French parliamentarian, for his noble humanitarian act of abolishing slavery in French territory on 27 April 1848. • Assumption Day on 15 August. • Fête de Saint Barthélemy, the feast day of Saint Barthélemy on 24 August, in honour of the island's patron saint. Church bells are rung, boats are blessed and a regatta is held, followed by fireworks and a public ball. • Festival of Gustavia held in August, an occasion of dragnet fishing and partying. • All Saints Day on 1 November • Remembrance Day (Armistice Day). • Christmas Day on 25 December and New Year's Eve on 31 December. The national holidays observed are the Bastille Day and St. Barthélemy Day (day of adoption of French Constitution). All Souls Day is observed on 2 November, and it is a public holiday. is a major international performing arts event held every year. Cinema Film director Dylan Verrechia is originally from St. Barthélemy. Cuisine French cuisine, West Indian cuisine, Creole cuisine, Italian cuisine and Asian cuisine are common in St. Barthélemy. The island has over 70 restaurants serving many dishes and others are a significant number of gourmet restaurants; many of the finest restaurants are located in the hotels. In the early 1990s, the island had two cooking schools: the Saint Barts Cooking School which emphasizes classical French cuisine, and Cooking in Paradise, which emphasizes creole cuisine. Fashion A traditional costume, seen only among older women, consists of starched white bonnets called kichnottes. Legend A popular legend related to St. Barthélemy is of a seafarer hooligan looking to loot Spanish ships. French pirate Daniel Montbars, who was given the epithet "Montbars the Exterminator", took shelter in St. Barthélemy during his pirate operations and hid the loot in the sandy coves at Anse du Gouverneur. == Sports ==

at Baie de Saint-Jean Rugby is a popular sport on the island. One of the major teams on the island is "Les Barracudas", named after the ferocious fish of the Caribbean. They often play teams from Anguilla and other surrounding islands. Gustavia is known as a haven for yachting, with many events being held there each year. These include the St Barths Bucket Regatta, the Saint Barth's Cup and Les Voiles de St. Barth in April, and the International Regatta in May. Deep sea fishing is undertaken from the waterfront of Lorient, Flamands, and Corossol to fish for tuna, marlin, bonito, barracuda and wahoo. == Transport ==

Aeroport Saint Barthélemy Remy de Haenen (Gustaf III Airport) is small with a runway length of . Airport codes: SBH (IATA), TFFJ (ICAO). The airport is served by regional commercial aircraft and charters of up to 19 passengers, as well as helicopters. In 2022 the airport recorded 218,984 passengers and 44,521 aircraft movements. A traffic peak of 280 aircraft movements per day was recorded on 2 January 2022, and 323 aircraft on 2 January 2023; 58% of the passengers for destination St. Barth arrive on international commercial airlines and large private jets mainly via the neighboring island Sint Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport, while 15% arrive via San Juan, Puerto Rico, and 13% via Guadeloupe. St. Barth has its own airline, St. Barth Commuter, which in addition to the scheduled and charter flight services, provides medical transport services. St. Barth Executive is a local aircraft charter operator. Many inter-island ferry services operate regularly between St. Martin and St. Barts. == Media ==

A weekly journal entitled Journal de St. Barth is published in French. Its English-language abridged version, St Barth Weekly, is published only during the winter. Reflecting the island's popularity with the rich, the high-fashion magazine ''L'Officiel'' publishes a seasonal local edition. == Health facilities ==

The island has a small hospital, the Hôpital de Bruyn, in Gustavia with an adjacent diagnostic laboratory. There is also at least one private diagnostic facility. Specialists in cardiology, general medicine, ear-nose-and-throat medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, and rheumatology are also available, as well as dentists. Many pharmacies dispense medicines. For more advanced facilities, patients go to Guadeloupe, the United States, San Juan or France. == Notable people ==

• Eugénie Blanchard was the world's oldest living person (114 years, 261 days) at the time of her death on 4 November 2010. She was born on St. Barthélemy and spent most of her life on Curaçao and St. Barthélemy as a Catholic nun. • The French musician and actor Johnny Hallyday (1943–2017) chose to be buried on St. Barthélemy in the Église de Lorient parish cemetery. • French politician Bettina Cointre is from St. Barthélemy. == See also ==