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.