Désirade

Désirade is an island of the archipelago of the Guadeloupe located at the east of the Large-Ground. The inhabitants are called the Désiradiens .

Administration

Désirade is a common French, located in the department of the Guadeloupe.

The Îles of the Small Earth are attached to him.

Geography

  • Désirade is a calcareous island of lengthened form (11 km out of 2 km, approximately 20 km2) which is presented in the form of a vast plate inclined towards the North-West. The Large Mountain, which reaches 275 m of altitude, is its culminating point. The coasts, more cut out in north and the east, are often bordered of high cliffs blanchâtres. A barrier of Cayes (coral reefs) protects the area from Beauséjour, in the south-east of the island.

Environment

Little developed fringing reefs are present on the Côte southern (Bay-Mahault Handle, Anse Small River and Large Handle). The movable funds unstable and are occupied, only by places, herbaria with Thalassia testudinum , often sparse.

The relief does not support the condensation of water meteoritic. The ground is arid and the island beaten by the winds; adverse conditions with agriculture. The island is supplied out of running water since Large-Ground.
La vegetation is primarily with character Xérophile: Cactus-candles, Cactus-rackets, " head-with-the anglais" , etc But a vegetation Mésophile exists in the large sheltered gullies of the wind which notch the plate.
La fauna includes/understands especially marine birds (Frégate S, Pélican S, Phaétons), Iguane S and Agouti S, poetically called “ gilded hares ”.
les Palétuvier S almost disappeared from the island.

Demography

History

Several archeological sites testify to the Amerindian presence as of the 3rd century on the island.

Its name comes from Spanish desirada , wished, that the little story brings back to impatience sailors to find the ground after their crossing of the Atlantic. The island was indeed the first ground discovered at the time of the second voyage of Christophe Colomb, the November 2nd 1493. Spanish attended it at the 17th century.

Not very favourable, it was used as den with the corsairs.

Désirade becomes a dependancy of the Guadeloupe in 1648. Some plantations of Coton were established to with it. At the beginning of the 18th century, a leper-house is installed with Bay-Mahault , end is island. The patients suffered from difficult living conditions. It closed its doors in 1952. The Rollers , at the western end, was a place of relegation for the Large-Ground delinquents like for some noble subways.

Economy

Fishing is the main activity of Désiradiens. Tourism started to be established to with it thanks to the attractions of the Îles of the Small Earth.

Wind ensure the majority of the requirements in electricity for the islanders.

Geology

Désirade proposes various sites of an important scientific interest. Outcrops, rocks (basaltic, andesitic, calcaireuses, bio-detrital, sedimentary…) as well as the plants, allow to rebuild the history, of the formation of the Earth, the Pliocène, until nowadays. These geological sites will be soon classified and recognized by the greatest organizations.

There exists the shape of cactus characteristic of Désirade: The Head with the English one.

Famous characters

  • the family of the footballer Thierry Henry lives with Désirade.

Tourist monuments and places

  • the natural reserve of Small Ground
  • ruins of the leper-house and the old cotonnery
  • the headlight of the point Doubled
  • the marine cemetery of Beauséjour
  • Several panoramas around the island
  • beaches of Large-Handle, of the Blower and Bay-Mahault
  • the Sainte-Marie vault and the way of cross towards the plate
  • cliffs of the northern coast

Twinnings

See too

External bonds

Desirade-sante.com: All information concerning the crisis of Public health who struck Désirade.

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