gaw de loop', an island of the French West Indies, composed of two portions, separated by a narrow arm of the sea, called Riviere Salee. The western and larger portion is Basse-Terre, or Guadeloupe proper, 27 miles long and about 15 miles broad. It is of volcanic formation, the culminating point being La Soufriere, 5018 feet high. The eastern portion, called Grande-Terre, is nearly 30 miles long by 10 to 12 miles broad. It is generally flat and of coral formation. The climate of Guadeloupe is hot and unhealthful, with a humid atmosphere, and hurricanes are frequent and destructive. The soil is fertile and is covered with fine forests. The chief articles of cultivation are sugar, coffee, cacao, bananas and manioc. The chief towns are Basse-Terre, the capital, and Pointe-a-Pitre. After belonging at various times to the English and the French, these islands were ceded to France in 1814. Population in 1901, 182,112.