Gros Islet

Gros Islet
Town

Gros Islet and Rodney Bay as seen from Pigeon Island

Political map of St Lucia showing position of Gros Islet
Coordinates: 14°04′52″N 60°57′11″W / 14.081°N 60.953°W / 14.081; -60.953Coordinates: 14°04′52″N 60°57′11″W / 14.081°N 60.953°W / 14.081; -60.953
Country  Saint Lucia
Quarter Gros Islet Quarter
Founded 1749?
Founded by France
Government
 • Governing body Gros Islet Town Council
Area
 • Total 101.528 km2 (39.2 sq mi)
Elevation[1] 2 m (6 ft)
Population (2005)[2]
 • Total 21,660 (Gros Islet District)
Time zone Eastern Caribbean Time Zone (ECT) (UTC-4)
Area code(s) 758

Gros Islet (English: Large Island) is a community located near the northern tip of the island country of Saint Lucia. Originally a quiet fishing village, it has gone on to become one of the more popular tourist destinations in the country.

Originally settled by the Carib (and possibly Arawak), a French map from 1717 provides the first identification of the area as Gros Islet.[3] The community has had a long history of being a Roman Catholic parish, as the first priests who arrived on the island settled in the village in 1749.[4] Gros Islet was first settled by the French from Martinique.

In 1778, as a retaliation for the declaration of war on the British by the French, the British navy captured the island of Saint Lucia from the French, and built a naval base at Gros Islet Bay in 1782 - temporarily changing the name to Fort Rodney. The island as a whole has switched hands between the British and French throughout its existence.

In modern times, the community has continued to flourish. Between 1991 and 2001 the population rose 54%;[5] the highest rise in the country. In 2001, the population was 19,409, making it the second most-populous community in Saint Lucia, up from 13,505 in the 1991 census and 10,164 in the 1980 edition.[5] Of this number, 9,307 were male and 10,102 were female.[5]

A nearby mangrove swamp was dredged to form Rodney Bay Marina and many hotels, resorts and villas have since appeared. However the old village of Gros Islet is still a flourishing district.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://freemeteo.com/default.asp?pid=15&gid=3576686&la=1
  2. ↑ http://www.stats.gov.lc
  3. ↑ Luntta, K: The Rough Guide to St Lucia, page 82
  4. ↑ http://www.grosisletparish.org/churchhistory.htm Gros Islet Parish history
  5. 1 2 3 2001 Population and Housing Census
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