Saint-Barthélemy, << san bahr tayl MEE, >> (pop. 8,450) is a small volcanic island at the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea. It is a possession of France. It is often called St. Bart’s or St. Bart (spelled Saint-Barth in French). St.-Barthélemy has an area of 8 square miles (21 square kilometers) and is encircled by reefs and tiny islets. It has a hilly terrain and many white sand beaches. The climate is tropical, with an average annual temperature of about 80 °F (27 °C). St.-Barthélemy has few natural resources, and its economy is based on tourism. Gustavia is the island’s capital.
St.-Barthélemy is an overseas collectivity (administrative unit) of France. An official called a prefect represents the French president on the island. The island’s people have one elected representative in the French Senate and one in the French National Assembly. An elected Territorial Council provides local government on the island. The council elects a council president from among its members.
St.-Barthélemy’s people are mostly of European ancestry. Other ethnic groups include people of African descent, Creoles, and people of mixed French and East Asian ancestry. French is the official language of St.-Barthélemy. English and Creole dialects also are spoken.
The first European settlers on St.-Barthélemy were the French, in 1648. Sweden bought the island in 1784 and governed it for nearly 100 years. Under Sweden, the island prospered as a free port. In 1878, France bought the island back from Sweden. It then became part of Guadeloupe, another French island possession. A popular vote in 2003 resulted in St.-Barthélemy separating from Guadeloupe in 2007. In 2017, Hurricane Irma devastated St.-Barthélemy, killing three people and causing widespread damage.
See also Caribbean Islands ; Guadeloupe .
