Geography
La Grande Soufrière, the tallest mountain in the Lesser Antilles, is located on the island. It rises to 1,467 m (4,813 ft) high. It is an active volcano. The surrounding area of Basse-Terre has a rough volcanic relief fertile land. The surrounding areas of Basse-Terre consists of forest, grassland and sugar, coffee, banana and cocoa plantations. The island has a land area of 847.82 km² (327.35 sq mi).
The eastern coast of Basse-Terre Island, known as the Windward Coast (in French: Côte-au-vent), is exposed to the trade winds and receives a lot of rain, whereas the western coast of the island, known as the Leeward Coast (in French Côte-sous-le-vent) is protected from the winds by the Soufrière volcano and is thus much drier.
Read more about this topic: Basse-Terre Island
Famous quotes containing the word geography:
“The California fever is not likely to take us off.... There is neither romance nor glory in digging for gold after the manner of the pictures in the geography of diamond washing in Brazil.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“At present cats have more purchasing power and influence than the poor of this planet. Accidents of geography and colonial history should no longer determine who gets the fish.”
—Derek Wall (b. 1965)
“Yet America is a poem in our eyes; its ample geography dazzles the imagination, and it will not wait long for metres.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)