Saint Barthélemy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Collectivity of Saint Barthélemy
Collectivité de Saint-Barthélemy
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.svg) Flag
 Coat of arms
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Anthem: La Marseillaise
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Location of Saint Barthélemy (circled) in the Leeward Islands relative to France (white, top right corner).
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| Capital and largest city
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Gustavia |
| Official languages | French |
| Local languages |
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| Ethnic groups
()
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| Demonym(s) | Barthélemois(es) |
| Government | Dependent territory |
| Emmanuel Macron | |
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• Prefect
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Sylvie Daniélo-Feucher |
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• President of the Territorial Council
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Bruno Magras |
| Overseas collectivity | |
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• French colony
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1648 |
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• Exchanged with Sweden
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1 July 1784 |
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• Sold back to France
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16 March 1878 |
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• Overseas collectivity
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22 February 2007 |
| Area | |
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• Total
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22.1 km2 (8.5 sq mi) (not ranked) |
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• Water (%)
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negligible |
| Population | |
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• 2009 census
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8,902 |
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• Density
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402/km2 (1,041.2/sq mi) (26th) |
| Currency | Euro (€) (EUR) |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (AST) |
| Calling code | +590c |
| ISO 3166 code | BL |
| Internet TLD | |
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Saint-Barthélemy, also called Saint Barts, is a small island in the Caribbean. It is an overseas collectivity of France. This means it is a special part of France, even though it's far away.
The island became a separate collectivity on February 22, 2007. Before that, it was part of Guadeloupe. The people of Saint-Barthélemy voted to become independent from Guadeloupe in 2003. This new status was approved by the French Parliament in 2007.
Saint Barts is known for its beautiful beaches and fancy restaurants. Many rich and famous people visit the island. It's a popular spot for high-end shopping and gourmet food.
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Geography
Saint-Barthélemy is about 150 miles east of Puerto Rico. It is close to other islands like Saint Martin, Saba, and Anguilla.
The main town on the island is Gustavia. It was named after King Gustav III of Sweden. This name shows the island's history with Sweden.
The oldest village that is still there is Lorient. You can find Swedish grave markers in the cemeteries around the island. Lorient has a sister village in France, also called Lorient.
Amazing Beaches
Saint Barts has about 20 beaches. Many of them are very beautiful.
On the south side, Saline and Governor beaches are natural and undeveloped. Colombier beach is on the western side. You can only reach it by boat or by hiking.
Other popular beaches include St. Jean, Flammands, and Grand-Cul-de-Sac. These beaches have hotels and other places to stay. Shell Beach is great for families with kids. It has small waves and many tide pools.
The ocean tides around St. Barts are very small, only 3 to 5 inches. The beaches change depending on ocean currents. One surfing beach, Toiny, is known for its strong currents. Grand Fond is one of the few beaches where swimming is not recommended.
There are some warm water sharks in the Caribbean. So, it's best not to swim at dawn or dusk, or in cloudy water. However, scuba diving and snorkeling are popular. You can see nurse sharks, lobsters, conch, and green sea turtles.
Grand Cul-de-Sac beach is a great place to learn to sail, windsurf, or kitesurf. A reef protects the whole bay, making the water calm. Outside the reef, you might even see migrating whales and dolphins.
History of Saint Barts
France first claimed Saint-Barthélemy in 1648. Later, in 1784, France sold the island to Sweden. Sweden then sold it back to France in 1878.
The time when Sweden owned the island left its mark. Many streets and the main town, Gustavia, are named after Swedish people or places. The island's coat of arms also includes the three crowns of Sweden and a grey heron.
People of Saint Barts
In 1999, Saint-Barthélemy had 6,852 people. There were about 326 people living in each square kilometer.
Unlike many other Caribbean islands, most of the people living here are white. Many people who live on the island all the time are French citizens. They work in the hotels and businesses there.
French is the main language spoken. However, many local people also speak English. This is especially true in hotels and restaurants.
Getting Around Saint Barts
Saint Barts has a small airport. Its code is SBH. Only small planes can land there, like the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. These planes usually carry fewer than twenty passengers.
The airport's runway is very short. It is at the bottom of a steep hill and ends right at the beach. Planes arriving fly very steeply over a traffic circle on the hilltop. Departing planes fly right over the heads of people sunbathing on the beach. There are signs telling sunbathers not to lie directly at the end of the runway.
The closest airport for larger commercial jets is on the nearby island of Saint Martin.
You can also take ferries to and from Saint Martin. This is another way to get to Saint Barts. Sometimes the boat ride can be a bit rough. Many people also arrive by private boats or yachts.
Tourism and Fun
Saint Barts has about 25 hotels. Most of them are small, with 15 rooms or less. The largest hotel, the Guanahani, has 70 rooms. Hotels are rated using the French system: 3 Star, 4 Star, and 4 Star Luxe.
Renting a villa is very popular on the island. There are hundreds of villas built into the hillsides. Many also have beachfront locations. Villas can be small, one-bedroom places or large, luxurious homes.
Singer Jimmy Buffett often visits the island. He owns a house there. He also used to own a hotel called the Author de Rocher, but it burned down.
Sports
Saint-Barthélemy has its own bobsled team. So far, the team has not won any big competitions. The island also takes part in a sport called carotchie.
In 2006, the junior national French surf champion was from Lorient, a village on Saint Barts.
Images for kids
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Historical quartiers (1801)
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View of St. Barthélemy
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Map showing the location of St. Barts relative to Sint Maarten/Saint Martin and St Kitts
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View of Gustavia
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Shell Beach (Anse De Grand Galet)
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Beach at the Anse de Grande Saline
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Satellite picture of the island
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Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, Gustavia (Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Gustavia)
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Vegetation at Baie de Saint-Jean
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Gustavia Lighthouse
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Kitesurfing at Baie de Saint-Jean
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Private boat docked in St. Barts
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See also
In Spanish: San Bartolomé (Francia) para niños
