The atlas of Guadeloupe

Louis Papy reviews the 1982 Atlas de la Guadeloupe, the Guadeloupe volume of the Atlas des départements français d’Outre-Mer collection, whose publication completed the series. He describes Guy Lasserre’s role in conceiving, securing funding for and overseeing the collection, intended to support regional planning and improve living standards. Produced with several research and university institutions, the atlas involved 38 contributors and 16 cartographic staff, using Lasserre’s thesis as a foundational reference. Papy surveys its treatment of volcanic and limestone landforms, seasonal atmospheric circulation, cyclones, vegetation and soils, praising the incorporation of recent research. Historical and demographic plates trace settlement, slavery, migration, population growth and declining fertility. A substantial part of the review examines landholding and agricultural landscapes, mapped from cadastral records and aerial photographs, alongside the changing sugar and banana industries, livestock, crop diversification, forestry and fishing. It also discusses limited industrial development, tourism, the contrasting growth of Pointe-à-Pitre and Basse-Terre, and persistent unemployment despite expansion of the service sector. Energy, transport, administrative, health, water and educational infrastructure receive attention, including uneven provision and continuing deficiencies. The final island survey covers La Désirade, Les Saintes, Saint-Barthélemy and French Saint-Martin, with observations on livelihoods, migration and tourism’s social and ecological pressures. Papy acknowledges repetition across contributions but considers it a minor drawback; he praises the atlas’s richness, cartographic quality and value as a working reference.