Guadeloupe - (North America)

Information about Guadeloupe

This archipelago of 9 islands was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his second trip to the Americas and settled by the French, including Huguenot families, in 1635. It was annexed to France in 1674. French Huguenots were few in number by the end of the 18th century and had to go to neighboring islands, like St. Kitts or St. Thomas, to conduct Ref church life openly. The Prot community remained small in number, having, unlike the RCath Church, no governmental support. Guadeloupe was declared a “département” (district) of France in 1946; thus French law prevails. France provides over 80% of the GNP through various forms of subsidies. In 1995 unemployment was over 30% of the active population.
The first Prot to come to this Caribbean group of islands were the Moravians. Today they are the smallest of the eight Prot groups, totalling altogether 34 congr. Protestant sects have made deep inroads into the Guadeloupean population.

Churches

• Eglise Reformee des Antilles
  Reformed Church of the Antilles

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