Gros Islet (English: ''Large Island'') is a community near the northern tip of the

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An isla ...

country of

Saint Lucia Saint Lucia ( acf, Sent Lisi, french: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs, two Ameri ...

, in the Gros Islet Quarter. Originally a quiet fishing village, it has become one of the more popular tourist destinations in the country.

History

Originally settled by the Carib (and possibly

Arawak The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. Specifically, the term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to the Lokono of South America and the Taíno, who historically lived in the Greate ...

), the area was first identified as Gros Islet in a

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

map from 1717. The community was a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

, and the first

priests A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

who arrived on the island settled in the village in 1749. In 1778, the Anglo-French War broke out between

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It ...

. As part of the conflict, the British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

captured the island of Saint Lucia and built a naval base at Gros Islet Bay in 1782, temporarily changing the name to Fort Rodney. The island has changed hands between the British and French throughout its existence. Between 1991 and 2001, the population rose 54%; the biggest increase in the country. In 2001, the population of Gros Islet was 19,409, making it the second-most populous community in Saint Lucia, up from 13,505 in the 1991 census and 10,164 in the 1980 census. Of that number, 9,307 were male and 10,102 were female. A nearby

mangrove swamp Mangrove forests, also called mangrove swamps, mangrove thickets or mangals, are productive wetlands that occur in coastal intertidal zones. Mangrove forests grow mainly at tropical and subtropical latitudes because mangroves cannot withstand fre ...

was dredged to form

Rodney Bay Rodney Bay is a town and bay located in the Gros Islet District on the island of Saint Lucia. Gros Islet is one of the ten districts in the island. It can be found on the northwestern coast of the island above the Castries District, where the ...

Marina, and many hotels, resorts, and villas have since been built. However, the old village of Gros Islet is still a flourishing district. In September 2011, the parliamentary representative for the area, the Honourable

Lenard Montoute Peter Lenard "Spider" Montoute (born 30 June 1962) is a Saint Lucian politician and former Minister and parliamentary representative for Gros Islet for the United Workers Party (UWP). Montoute lost his seat in the 2021 Saint Lucian general electi ...

, advised that the constituency might become St. Lucia's second city, if the expansion plans for the area progress in accordance with its development blueprint.

References

External links

* *http://www.grosislet.communitysaintlucia.com/
Gros Islet St Lucia Real Estate
{{Authority control 1749 establishments in the French colonial empire Populated coastal places in Saint Lucia Towns in Saint Lucia

History

See also

References

External links