Colombier is a constituent republic of Kalina Region.
| Colombier Republic | |
|---|---|
| Island of Saint Barthélemy | |
| Constituent Republic of Vekllei | |
 |
|
| Part of the Kalina Region | |
| The bakeries of Mora are known for tourment d’amour, a small coconut tart. | |
| Population | 24,759 |
| Demographics |
55% Minor island communities 30% Afro-Kalinago 15% Caribbean mixed
|
| Economy | Fisheries & shipping Food & drink, Plantations & spices |
| Produces | Boats, Fish, Shellfish, Rum, Coconuts |
| Working week | 18.8 hours |
| Specialisation | Agriculture, Land & Sea |
| Accession | 1978, as part of final Antilles accession |
| Area | 21 km² |
| Capital | Mora |
| Languages | French, Antillean Creole, English |
The Colombier Republic (also Saint Barthélemy) is a constituent republic of Vekllei in the Kalina archipelago. It is a small, hilly island of volcanic rock, characterised by a long, dry ridge that rises to 286 metres at Morne du Vitet. The majority of its 25,000 people live in the harbour town of Mora on its western coast. The republic is the most densely populated in Vekllei, at nearly a thousand people to the square kilometre.
Colombier has scarce natural resources and historically was known for its maritime commerce, particularly for its part as a neutral harbour during the Napoleonic Wars. It was settled by the French in 1648, who did little with it, since the soil was poor and was frequently targeted by Caribs raids. Louis XVI sold the island to Sweden in 1784 in exchange for trading rights at Gothenburg. The Swedes renamed the harbour Mora and declared it a free port open to the ships of any nation. While the wars in Europe lasted, Mora was among the busiest ports in the Caribbean. Peace after 1815 removed the need for a neutral harbour, and Sweden sold the island back to France following a referendum in 1877.
More than half of Colombierans descend from the French families who settled the island, and speak French at home. Another third are Afro-Kalinago, whose ancestors came to Mora as harbour labour during its years as a free port, and the rest are of mixed Caribbean descent. Like all Commonwealth republics, the language of government and business is English, but Antillean Creole is spoken across the island. Colombierans are a thrifty and commercially minded people in the tradition of their trading ancestors. Water is metered to every household and the meters are read weekly.
The capital of Mora is a historic and beautiful maritime town, known for the old stone warehouses along its waterfront and Fort Gustav above the harbour. It has benefitted tremendously from federalisation, and almost every employed person on Colombier now works for the government, either in the desalination works, the Colombier Railway or the ship yard. It is at the forefront of seawater desalination technology and hosts a school from CUWI dedicated to its research, including the recycling of brine. Many young Colombierans relocate to Antigua to study, and a handful return as engineers and water technicians.
Trade winds strike the Atlantic side of the island, and little grows there, but the Caribbean side is pockmarked by small bays and sheltered beaches. There are no rivers or springs anywhere on Colombier, and its mineral water bottling industry is a testament to the efficiency of its desalination plants which provide basically all clean water on the island. Older homes still retain large cisterns beneath them, a relic of the days before the plants were constructed.
Colombieran cooking is French in style and Caribbean in its basis, and the bakeries of Mora are known for tourment d’amour, a small coconut tart. The Colombier Railway runs from the harbour over the ridge to the villages of the windward coast. Colombier is closely connected to the nearby islands of Soualiga and Liamuiga by hydrofoil, and by flying boats from Mora for longer journeys.
Climate
Tropical and arid, with a dry season from December to April and a slightly wetter season from May to November. The island receives less rainfall than most Caribbean islands and is occasionally affected by hurricanes during the Atlantic hurricane season.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 28° 24° 28° 24° 29° 24° 29° 25° 30° 26° 31° 26° 31° 27° 31° 27° 31° 27° 31° 27° 29° 26° 28° 24°
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 28° 24° 28° 24° 29° 24° 29° 25° 30° 26° 31° 26° Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 31° 27° 31° 27° 31° 27° 31° 27° 29° 26° 28° 24°
Public Holidays
- New Year’s Day 1 Jan
- Carnival Feb/Mar (varies)
- Good Friday
- Easter Monday
- Commonwealth Day 1 May
- Whit Monday
- Bastille Day 14 Jul
- Assumption Day 15 Aug
- Republic Day 19 Sep
- All Saints’ Day 1 Nov
- Christmas Day 25 Dec
- Boxing Day 26 Dec
- Cacao
- Glass
- Milk
- Molasses
- Plastics
- Sugar
- Timber
- Mora Harbour: Historic Swedish-era port with restored warehouses, now a working harbour and maritime heritage site.
- Caribbean Maritime Museum: Documents the island’s history as a Swedish free port and Caribbean maritime trade centre.
- Traditional Boat-Building School: Teaches wooden boat construction in the old Mora shipyard to Commonwealth students.
- Fort Gustav: Swedish-era fortification overlooking Mora harbour, restored with period cannons and interpretive displays.
- Colombier Language Institute: Teaches French and Antillean Creole to Commonwealth students.
- Shell Beach: Western coast beach composed entirely of small shells, popular for swimming and collecting.
- Colombier Beach: Remote beach accessible by boat or hiking trail, surrounded by a seabird colony nature reserve.
- Morne du Vitet: Highest point on the island at 286 metres, with panoramic views and hiking trails.
- Swedish Wall House Museum: Preserved Swedish-era residence in Mora showing 18th-century domestic life.
- Agriculture, Land & Sea 13.2%
- Education 11.1%
- Skilled Trades & Construction 9.8%
- Healthcare 9.2%
All 19 groups
Hide table
- Agriculture, Land & Sea 13.2%
- Education 11.1%
- Skilled Trades & Construction 9.8%
- Healthcare 9.2%
| Occupation | Share | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Land & Sea | 13.2% | 3,950 |
| Education | 11.1% | 3,330 |
| Skilled Trades & Construction | 9.8% | 2,920 |
| Healthcare | 9.2% | 2,750 |
| Domestic | 8.2% | 2,460 |
| Industry | 6.8% | 2,050 |
| Arts & Media | 5.5% | 1,660 |
| Government & Civil Administration | 5.3% | 1,570 |
| Transport | 5.0% | 1,490 |
| Security & Defence | 4.3% | 1,300 |
| Retail, Distribution & Logistics | 4.0% | 1,190 |
| Economic Planning | 3.1% | 930 |
| Sport & Recreation | 2.9% | 870 |
| Hospitality & Participatory Trades | 2.4% | 730 |
| Information & Communications | 2.3% | 700 |
| Science & Research | 2.1% | 620 |
| Law & Justice | 2.0% | 580 |
| Energy & Resources | 1.6% | 480 |
| Religious & Ceremonial | 1.1% | 320 |
Register estimates of posts located in the republic, rounded; figures under 50 suppressed. Includes 50 posts held by non-residents.
- 1978
-
1877
Saint Barthélemy is sold back to France by Sweden following a local referendum, ending fifty years of Swedish administration
- 1784
-
1648
The French settle Colombier