Karu is a constituent republic of Kalina Region.
| Karu Republic | |
|---|---|
| Island of Guadeloupe | |
| Constituent Republic of Vekllei | |
 |
|
| Part of the Kalina Region | |
| It is famous for its rum and food, and has a reputation as a land of drink and dancing. | |
| Population | 2,246,392 |
| Demographics |
72% Karu Creole 16% Afro-Kalinago 7% Caribbean mixed
5% other
|
| Economy | Metals, machinery & defence Textiles & crafts, Vehicles & electronics |
| Produces | Timber, Sugar, Rum, Bananas, Cacao |
| Working week | 19.4 hours |
| Specialisation | Agriculture, Land & Sea |
| Accession | 1978, as part of West Indies Federation dissolution |
| Area | 230 km² |
| Capital | Pitera |
| Languages | English, French, Antillean Creole |
The Karu Republic is a constituent republic of Vekllei in the Caribbean. Shaped like a butterfly, the republic comprises two main islands known as Grande Terre and Basse Terre, meaning “great” and “low lands” respectively. A number of other islands of various sizes surround these two. The republic is south of Antigua and Allia in the Kalina Region island chain, just north of Kabuli.
The island was home to Island Caribs when Columbus discovered it in the late 15th Century, but the Spanish never colonised it. The French arrived in 1653 and named in ‘Karu,’ from a diminuitive version of the Arawak word “Karukera,” meaning island of beautiful waters. The republic lives up to its name, and is famous for its spectacular scenery including volcanic peaks, dazzling wildflowers and waterfalls. The island remained a French colony until just after the Second World War, when it independence movements triumphed and Karu joined the West Indies Federation. It followed the rest of the federation in the uniting with the British Atlantic Territories in 1978, forming Vekllei.
Although English now accompanies French as the medium of instruction, most Karuns speak French or Creole day-to-day. The island is home to a rich, French-Carib fusion culture that is very exotic to many Vekllei people and the island is a popular place of pilgrimage for domestic tourists seeking to tour the country. It is famous for its rum and food, and has a reputation as a land of drink and dancing. Local girls wear a kind of madras costume known as madras et foulard, and both Afro-Carib Jazz and Rumba are popular in clubs.
Most Karuns are Creole of white and black ancestry, but there is also a substantial Karun Mestizo population (French-East Asian) along with Europeans and Tamils. The vast majority are Roman Catholics. They have an easygoing culture, and the republic is not particularly industrious for its size. The Karu economy is dominated by municipal goods and smallholdings, light agriculture, and services. The capital of Pitera has a historic public workshop district that allows local artisans to prototype products in the automatic schema format. The islands of Karu produce a great many tropical fruits and drinks, including bananas and cocoa. In recent years, the cultivation of improved Sea Island cotton has been expanded across the Grande Terre lowlands, supported by local ginning stations. A lot of local agriculture simply supplements the commons economy and represents a local food source.
The University of Karu is a famous and historic collegial university now part of CUWI, but many students seek to study at the main campus of CUWI in Antigua nearby. There are a number of unusual facilities on Basse Terre, including a gravity research complex of the ASRE and the Karu Research Hospital, specialising in tropical diseases. The capital of Pitera is trim and pretty, and with nearly two million inhabitants, very busy.
Trains link the two main islands, and ferry services leave regularly for the peripheral islands and archipelagos. There is an airport outside of the capital, and most large towns are serviced by trams or intercity local railways in the Vekllei fashion. Visitors should start in the capital, where Hotel Meridian has a fine grounds and golf course, before embarking for a series of local inns across the islands in the contemporary tradition.
Public Holidays
- New Year’s Day 1 Jan
- Mardi Gras Feb
- Easter Monday
- Commonwealth Day 1 May
- Ascension Day
- Whit Monday
- Republic Day 14 Jul
- Assumption Day 15 Aug
- All Saints Day 1 Nov
- Armistice Day 1 Nov
- Christmas Day 25 Dec
- Chemicals
- Electronic Components
- Fabric
- Fish
- Fruit
- Glass
- Herbs
- Leather
- Lubricants
- Molasses
- Palm Oil
- Pharmaceuticals
- Plastics
- Salt
- Sea Island Cotton
- Sugar
- Timber
- Vegetables
- Vinegar
Climate
Tropical, with a dry season from January to June and a wetter, hurricane-prone second half of the year.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 29° 20° 29° 20° 29° 20° 30° 22° 31° 23° 31° 24° 32° 24° 32° 24° 32° 23° 31° 23° 31° 22° 30° 21°
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 29° 20° 29° 20° 29° 20° 30° 22° 31° 23° 31° 24° Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 32° 24° 32° 24° 32° 23° 31° 23° 31° 22° 30° 21°
- La Soufrière Volcano: An active volcano on Basse-Terre, with hiking trails and views of the surrounding rainforest.
- Plage de la Caravelle: A popular beach with white sand and clear waters, ideal for swimming and sunbathing.
- Jardin Botanique de Deshaies: A beautiful botanical garden featuring local flora, tropical birds, and waterfalls.
- Fort Fleur d’épée: Historic fort with underground dungeons and passageways to explore.
- Club Meridian: Thriving rumba club in Pitera, popular with students.
- Cousteau Reserve: A marine reserve near Pigeon Island, famous for diving and snorkelling with coral reefs and abundant marine life.
- Liberation Memorial, Karu: A museum in Pitera dedicated to the history of slavery and the African diaspora in the Caribbean.
- National Gravity Research Establishment: Gravity research facility of the [[ASRE]].
- Cape Terre Coastal Railway: Elevated and winding coastal railway connecting the capital to Grande Terre, with striking views of the mountains and sea.
- [[University of Karu]]: Regional collegial university famous for its performing arts programmes.
- Karu Long-Staple Estates 900
- General Mills 5,200
- Office of Licences & Leases 420
- Office of Restoration 260
- Office of Geological Surveys 340
- Office of Mine Inspection 450
- Office of Quarry Licences 450
- Office of Quarry Inspection 450
- Office of Mineral Deposits 450
- Office of Boreholes & Samples 450
- Office of Accident Investigation 450
- Office of Mine Rescue 450
- Karu Cane Federation 2,200
- Office of Vehicles 2,200
- Witnesses Office 360
- Frauds Office 400
- Training Office 360
- Commons Prosecutions Office 260
- Cane Works 900
- Seabed Office 410
- Returns Office 340
- Kalinan Section 110
- Education 12.0%
- Healthcare 11.0%
- Agriculture, Land & Sea 10.8%
- Skilled Trades & Construction 10.5%
All 19 groups
Hide table
- Education 12.0%
- Healthcare 11.0%
- Agriculture, Land & Sea 10.8%
- Skilled Trades & Construction 10.5%
| Occupation | Share | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Education | 12.0% | 332,800 |
| Healthcare | 11.0% | 304,600 |
| Agriculture, Land & Sea | 10.8% | 299,400 |
| Skilled Trades & Construction | 10.5% | 290,600 |
| Domestic | 8.8% | 244,200 |
| Industry | 7.2% | 198,600 |
| Government & Civil Administration | 5.4% | 149,000 |
| Transport | 4.5% | 125,700 |
| Security & Defence | 4.5% | 123,200 |
| Retail, Distribution & Logistics | 4.4% | 121,300 |
| Arts & Media | 4.2% | 115,600 |
| Sport & Recreation | 3.3% | 91,100 |
| Economic Planning | 2.9% | 80,400 |
| Hospitality & Participatory Trades | 2.6% | 73,100 |
| Science & Research | 1.9% | 53,600 |
| Law & Justice | 1.9% | 52,800 |
| Information & Communications | 1.7% | 45,900 |
| Energy & Resources | 1.4% | 38,100 |
| Religious & Ceremonial | 0.9% | 25,800 |
Register estimates of posts located in the republic, rounded; figures under 50 suppressed. Includes 1,780 posts held by non-residents.