Marie-Galante is an island of the Caribbean Sea located south of Guadeloupe and north of Dominica. It is a dependency of Guadeloupe, which is an overseas department and an overseas region of France.
Marie-Galante has a land area of 170.5 km² (61 sq. miles). It had 11,528 inhabitants at the start of 2013, with a population density of 67.6 people per km².
Marie-Galante is divided into three communes (with populations at 1 January 2013):
These three communes formed an intercommunal entity in 1994: the Community of Communes of Marie-Galante (French: communauté de communes de Marie-Galante). This is the oldest intercommunal structure of the overseas regions of France.
The Huecoids are the oldest known civilizations to have occupied Marie-Galante, followed by Arawaks, and then by the Island Caribs circa 850. The island was called Aichi by the Caribs and Touloukaera by the Arawaks.
Marie-Galante was the first island encountered by Christopher Columbus during his second voyage. On 3 November 1493, he anchored at the islet now called Anse Ballet in Grand-Bourg, and named the island in honor of the flagship Marigalante (‘gallant Mary’) of the second voyage.