Sainte-Marie Parish
Sainte-Marie
Sen Mari | |
|---|---|
Parish | |
 Patois, Sainte-Marie | |
| Country |  Saint-Baptiste |
| Parish seat | Patois |
| Area | |
| • Total | 39 km2 (15 sq mi) |
| Population (2018) | |
| • Total | 4,946 |
| • Density | 130/km2 (330/sq mi) |
Sainte-Marie (Baptistois Creole: Sen Mari) is one of the six parishes of Saint-Baptiste. The largest parish on the island by area, Sainte-Marie takes up the central portion of the island. Traditionally home to numerous sugar, coffee, and tobacco plantations during the 17th and 18th centuries, the parish's economy today relies heavily on the service industry, including tourism. As such, many abandoned plantations in Sainte-Marie have been converted into hotels and resorts, especially near the parish's coast. The interior of Sainte-Marie has remained relatively rural, and agriculture remains economically important for many in the parish, despite urbanization.
Sainte-Marie's physical terrain is typically made up of plains and rolling hills, with sandy beaches along its coast. As of the 2018 census, the parish's population was 4,946.
Communities
Including the parish seat of Patois, there are five communities in Sainte-Marie. A large portion of these settlements have in recent decades become suburbs of the larger towns of Port-Anne and Pointe-à-L'anse.
- Patois (Patwa)
- Cacao (Kakawo)
- Côte-du-Cœur (Kòtnankè)
- Le Beauvis (Bèlvi)
- Rocher-du-Prêtre (Wòch Prèt)