island in the middle of the windward group of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea and a dependency of Guadeloupe, an overseas département of France. It lies 16 mi (30 km) southeast of the island of Guadeloupe. Marie-Galante is of coral and limestone structure and is round in shape, measuring some 10 mi across; it has an area of about 61 sq mi (158 sq km). The chief town is Grand-Bourg. Marie-Galante suffers occasional droughts. The island was discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, who named it after his ship "Maria Galanda." It was first settled by the French and, after frequent changes of ownership between them and the British, remained French from 1816. Sugarcane is the main crop. Pop. (1982) 3,983.