Basse-Terre is the capital of the French department of Guadeloupe and has about 12,000 residents (2007). The city is located on the island of the same name, near the volcano La Grande Soufrière. It was until 1967 Guadeloupe’s largest city, but due to the risk of volcanic eruptions, the population was evacuated from the area. Most of the industries were moved to Pointe-à-Pitre, which is today Guadeloupe’s largest city.