Saint Vincent and the Grenadines facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Pax et Justitia" (Latin) "Peace and Justice"
Anthem: "Saint Vincent, Land so Beautiful" Royal anthem: "God Save the King"
Capital and largest city	Kingstown 13°10′N 61°14′W / 13.167°N 61.233°W / 13.167; -61.233
Official languages	English
Vernacular language	Vincentian Creole
Ethnic groups (2020)	66% Black (African) 19% Mixed 6% Indian 4% European 2% Kalinago 3% others
Religion (2020)	88.6% Christianity —70.2% Protestantism —18.4% other Christian 3.4% Hinduism 2.5% no religion 1.8% Rastafari 1.6% Baháʼí Faith 1.5% Islam 0.6% other
Demonym(s)	Vincentian and Grenadinian Vincy (colloquial)
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	Charles III
• Governor-General	Susan Dougan
• Prime Minister	Ralph Gonsalves
Legislature	House of Assembly
Independence
• Associated State	27 October 1969
• from the United Kingdom	27 October 1979
Area
• Total	389 km2 (150 sq mi) (184th)
• Water (%)	negligible
Population
• 2022 estimate	110,872 (180th)
• 2012 census	109,991
• Density	307/km2 (795.1/sq mi) (39th)
GDP (PPP)	2023 estimate
• Total	$2 billion
• Per capita	$17,840
GDP (nominal)	2023 estimate
• Total	$1 billion
• Per capita	$9,360
HDI (2022)	0.772 high · 81st
Currency	East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zone	UTC-4 (AST)
Driving side	left
Calling code	+1 784
ISO 3166 code	VC
Internet TLD	.vc

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Caribbean. It is located in the southeast Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, which lie in the West Indies at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Its 369 km² (142 sq mi) territory consists of the main island of Saint Vincent and, south of that, two-thirds of the northern part of the Grenadines, a chain of 32 smaller islands. Some of the Grenadines are inhabited—Bequia, Mustique, Union Island, Canouan, Petit Saint Vincent, Palm Island, Mayreau, Young Island—while others are not: Tobago Cays, Baliceaux, Battowia, Quatre, Petite Mustique, Savan and Petit Nevis. Most of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies within the Hurricane Alley.

To the north of Saint Vincent lies Saint Lucia, to the east is Barbados, and Grenada lies to the south. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has a population density of over 300 inhabitants/km² (700 per sq. mi.), with approximately 110,211 total inhabitants.

Kingstown is the capital and main port. Saint Vincent has a British colonial history, and is now part of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, CARICOM, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas and the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States (CELAC).

In April 2021, the La Soufrière volcano erupted several times with "explosive events" continuing. By 12 April, 16,000 residents had evacuated the areas of their homes. Assistance and emergency financial support was being provided by several nearby islands, the United Kingdom and agencies such as the United Nations. The first significant offer of long-term funding, of US$20 million, was announced on 13 April 2021 by the World Bank.

Etymology

Christopher Columbus, the first European to reach the island, named it after St. Vincent of Saragossa (San Vicente de Zaragoza) whose feast day was on the day Columbus first saw it (22 January 1498). The name of the Grenadines refers to the Spanish city of Granada, but to differentiate it from the island of the same name, the diminutive was used. Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Kalinago natives who inhabited the island of St. Vincent called it Youloumain, in honour of Youlouca, the spirit of the rainbows, who they believed inhabited the island.

History

Pre-colonial period

Before the arrival of Europeans and Africans in the 16th century, various Amerindian groups passed through or settled on St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including the Ciboney, Arawak, and Kalinago people. The island now known as Saint Vincent was originally named Youloumain by the native Island Caribs who called themselves Kalina.

European arrival and early colonial period

It is thought that Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1498, giving it the name St Vincent. The Kalinago people aggressively opposed European settlement on Saint Vincent.

French and British colonisation and First Carib War

Various attempts by the English and Dutch to claim the island proved unsuccessful, and it was the French who were first able to colonise the island, settling in the town of Barrouallie on the leeward side of St Vincent in 1719. The French imported Black slaves to work on plantations producing sugar, coffee, indigo, tobacco, cotton and cocoa.

Depiction of the 1773 treaty negotiations between the British and the Garifuna

The British captured the island and drove out the French from Barrouallie during the Seven Years' War, a claim confirmed by the Treaty of Paris (1763). On taking control of the island in 1763, the British laid the foundations of Fort Charlotte and also continued the importation of slaves to work on the island's plantations. The Garifuna, an Afro-Indigenous creole people on the island, were opposed to the British presence and entered into open conflict against the British, starting the First Carib War, which lasted from 1772 to 1773.

During the Anglo-French War (1778–1783), the French recaptured St Vincent in 1779. However, the British regained control under the Treaty of Versailles (1783).

British colonial period and Second Carib War

The uneasy peace between the British and the Garifuna led to the Second Carib War, which lasted from 1795 to 1797. The Garifuna were led by paramount chief Joseph Chatoyer and supported by the French, notably Victor Hugues who was based on the island of Martinique. They were eventually defeated in 1797 by British forces under the command Sir Ralph Abercromby; a peace treaty agreement was made which resulted in almost 5,000 Garifuna being deported to Roatán, an island off the coast of Honduras, and to Belize and Baliceaux in the Grenadines.

In 1806, the construction of Fort Charlotte was completed.

The La Soufrière volcano erupted in 1812, resulting in considerable destruction.

Colonial flag (to 1979)

The British abolished slavery in Saint Vincent (as well as in all other British West Indies colonies) in 1834, and an apprenticeship period followed which ended in 1838. After its end, labour shortages on the plantations resulted, and were initially addressed by the immigration of indentured servants; starting from 1845, many Portuguese Catholic settlers arrived from Madeira, with around 2,100 arrivals from Portugal recorded from 1845 to 1850. Between 1861 and 1888, a new wave of immigration occurred, with shiploads of Indian labourers arrived.

20th century

Residents of Saint Vincent making casabe (casava bread) in the 1910s

In 1902, the La Soufrière volcano erupted again, killing 1,500–2,000 people; much farmland was damaged, and the economy deteriorated.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passed through various stages of colonial status under the British. A representative assembly was authorised in 1776, Crown Colony government was installed in 1877, a legislative council was created in 1925 with a limited franchise, and universal adult suffrage was granted in 1951. During the period of its control of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Britain made several attempts to unify the island with the other Windward Islands as a single entity, to simplify British control in the sub-region through a single unified administration. In the 1960s, the British again tried to unify all of its regional islands, including Saint Vincent, into a single politically unified entity under British control. The unification was to be called the West Indies Federation and was driven by a desire to gain independence from the British government. However, the attempt collapsed in 1962.

Saint Vincent was granted "associate statehood" status by Britain on 27 October 1969. This gave Saint Vincent complete control over its internal affairs but fell short of full independence in law.

In April 1979, La Soufrière erupted once more. Although no one was killed, thousands were evacuated and extensive agricultural damage occurred.

On 27 October 1979, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gained full independence; the date is now the country's Independence Day, a public holiday. The country opted to remain within the Commonwealth of Nations, retaining the then-Queen Elizabeth II as Monarch, represented locally by a Governor-General.

Post-independence era

Milton Cato of the centre-left Saint Vincent Labour Party (SVLP) was the country's first Prime Minister (he had been Premier since 1974), ruling until his defeat in the 1984 Vincentian general election by James Fitz-Allen Mitchell of the centre-right New Democratic Party (NDP). During Cato's time in office, there was a brief rebellion on Union Island in December 1979 led by Lennox 'Bumba' Charles. Inspired by the recent revolution on Grenada, Charles alleged neglect of the Union by the central government. However, the revolt was swiftly put down and Charles was arrested. There were also a series of strikes in the early 1980s. James Mitchell remained Prime Minister for 16 years until 2000, winning three consecutive elections. Mitchell was at the forefront of attempts to improve regional integration. In 1980 and 1987, hurricanes damaged many banana and coconut plantations. Hurricane seasons were also very active in 1998 and 1999, with Hurricane Lenny in 1999 causing extensive damage to the west coast of the island.

In 2000, Arnhim Eustace became Prime Minister after taking over the leadership of the NDP following Mitchell's retirement; he was defeated a year later by Ralph Gonsalves of the Unity Labour Party (successor party to the SVLP). Gonsalves—a left-winger known in the country as "Comrade Ralph"—argued that European nations owe Caribbean nations reparations for their role in the Atlantic slave trade. Gonsalves won a second term in 2005, a third in 2010, and a fourth in 2015.

In 2009, a referendum was held on a proposal to adopt a new constitution that would make the country a republic, replacing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state with a non-executive President, a proposal supported by Prime Minister Gonsalves. A two-thirds majority was required, but the referendum was defeated 29,019 votes (55.64 per cent) to 22,493 (43.13 per cent).

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council 2020–21.

In November 2020, Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines since 2001, made history by securing the fifth consecutive victory of his Unity Labour Party (ULP) in general election.

In 2021, on 9 April, the La Soufrière volcano erupted, sending ash several miles into the atmosphere. Approximately 16,000 people were evacuated in the days leading up to the eruption.

Geography

A map of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies to the west of Barbados, south of Saint Lucia and north of Grenada in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, an island arc of the Caribbean Sea. The islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines include the main island of Saint Vincent 344 km² (133 sq mi) and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines 45 km² (17 sq mi), which are a chain of smaller islands stretching south from Saint Vincent to Grenada. There are 32 islands and cays that make up St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). Nine are inhabited, including the mainland St Vincent and the Grenadines islands: Young Island, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Union Island, Mayreau, Petit St Vincent and Palm Island. Prominent uninhabited islands of the Grenadines include Petit Nevis, used by whalers, and Petit Mustique, which was the centre of a prominent real-estate scam in the early 2000s.

The capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is Kingstown, Saint Vincent. The main island of Saint Vincent measures 26 km (16 mi) long, 15 km (9.3 mi) in width and 344 km² (133 sq mi) in area. From the most northern to the most southern points, the Grenadine islands belonging to Saint Vincent span 60.4 km (37.5 mi), with a combined area of 45 km² (17 sq mi).

The island of Saint Vincent is volcanic and heavily forested and includes little level ground. The windward side of the island is very rocky and steep, while the leeward side has more sandy beaches and bays. Saint Vincent's highest peak is La Soufrière volcano at 1,234 m (4,049 ft). Other major mountains on St Vincent are (from north to south) Richmond Peak, Mount Brisbane, Colonarie Mountain, Grand Bonhomme, Petit Bonhomme and Mount St Andrew.

The country is home to two terrestrial ecoregions: Windward Islands moist forests and the Lesser Antillean dry forests. It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.95/10, ranking it 61st globally out of 172 countries.

Most of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies within the Main Development Region for Atlantic tropical cyclones. Recently, in 2023, the islands were directly impacted by Tropical Storm Bret.

Climate

Tropical rainforest climate is a type of tropical climate in which there is no dry season - all months have mean precipitation values of at least 60 millimetres (2.4 in). Tropical rainforest climates have no pronounced summer or winter; it is typically hot and wet throughout the year and rainfall is both heavy and frequent.

The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate is Af (Tropical Rainforest Climate).

The average yearly temperature is 27 °C (81 °F). The coolest months are between November and February. During the rainy season, May through October, rain is frequent in the mountains of St. Vincent with the annual average rainfall being 380 centimetres (150 in) away from the coast and 200 centimetres (79 in) on the coast.

Islands

These islands make up the Grenadines Parish

• Bequia, at 13°00′N 61°14′W / 13.000°N 61.233°W / 13.000; -61.233 (Bequia), is the largest of the Grenadines. The capital of the Grenadines parish, Port Elizabeth , is here.
• Petit Nevis
• Isle à Quatre
• Bettowia
• Baliceaux
• Mustique
• Petit Mustique
• Savan
• Petit Canouan
• Canouan
• Mayreau
• Tobago Cays
• Union Island
• Petit Saint Vincent
• Palm Island

Administrative divisions

Administratively, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is divided into six parishes. Five parishes are on Saint Vincent, while the sixth is made up of the Grenadine islands. Kingstown is located in the Parish of Saint George and is the capital city and central administrative centre of the country.

• 5 parishes on Saint Vincent:
  • Charlotte - 149 km² (capital: Georgetown)
  • Saint George - 52 km² (capital: Kingstown)
  • Saint Andrew - 29 km² (capital: Layou)
  • Saint Patrick - 37 km² (capital: Barrouallie)
  • Saint David - 80 km² (capital: Chateaubelair)
• 1 parish made up of the Grenadine islands:
  • Grenadines - 43 km² (capital: Port Elizabeth on the Bequia island)

Government and politics

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, with Charles III as King of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. He does not reside in the islands and is represented as head of state in the country by the Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The office of Governor-General has mostly ceremonial functions including the opening of the islands' House of Assembly and the appointment of various government officials. Control of the government rests with the elected Prime Minister and their cabinet.

The legislative branch of government is the unicameral House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, seating 15 elected members representing single-member constituencies and six appointed members known as Senators. The parliamentary term of office is five years, although the Prime Minister may call elections at any time.

The judicial branch of government is divided into district courts, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in London being the court of last resort.

Demographics

The population as estimated in 2018 was 110,211. The ethnic composition was 66% African descent, 19% of mixed descent, 6% East Indian, 4% Europeans (mainly Portuguese), 2% Kalinago and 3% others. Most Vincentians are the descendants of West-Central African people brought to the island to work on plantations. There are other ethnic groups, such as Portuguese (from Madeira) and East Indians, both brought in to work on the plantations after the abolishing of slavery by the British living on the island. There is also a growing Chinese population.

Languages

English is the official language. Most Vincentians speak Vincentian Creole. English is used in education, government, religion, and other formal domains, while Creole (or 'dialect' as it is referred to locally) is used in informal situations, such as in the home and among friends.

Religion

Assumption Cathedral, Kingstown

According to the 2001 census, 81.5% of the population of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines identified themselves as Christian, 6.7% had a different religion and 8.8% had no religion, or did not state one (1.5%).

The number of non-Christians is small. These religious groups include the Rastafari (1.5% of the population), Hindus and Muslims (1.5%).

Culture

The island of Mustique in the Grenadines

Sport

Cricket, association football, and athletics are most popular among men whereas netball is most popular among women. Basketball, volleyball, rugby and tennis are also very popular.

The country's prime football league is the NLA Premier League, which provides its national (association) football team with most players. A notable Vincentian footballer is Ezra Hendrickson, former national team captain who played at several Major League Soccer clubs in the United States and is now a head coach with the Chicago Fire FC.

The country regularly participates at the Caribbean Basketball Championship where a men's team and a women's team compete. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also has its own national rugby union team which is ranked 84th in the world. Other notable sports played at the regional level include track and field. Natasha Mayers won a gold medal in the 100m at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Kineke Alexander won a bronze medal in the women's [400m] at the 2015 Pan American Games. Eswort Coombs got a bronze medal in the 400m at the 1995 Pan American Games.

At the Olympics Games France 2024, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines had two athletes, Shafiqua Maloney and Handal Roban. Maloney became the first Vincentian athlete to reach the final stage of an Olympic event when she placed 4th in the women's 800m.

Music

Music popular in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines includes big drum, calypso, soca, steelpan and reggae. String band music, quadrille and traditional storytelling are also popular. One of the most successful St Vincent natives is Kevin Lyttle. He was named Cultural Ambassador for the Island 19 September 2013. The national anthem of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is "Saint Vincent, Land so beautiful", adopted upon independence in 1979.

Media

Saint Vincent has twelve FM radio stations: 88.9 Adoration Fm, 89.1 Jem Radio, 89.7 NBC Radio, 95.7 and 105.7 Praise FM, 96.7 Nice Radio, 97.1 Hot 97, 98.3 Star FM, 99.9 We FM, 103.7 Hitz, 102.7 EZee radio, 104.3 Xtreme FM and 106.9 Boom FM. There are several Internet radio stations including Chronicles Christian Radio. It has one television broadcast station ZBG-TV (SVGTV) and one cable television provider.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation is the parent company for SVGTV, Magic 103.7.

Holidays

Notable people of Vincentian descent

• 21 Savage, Rapper
• Lincoln Alexander, Lawyer
• Judy Boucher, Reggae singer
• Ashley Cain, Footballer
• Dan Caplen, Singer-songwriter
• Jamal Edwards, Entrepreneur
• Skinny Fabulous, Soca musician/singer
• Adonal Foyle, American basketball player
• N'Keal Harry, American football player
• Andrea Lewis, Actress and singer
• Jesse Lingard, Footballer
• Kevin Lyttle, Musician/singer
• Nixon McLean, Cricketer
• Mist, Rapper
• Nzingha Prescod, American Olympic fencer
• Protoje, Reggae singer
• Marlon Roudette, Singer-songwriter
• Franklyn Seales, television and motion picture actor
• Dr Kishore Shallow, President of Cricket West Indies
• Sophia Young, NCAA Champion and 3x WNBA All-Star
• Ezra Hendrickson, MLS Player and now Head Coach of Chicago Fire
• K. Dwight Venner, Former Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank

Related pages

• List of rivers of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• List of Vincentian people
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at the Olympics
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines national football team

Images for kids

• 

  James Fitz-Allen Mitchell, the Vincentian prime minister from 1984 to 2000

• 

  Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines since 2001

• 

  A proportional representation of St Vincent and the Grenadines' exports

See also

In Spanish: San Vicente y las Granadinas para niños