St Vincent and the Grenadines Mayreau, Mustique, Isle D’Quatre and Union A mail boat runs several times a week Island. St Vincent is volcanic in origin, and through the Grenadines and ferries operate has an active volcano, La Soufrière, which between the islands. erupted violently in 1812, and again in 1902. E. T. Joshua International Airport is at Arnos A mild eruption in 1971–72 created a Vale, 3 km south-east of Kingstown. There volcanic dome in the crater lake, forming an are small airports/airstrips on Bequia, Union island. This exploded in another eruption in Island, Canouan and Mustique. A new 1979, blasting ash, steam and stones high international airport is due to be opened at into the air. A rugged mountain range runs Argyle in the east of St Vincent in 2015. from La Soufrière in the north to Mount St Andrew (750 metres) above the Kingstown Valley in the south. This mountainous Society backbone sends off lateral spurs which are KEY FACTS 2013 intersected by wooded valleys and numerous Population per sq km: 280 streams. Many of the beaches of St Vincent are of black volcanic sand; there are some Life expectancy: 72 years white-sand beaches. The Grenadines have Net primary enrolment: 95% (2012) been much celebrated for their beaches of Population: 109,000 (2013); 50 per cent of fine white sand and clear waters. people live in urban areas; growth 0.1 per Climate: Tropical, moderated by trade winds cent p.a. 1990–2013, depressed over this in June/July. The dry season is January–May, period by emigration; birth rate 16 per 1,000 the rainy season May/June–September. There people (40 in 1970); life expectancy 72 years is significantly heavier rainfall in the (63 in 1970). KEY FACTS mountainous interior. Tropical storms and The population is mostly of African or mixed Joined Commonwealth: 1979 hurricanes may occur June–November. descent, with Indian, European, and Carib Population: 109,000 (2013) Environment: The most significant minorities. GDP p.c. growth: 2.5% p.a. 1990–2013 environmental issue is pollution of coasts and Language: English is the official language; coastal waters by discharges from yachts and UN HDI 2014: World ranking 91 an English-based Creole is widely spoken. from industrial plants on shore. Official language: English Religion: Mainly Christians (Anglicans 47 per Vegetation: The mountains of St Vincent cent, Methodists 28 per cent, Roman Time: GMT minus 4 hrs support a luxuriant growth of tropical Catholics 13 per cent); with a small Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$) forest; coconuts and the more typical community of Hindus. tropical coral island vegetation occur on the Grenadines and coastal fringes of St Vincent Health: Public spending on health was four Geography island. Forest covers 69 per cent of the land per cent of GDP in 2012. As well as Area: 389.3 sq km area, having increased at 0.4 per cent p.a. Kingstown General Hospital, there are district Coastline: 84 km 1990–2010. The botanical gardens, hospitals and health centres. Some 95 per founded in 1765, conserve rare species, cent of the population uses an improved Capital: Kingstown including the mangosteen fruit tree, and a drinking water source (2012). Infant mortality St Vincent and the Grenadines, one of the descendant from Captain Bligh’s original was 17 per 1,000 live births in 2013. Windward Island countries of the Eastern breadfruit tree. Education: Public spending on education Caribbean, lies near the southern end of the Wildlife: The Buccament Valley east of Layou was five per cent of GDP in 2010. There are Caribbean chain, about 97 km north of is a tropical rainforest reserve, home to the 12 years of school education starting at the Grenada. The country comprises six parishes, endangered St Vincent parrot, as well as age of five. Primary school comprises seven one of these being Grenadines. many other species such as the unique years and secondary five, with cycles of three Area: Total land area 389.3 sq km: St Vincent whistling warbler. Bequia’s rich marine flora and two years. The school year starts in 344 sq km, and the Grenadines 45.3 sq km. and fauna make it a popular resort for divers. September. Topography: The country comprises the Main towns: Kingstown (capital, pop. Tertiary education is provided at the regional island of St Vincent and the northern 16,500 in 2010), Georgetown (1,400), Byera University of the West Indies, which has its Grenadines, a series of 32 islands and cays, (1,200), Biabou (900) and Chateaubelair main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica, and stretching south-west towards Grenada (the (630) on St Vincent; Port Elizabeth (770) on Trinidad and Tobago. Bequia in the Grenadines. southern Grenadine islands are part of Media: The Herald is a daily paper. Weekly Grenada). The larger northern Grenadines are Transport: There are 829 km of roads, 70 newspapers include The News , Searchlight Bequia (pronounced Beck-way), Canouan, per cent paved. Cruiseships call at St Vincent. and The Vincentian . THE COMMONWEALTH YEARBOOK 2015 St Vincent and the Grenadines SVG Television and NBC Radio are the public 1672; possession was disputed by the British, Real growth in GDP service providers. There are several private French and Spanish. All these claims were % radio stations. % 2.0 resisted by the Caribs. The Caribs did not, 1.5 however, oppose the settlement of a shipload There are 152 personal computers per 1,000 1.0 of enslaved Africans who escaped after a people (2005). 0.5 shipwreck in 1673, and in due course seem 0.0 Communications: Country code 1 784; -0.5 to have merged with the Carib community internet domain ‘.vc’. There are phonecard g -1.0 through intermarriage. In 1773, under an booths and internet cafes on most islands. -1.5 Anglo/Carib tr eaty, the Caribs were allowed The main post office is located in Kingstown, -2.0 to continue to live independently in the north with branches throughout the country. -2.5 of the island. France took the island in 1779, For every 1,000 people there are 174 -3.0 but restored it to Britain in 1783, under the -3.5 landlines, 1,146 mobile phone subscriptions 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Treaty of Versailles. In 1795–96, the Caribs and 520 internet users (2013). rebelled, aided by the French in Martinique; when this had been crushed, the rebels were Public holidays: New Year’s Day, National Inflation deported to the island of Roatan in the Bay Heroes’ Day (14 March), Labour Day (first % 3.5 of Honduras. A plantation economy, based Monday in May), Carnival (Monday and 3.0 on slave labour, developed, producing sugar, Tuesday in July), Emancipation Day (first cotton, coffee and cocoa. But in 1812 La Monday in August), Independence Day (27 2.5 Soufrière erupted and devastated much of October), Christmas Day and Boxing Day. 2.0 the island. After the emancipation of slaves Carnival continues for ten days leading up to by Britain in 1834, indentured labour from Carnival Tuesday. 1.5 the East Indies and Portugal was brought in Religious and other festivals whose dates vary 1.0 to remedy the labour shortage. from year to year include Good Friday, Easter 0.5 In the second half of the 19th century sugar Monday and Whit Monday. slumped and the economy remained very 0.0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 depressed for the rest of the century. In the Economy early 20th century, a series of natural KEY FACTS 2013 GDP by sector (2013) disasters further damaged the society: with a severe hurricane, and a further eruption of La GNI: US$722m Soufrière in 1902 which devastated the Agriculture GNI p.c.: US$6,580 7.0% northern half of the island and killed 2,000 GDP growth: –0.6% p.a. 2009–13 people. Industry Inflation: 1.7% p.a. 2009–13 17.5% St Vincent and the Grenadines was a member of the Federation of the West Indies. St Vincent and the Grenadines has a relatively Services After its dissolution in 1962, and the move of undeveloped economy, nevertheless providing 75.4% larger Caribbean countries to independence a relatively high quality of life. It is vulnerable individually, the transition towards as the economic base is very small, and is cent) and 2010 (3.4 per cent), before a return independence began in St Vincent. At first, heavily dependent on agriculture, especially to more modest growth in 2011–15. the smaller Eastern Caribbean countries bananas. attempted to set up a federation of their The main export crop, bananas, was sold to own, but negotiations among them were the EU under its preferential arrangements, History unsuccessful. Universal adult suffrage had but since these ended in 2007, Caribbean The country’s first known inhabitants were already been established (and the executive banana producers have faced a tougher Arawaks, who were later driven out by council became partly elective) in 1951. competitive environment, and small, less Caribs; the latter put up a strong resistance Internal self-government was achieved in efficient producers have moved out of to European colonisation. Christopher 1969 and full independence in October banana production. The government has Columbus sighted the principal island on 22 1979. encouraged diversification into tourism, January 1498, and named it after the saint Elections held two months after manufacturing, offshore finance and call whose feast falls on that day. No immediate independence in 1979 gave overwhelming centres, and has promoted growth of the European immigration followed this discovery. victory to Milton Cato’s St Vincent Labour private sector.