St Vincent & The Grenadines

Facts at a glance:

Capital: Kingstown

Form of Government: Parliamentary Democracy, within the British Commonwealth

Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor-General, Dame Susan Dougan

Head of Government: Prime Minister, the Honourable Ralph Everard Gonsalves (UWI Alumnus)

Location: 12-13EN; 61.5EW - one of the Windward islands, at the more southerly end of the Caribbean chain between St Lucia and Grenada

Area: 388 sq. km (150 sq. mi) total; larger Grenadine islands are Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau and Union

Population: 109, 671 (2016 est.)

Ethnic Make-Up: African descent (66%), mixed race (19%), East Indian (6%), Carib Indian (2%)

Adult Literacy: 96% (2009)

Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$)

Exchange rate: US$1.00 = EC$ 2.70

Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time +1; GMT -4

Phone Code: Regional code (506) plus (784) plus the 4-digit local number

History: Throughout the 16th century, there was a continuing struggle between Britain and France for possession of the islands. The dispute was not settled until 1763 when British sovereignty was recognized but Carib Indian resistance to the European presence resulted in a special district to be set aside for the Indians in 1773. This was followed later by a France-supported revolt in 1795, in which the Caribs were defeated.

St Vincent was a member of the West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962 and became a British Associate State with complete internal self-government in October 1969. Ten years later, in October 1979 St. Vincent and the Grenadines achieved full independence from the United Kingdom.

UWI Connections: UWI Open Campus - St. Vincent & The Grenadines

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