Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (pronounced /seɪnt ˈvɪntsənt ænd ðə ˌgrɛnəˈdiːnz/ ( listen)) is a nation in the Lesser Antilles chain, which lies at the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Its 389-square-kilometre (150 sq mi) territory consists of the main island of Saint Vincent and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines, which are a chain of smaller islands stretching south from Saint Vincent to Grenada.
To the north of St. Vincent lies St. Lucia, to the east Barbados, and to the south Grenada. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has an estimated population of 120,000 and the capital is Kingstown. The country has a French and British colonial history and is now part of the Commonwealth of Nations and CARICOM.
[edit] History
The island now known as Saint Vincent was originally named "Hairouna, The Land Of The Blessed" by the native Caribs. The Caribs aggressively prevented European settlement on St. Vincent until the 18th century. At that time, formerly enslaved Africans, who had either been shipwrecked or who had escaped from Barbados, St. Lucia and Grenada and sought refuge in mainland St. Vincent, intermarried with the Caribs and became known as Garifuna or Black Caribs.
Beginning in 1719, French settlers gained control of the island and began cultivating coffee, tobacco, indigo, cotton, and sugar on plantations. These plantations were worked by enslaved Africans. In 1763, France ceded control of St. Vincent to Britain. However, France re-invaded the island in 1779. The French regained control after landing at Calliaqua, near Fort Duvernette. The British then finally regained St. Vincent under the Treaties of Versailles (1783). These treaties were ancillary treaties to the Treaty of Paris (1783), through which Great Britain officially recognised the end of the American Revolution.
Between 1783 and 1796, there was conflict between the British and the Black Caribs, who were led by defiant Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer. In 1796 British General Sir Ralph Abercromby put an end to the open conflict by crushing a revolt which had been fomented by the French radical Victor Hugues. More than 5,000 Black Caribs were eventually deported to Roatán, an island off the coast of Honduras.
Slavery was abolished in Saint Vincent 1834. An apprenticeship period followed which ended in 1838. After its end, labour shortages on the plantations resulted, and this was initially addressed by the immigration of indentured servants. In the late 1840s many Portuguese immigrants arrived from Madeira and between 1861 and 1888 shiploads of East Indian labourers arrived. Conditions remained harsh for both former slaves and immigrant agricultural workers, as depressed world sugar prices kept the economy stagnant until the turn of the century.
From 1763 until its independence in 1979, St. Vincent 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, and universal adult suffrage was granted in 1951.
During the period of its control of St. Vincent, the British made several unsuccessful attempts to affiliate the island with other Windward Islands. This would have simplified Britain's control over the region through a unified administration. In the 1960s, several regional islands under British control, including St. Vincent, also made an independent attempt to unify. The unification was to be called the West Indies Federation and was driven by a desire to gain freedom from British rule. The attempt collapsed in 1962.
St. Vincent was granted "associate statehood" status by Britain on October 27, 1969. This gave St. Vincent complete control over its internal affairs but was short of full independence. On October 27, 1979, following a referendum under Milton Cato, St. Vincent and the Grenadines became the last of the Windward Islands to gain independence. Independence came on the 10th anniversary of St. Vincent's associate statehood status.
Natural disasters have featured in the country's history. In 1902, La Soufrière volcano erupted, killing 2,000 people. Much farmland was damaged, and the economy deteriorated. In April 1979, La Soufrière erupted again. Although no one was killed, thousands had to be evacuated, and again there was extensive agricultural damage. In 1980 and 1987, hurricanes compromised banana and coconut plantations. 1998 and 1999 also saw very active hurricane seasons, with Hurricane Lenny in 1999 causing extensive damage to the west coast of the island.
On November 25, 2009, a referendum was held in which voters were asked to approve a new constitution, which would make the country a republic, replacing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state with a President. A two-thirds majority was required, but it was defeated by 29,019 votes (55.64 per cent) to 22, 493 (43.13 per cent).[2] A celebration was then held in the country, where over 10,000 people attended a party in the capital Kingstown
[edit] Politics
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, bearing the title Queen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The Queen does not reside in the islands and is represented in the country by the Governor General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, currently Sir Frederick Ballantyne.
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 his or her cabinet. There is a parliamentary opposition made of the largest minority stakeholder in general elections, headed by the leader of the opposition. The current Prime Minister is the Honourable Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.
The country has no formal armed forces, although the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force includes a Special Service Unit.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are a full & participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), ALBA and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
[edit] Geography
Map of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies between Saint Lucia and 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). The Grenadines are a chain of small islands stretching south from Saint Vincent to Grenada.
[edit] Administrative divisions
Administratively, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is divided into six parishes. Five parishes are in Saint Vincent, and the sixth is made up of or from the Grenadines. Kingstown is located in the Parish of St. George and is the capital city and central administrative centre of the nation. Charlotte is the largest parish.
[edit] Economy
Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower-middle-income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and a high unemployment rate of 22% continues. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development. Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995.
The tourism sector has considerable potential for development over the next decade. The recent filming of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies on the island has also helped to increase tourism and expose the country to the wider world. Recent growth has been stimulated by strong activity in the construction sector and an improvement in tourism.
A further boost is expected to be provided by the new international airport which is currently under construction. There is a small manufacturing sector and a small offshore financial sector whose particularly restrictive secrecy laws have caused some international concern. In addition, the natives of Bequia are permitted to hunt up to four Humpback Whales per year under IWC subsistence quotas.
[edit] Demographics
Population: 104,574 (July 2009 est). Ethnic groups: Black 66%, East Indian 6%, mixed race 19%, Carib Amerindian 2%, White (including Portuguese) 4%, other 3% (CIA handbook, last updated October 9, 2008). Most Vincentians are the descendants of African people brought to the island to work on plantations. There are other ethnic groups such as Portuguese, East Indian and Syrians living on the island. There is also a growing Chinese population and a sizable minority of mixed race.
St. Vincent has a high rate of emigration. With extremely high unemployment and underemployment, population growth remains a major problem.
[edit] Languages
While the official language is English most Vincentians speak a dialect known as Vincentian Creole.[3][4][5] English is used in education, government, religion, and other formal domains, while Creole (or 'dialect' as it is referred to by locals) is used in informal situations such as in the home and among friends.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have their own football league, and also a national football team.
They have their own national Rugby team and are ranked 74th in the world
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines music includes big drum, calypso, soca, steelpan and also reggae. String band music, quadrille and bele music and traditional storytelling are also popular.
The national anthem of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is "St Vincent Land So Beautiful", adopted upon independence in 1979; it was written by Phyllis Joyce McClean Punnett with music by Joel Bertram Miguel.
[edit] Communications
In 2005, St. Vincent and the Grenadines had 22,500 telephone land lines. Its land telephone system is fully automatic and covers the entire island and all of the inhabited Grenadine islands. In 2004, there were 57,000 mobile phones. There is mobile phone coverage for most of St. Vincent as well as the Grenadines.
The country has only nine FM radio stations, and one AM station. It has one television broadcast station and one cable television provider.
The country has two ISPs: Cable and Wireless[6] and Karib Cable[7].
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Further reading
- Bobrow, Jill & Jinkins, Dana. 1985. St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 4th Edition Revised and Updated, Concepts Publishing Co., Waitsfield, Vermont, 1993.
- CIA Factbook entry
- Gonsalves, Ralph E. 1994. History and the Future: A Caribbean Perspective. Quik-Print, Kingstown, St. Vincent.
- US Dept of State Profile
- Williams, Eric. 1964. British Historians and the West Indies, Port-of-Spain.
[edit] External links
- Government
- General information
- Other
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