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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
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Other pages in this profile of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979. |
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Location |
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago |
Geographic coordinates |
13 15 N, 61 12 W |
Map references |
Central America and the Caribbean |
Area |
total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) land: 389 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative |
twice the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries |
0 km |
Coastline |
84 km |
Maritime claims |
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
Climate |
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) |
Terrain |
volcanic, mountainous |
Elevation extremes |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m |
Natural resources |
hydropower, cropland |
Land use |
arable land: 17.95% permanent crops: 17.95% other: 64.1% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
10 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards |
hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat |
Environment - current issues |
pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive |
Environment - international agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note |
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |