Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Background & Geography

Introduction Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Background:
 Disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.
Geography Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
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)
water: 0 sq km
land: 389 sq km
Area - comparative:
 twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
 0 km
Coastline:
 84 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
 territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
contiguous zone: 24 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: Soufriere 1,234 m
Natural resources:
 hydropower, cropland
Land use:
 arable land: 10.3%
permanent crops: 17.9%
other: 71.8% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 10 sq km (1998 est.)
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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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