Overview

By the time St Vincent was discovered by Christopher Columbus in January 1498, the island had been occupied for nearly 200 years – by Carib Indians from South America, who had subjugated the original Arawak Indian inhabitants. The island remained a Spanish possession until 1627, when it was granted to the British Lord Carlisle. However, the Caribs fought furiously to keep possession of it. In 1783, the Treaty of Versailles restored St Vincent to Britain, after the French had temporarily taken it. Carib resistance was finally crushed in 1795, after which the settlement of St Vincent proceeded on more conventional lines.

During the late 19th and 20th centuries, St Vincent endured a series of natural disasters: in 1812, the first recorded eruption of the La Soufrière volcano, during which many lives were lost; in 1896, floods; two years later, a hurricane; and in 1902, the second eruption of La Soufrière, killing 2000 inhabitants.

The next eruptions, neither of which caused loss of life, occurred in the 1970s. Soon after World War II, the right to vote was extended to the entire adult population, after decades of restriction. This was an essential preparatory move towards independence – the key issue of the day. For small Caribbean islands like St Vincent & the Grenadines, a variety of proposals were studied during the 1960s, leading to St Vincent’s adoption of Associate Statehood with the UK in 1969. Under this agreement the island was internally self-governing, while London looked after foreign and defence matters. It also gave St Vincent the right to declare full independence at any time, which it finally did in October 1979. The viability of St Vincent as a nation state has been the subject of constant debate ever since.

St Vincent, like all the Windwards, is volcanic and mountainous with luxuriant vegetation and black sand beaches. The Grenadines are equally lush. Secluded coves, spectacular coral reefs, rainforest hiking and superb sailing conditions are among the main tourist attractions.

General Information

Location

Eastern Caribbean, Windward Islands.

Time

GMT - 4.

Area

St Vincent: 344 sq km (133 sq miles). Grenadines: 45.3 sq km (17.3 sq miles). Total: 389.3 sq km (150.3 sq miles).

Population

119,000 (official estimate 2002).

Population Density

305.7 per sq km (2002).

Capital

Kingstown. Population: 13,526 (2001).

Geography

St Vincent & the Grenadines make up part of the Windward Islands and lie south of St Lucia. The highest peak of St Vincent, La Soufrière (1219m/4000ft), is volcanic, and deep down in the crater is a lake. The ‘tail’ of the comet of St Vincent (the Grenadines) is a string of islands and cays that splays south from Bequia (pronounced Beck-Way), Petit Nevis, Isle à Quatre and Pigeon Island to Battowia, Baliceaux, Mustique, Petit Mustique, Savan, Canouan, Petit Canouan, Mayreau and the Tobago Cays, Union Island, Palm Island and Petit St Vincent. All of the Grenadines are famous for their white beaches, clear waters and verdant scenery.

Government

Constitutional monarachy. Gained independence from the UK in 1979.
Recent history: Gonsalves' Unity Labour Party won a second term in the December 2005 elections. The party secured 12 of the 15 seats in parliament. The remaining seats are held by the New Democratic Party.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves since March 2001.

Head of State

Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor General Frederick Ballantyne since 2002.

Language

English.

Religion

Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and other Christian denominations.

Electricity

220/240 volts AC, 50Hz (except Petit St Vincent which has 110 volts AC, 60Hz).

Social Conventions

The Vincentians are fun-loving and easy-going people, and the informal and relaxed lifestyle combines many English influences with West Indian. The Saturday market in Kingstown is bustling with life, seemingly involving all islanders. All visitors are made welcome and casual wear is widely acceptable. Refrain, however, from wearing beachwear or mini shorts on the streets or while shopping.

Passport/Visa

Passports

Valid passport required by all nationals of countries referred to in the chart above.

Visas

Not required by all nationals of countries referred to in the chart above. Length of stay is determined by immigration authority on arrival, if necessary. Check with consulate or high commission before departure. A return or onward ticket is required by all visitors, as well as proof of accommodation and adequate funds.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the consulate/high commission to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Visa Note

Special visa arrangements will apply from 15 January to 15 May (during the Cricket World Cup 2007) in order to ease travel between CARICOM countries. These apply to all visitors for any purpose. See www.caricom.org/jsp/cwc_2007/caricom_special_visa.jsp?menu=cwc for more information.

Money

Currency

Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD; symbol EC$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of EC$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of EC$1, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

The Eastern Caribbean Dollar is tied to the US Dollar.

Currency Exchange

All major currencies can be exchanged at banks and at the airport.

Credit / Debit Cards and ATMs

All major credit and debit cards are widely accepted.

Travellers Cheque Advice

To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.

Banking Hours

Mon-Thurs 0800-1500, Fri 0800-1700. The bank at ET Joshua Airport opens Mon-Sat 0700-1700 with additional extensions during the major festivals.

Exchange Rate Indicators

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
14 Mar National Heroes’ Day.
6 Apr Good Friday.
9 Apr Easter Monday.
7 May Labour Day.
28 May Whit Monday.
9 Jul Carnival Monday.
10 Jul Carnival Tuesday.
6 Aug Emancipation Day.
27 Oct Independence Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2008
1 Jan New Year's Day.
14 Mar National Heroes' Day.
21 Mar Good Friday.
24 Mar Easter Monday.
5 May Labour Day.
12 May Whit Monday.
14 Jul Carnival Monday.
15 Jul Carnival Tuesday.
4 Aug Emancipation Day.
27 Oct Independence Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

Note

If the above dates fall on a Sunday, the following Monday will be taken as a public holiday.

Getting There by Air

Travel to St Vincent & the Grenadines is via Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, St Lucia or Trinidad & Tobago, and then on to St Vincent & the Grenadines in a prop plane. LIAT (LI) is the main airline serving St Vincent & the Grenadines. Other airlines include Air Martinique, BWEE Express, Caribbean Star, Mustique Airways and SVG Air.

Main Airports

ET Joshua (SVD) is 3km (2 miles) southeast of Kingstown. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis go from the airport to the city. There are standard fares to a number of major hotels throughout the island. Facilities: Car hire, restaurant, bar and duty free shops.
There are also small airports on Bequia, Canouan, Mustique and Union Island for light aircraft.

Departure Tax

EC$35 on all international departures; children under 12 years of age and passengers staying for less than 24 hours are exempt.

Flight Times

From St Vincent to London (via Barbados) is nine hours, to Los Angeles is nine hours, to New York is five hours and to Singapore is 33 hours.

Getting There by Water

Some of the Grenadines are ports of call for a number of cruise lines: Clipper Cruise Lines, Epirotiki, Festival Cruises, Fred Olsen, Hapag Lloyd, Holland America, Marline Universal, Seabourn and Sea Cloud Cruises.

Getting Around by Air

Local and charter services are available. Small planes can be chartered for inter-island travel. Mustique Air, SVG Air and TIA run regular services to the Grenadines.

Getting Around by Water

Yacht chartering is easily arranged and is one of the best ways to explore the Grenadines. Yachts can be hired locally, with or without crew. Two ferries make frequent sailings to Bequia (travel time – 60 minutes). The rest of the Grenadines are served regularly by a mailboat. The Tourist Office can help with all details.

Getting Around by Road

Traffic drives on the left. Bus: Services run regularly throughout St Vincent. Small minibuses run a shared route-taxi service with a standard fare anywhere along the route. Public transport is cheap but crowded. Taxi: These are shared and charge standard rates (fixed by the Government). Taxi drivers do not expect tips.Car hire: Easily arranged through a number of national and international firms. Documentation: A local driving licence is essential and can be obtained on presentation of a valid national or international licence either at the airport or at the police station in Bay Street, Kingstown, or at the Licensing Authority in Halifax Street, Kingstown (Mon-Fri 0900-1500). The cost is around EC$75.

Communications

Telephone

IDD is available. Country code: 1 784.

Mobile Telephone

Visitors from North America can use their mobile phones on all the islands.

Internet

Available in Internet cafes and hotels.

Post

Airmail to Western Europe takes up to two weeks. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1500, Sat 0830-1130.

Press

All newspapers are in English and most are published weekly. The most popular papers are The News, Searchlight and The Vincentian; The Herald is published daily.

Television

SVG Television is opearte by St Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation.

Radio

NBC Radio is a partly government-funded national station. Private stations include Hot 97 and We FM.

Climate
Tropical, with trade winds tempering the hottest months, June and July.

Required Clothing
Lightweights and waterproofs.

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