Grenadines
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The Grenadines
The northern two-thirds of the chain, including about 32 islands and cays, are part of the country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The southern third of the chain belongs to the country of Grenada. Carriacou is the largest and most populous of the Grenadines.
Geographic boundaries
The islands are politically divided between the
History
The history of the Grenadines[1] is not well studied due to their unimportance, the paucity of original documents and lack of serious research. The islands were sparsely populated by the Caribs, who used them mainly for fishing and food gathering. When the French claimed Grenada in 1650, the Grenadines were included (St Vincent to the north remained Carib country). Because of their small size, dangerous reefs and lack of fresh water, the French used them mainly for fishing, turtle catching and lime-making. They were also used by smugglers and pirates. Permanent settlements began about 1740. When the British took over in 1762 there were a fair number of French plantations on Bequia and Carriacou. In 1791 the islands were divided between Grenada and Saint Vincent.
Larger islands of the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The total population of the Grenadine islands within Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is estimated to be 10,234.
| Island | Area | Pop. | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Grenadines | |||
| Bequia | 18.3 km2 (7.1 sq mi) | 5,300 | Port Elizabeth |
| Mustique | 5.70 km2 (2.20 sq mi) | 800 | Lovell (private island) |
| Southern Grenadines | |||
| Union Island | 9 km2 (3.5 sq mi) | 2,700 | Clifton |
| Canouan | 7.60 km2 (2.93 sq mi) | 1,200 | Port Charlestown |
| Mayreau | 1.20 km2 (300 acres) | 280 | Old Wall |
| Uninhabited Grenadines | |||
| Palm Island | 0.55 km2 (140 acres) | Cactus Hill (private island) | |
| Petit Saint Vincent | 0.46 km2 (110 acres) | Telescope Hill (private island) | |
| Tobago Cays | 0.25 km2 (62 acres) | marine reserve | |
| Isle à Quatre | 1.52 km2 (380 acres) | ||
| Baliceaux | 1.20 km2 (300 acres) | ||
Bettowia |
0.71 km2 (180 acres) | ||
| Petit Mustique | 0.40 km2 (99 acres) | ||
Petit Nevis |
0.29 km2 (72 acres) | ||
Petit Canouan |
0.20 km2 (49 acres) | ||
| Savan | 0.11 km2 (27 acres) |
Grenada
Carriacou and Petite Martinique is a dependency of Grenada and has a population of 10,900 people. Carriacou is the largest of the Grenadine chain. These islands contains:
| Island | Area | Pop. | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Grenadines | |||
| Carriacou | 32.73 km2 (12.64 sq mi) | 10,000 | Hillsborough
|
| Petite Martinique | 2.37 km2 (590 acres) | 900 | North Village |
| Non-inhabited Islands | |||
| Ronde Island | 8.1 km2 (2,000 acres) | ||
| Caille Island | 1.62 km2 (400 acres) | ||
| Saline Island | 0.11 km2 (27 acres) | ||
| Large Island | 0.15 km2 (37 acres) | ||
| Frigate Island | 0.09 km2 (22 acres) |
References
- ^ Martin, John Angus, Island Caribs and French Settlers in Grenada ,2013, Chapter 11
- ^ "St Vincent and the Grenadines, Population and Housing Census Preliminary Report 2012". The Census Office, SVG Government. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
External links
