Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Motto: "Pax et Justitia" (Latin)
"Peace and Justice"
Anthem: "Saint Vincent, Land so Beautiful"
Capital
and largest city
Kingstown
13°10′N 61°14′W / 13.167°N 61.233°W / 13.167; -61.233
Official languagesEnglish
Vernacular languageVincentian Creole
Ethnic groups
(2020)
Religion
(2020)
Demonym(s)Vincentian
Grenadinian

Saint Vincentian
Vincy (colloquial)
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
 Monarch
Charles III
Susan Dougan
Ralph Gonsalves
LegislatureHouse of Assembly
Independence
27 October 1969
 from the United Kingdom
27 October 1979
Area
 Total
389 km2 (150 sq mi) (184th)
 Water (%)
negligible
Population
 2022 estimate
110,872 (180th)
 2012 census
109,991
 Density
307/km2 (795.1/sq mi) (39th)
GDP (PPP)2023 estimate
 Total
$2 billion
 Per capita
$17,840
GDP (nominal)2023 estimate
 Total
$1 billion
 Per capita
$9,360
HDI (2022) 0.772
high (81st)
CurrencyEast Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zoneUTC-4 (AST)
Calling code+1
ISO 3166 codeVC
Internet TLD.vc

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, sometimes known simply as Saint Vincent or SVG, is an island country in the eastern Caribbean. It is located in the southeast Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, which lie in the West Indies, at the southern end of the eastern border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. To the north lies Saint Lucia, to the east is Barbados, and Grenada lies to the south.

Spanning a land area of 369 km2 (142 sq mi), most of its territory consists of the northernmost island of Saint Vincent, which includes the capital and largest city, Kingstown. To the south lie the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines, a chain of 32 smaller islands; the remaining southern third make up Grenada. Seven of the islands are inhabited, of which the largest and most populous are Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, and Union Island.

With an estimated population of around 110,872, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has a population density of over 300 inhabitants/km2 (700 per sq mi). The majority of its people are descendants of enslaved Africans brought by France and the later Great Britain, which contested the islands during the 18th century. SVG remained a colony of the British Empire from 1783 until 1979, when it peacefully achieved independence; the country's culture, language, government, and legal system reflect the long legacy of British rule, and it is part of the Commonwealth of Nations and is a Commonwealth realm, with King Charles III as its official head of state.

Saint Vincent is a member of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, CARICOM, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

In April 2021, the La Soufrière volcano erupted several times with "explosive events" continuing for two weeks, resulting in the evacuation of 16,000 residents. Assistance and emergency financial support was provided by several nearby islands, the United Kingdom, and agencies such as the United Nations. The first significant offer of long-term funding of US$20 million, was announced on 13 April 2021 by the World Bank.