Geography of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island state in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, an island arc of the Caribbean Sea in North America. The country consists of the main island of Saint Vincent and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines, a chain of small islands stretching south from Saint Vincent to Grenada. Its total land area is 390 km2 of which 342.7 km2 is the main island of Saint Vincent. The country's capital is at Kingstown on Saint Vincent.

Map of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Table of Islands

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The main island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is Saint Vincent. Its geography is mostly mountainous and includes very little level ground. There is also a large difference between the coastlines on each side of the island; the windward side is very rocky, while the leeward side consists of many sandy beaches and has many more bays. The island's (as well as the country's) highest peak is the volcanic Soufrière at 1,234 m. There are several tiny islets offshore of Saint Vincent including Young Island and the Cow And Calves Islands.

List of islands from north to south:

Nr Island [a] Capital or largest town Other inhabited areas Area (km2) Population
1 St. Vincent Group Kingstown Georgetown, Byera Village, Biabou, Chateaubelair 342.8 109,010
1.1 St. Vincent Island Kingstown Georgetown, Byera Village, Biabou, Chateaubelair 342.7 109,000
1.2 Young Island, Fort Duvernette Island Young Island dock Ilha de Forte, South Point, Sunset Point 0.07 10
1.3 Other Islands Black Rock, Cheataubelair Islet, Cow And Calves Islands, Milligan Cay 0.03 0
2 Grenadines (Northern) Port Elizabeth Dover, Derrick, Ashton, Bednoe, Charlestown, Cheltenham, Clifton, Friendship, Lovell, Old Wall, Paget Farm, Hamilton 47.23 11,000
2.1 Bequia Port Elizabeth Hamilton, Belmont, Paget Farm, Derrick 17.00 5,900
2.2 Petite Nevis Eileen Corea mansion 0.29 0
2.3 Quatre Grand Bay Mitchell Mansion 1.52 0
2.4 Bettowia Landing Point 0.71 0
2.5 Baliceaux Landing Bay 1.29 0
2.6 Mustique Lovell Britannia Bay, Dover 5.70 800
2.7 Petite Mustique 0.40 0
2.8 Savan North Point 0.11 0
2.9 Petite Canouan 0.20 0
2.10 Canouan Charlestown Nen's Bay, Glossy, Taffia, Friendship, Barbruce, Riley Bay, Carenage, Mysore Bay, Mahault Bay, L’Ance Guyac, Cato Bay 7.60 1,200
2.11 Mayreau Old Wall L’Ance Bandeau, Saltwhistle bay, Saline Bay, Windward Bay 2.10 280
2.12 Tobago Cays Petit Bateau, Petit Rameau, Baradol, Jamesby, Petit Tabac 0.25 0
2.13 Union Island Clifton Ashton 9.00 2,700
2.14 Mopion 0.002 0
2.15 Petit Saint Vincent Telescope Hill West End Beach, Caribbean Beach, Windy Hill, Windy Harbour, Cross Point, Chevalier Point, Atlantic Beach, Conch Bay 0.46 80
2.16 Palm Island Cactus Hill Sunset Grill Beach, North Beach 0.54 30
2.17 Other Islands Catholic Island, Church Cay, Rashlandia, Dove Cay, Frigate Island, Little Savan, Pigeon Island, The Pillories, Rabbit Island, Red Island, St Elairs Cay, Samples Cay, Savan Rock 0.06 0
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Kingstown Georgetown, Byera Village, Biabou, P. Elizabeth, Chateaubelair 390 120,000

The remainder of the Grenadines to the south are administered by Grenada.

Resources and land use

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Natural resources: hydropower, cropland

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 18%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 36%
other: 31% (1993 est.)

Extreme points

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Irrigated land: 10 km2 (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufrière 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, 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

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Islands area and population data retrieved from the 2012 census
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References

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13°10′N 61°14′W / 13.167°N 61.233°W / 13.167; -61.233