59-575: The Colonarie River is the longest river in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines . Located on the main island of Saint Vincent , it flows from the north-eastern slopes of Grand Bonhomme peak in a north-easterly direction, turning east before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean on the island's central east coast. The town of Colonarie is located on the banks of the river. A 1,590 ha site encompassing
118-504: A new wave of immigration occurred, with shiploads of Indian labourers arrived. In 1902, the La Soufrière volcano erupted again, killing 1,500–2,000 people; much farmland was damaged, and the economy deteriorated. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passed through various stages of colonial status under the British. A representative assembly was authorised in 1776, Crown Colony government
177-533: A representative of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, then (James Mitchell, who was subsequently knighted) signed the Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaties. There were seven other signatories to the agreement on that day. The countries which were represented were Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. An eighth country signed
236-524: A river in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ( / ˌ ɡ r ɛ n ə ˈ d iː n z / GREH -nə- DEENZ ) is an island country in the eastern Caribbean . It is located in the southeast Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles , which lie in
295-564: Is La Soufrière volcano at 1,234 m (4,049 ft). Other major mountains on St Vincent are (from north to south) Richmond Peak, Mount Brisbane , Colonarie Mountain, Grand Bonhomme , Petit Bonhomme and Mount St Andrew. The country is home to two terrestrial ecoregions : Windward Islands moist forests and the Lesser Antillean dry forests . It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.95/10, ranking it 61st globally out of 172 countries. Most of Saint Vincent and
354-567: Is Ralph Gonsalves , elected in 2001 as head of the Unity Labour Party . The legislative branch of government is the unicameral House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , seating 15 elected members representing single-member constituencies and six appointed members known as Senators. The parliamentary term of office is five years, although the Prime Minister may call elections at any time. The judicial branch of government
413-735: Is a member of CELAC. CELAC is the successor of the Rio Group and the Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development (CALC). In July 2010, CELAC selected President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez and President of Chile Sebastián Piñera , as co-chairs of the forum to draft statutes for the organization. The immediate predecessor of the CELAC is the Rio Group . Formed in 1986, it gathered 24 Latin American and Caribbean countries around summits to cooperate regional policy issue independently of
472-642: Is a regional bloc of Latin American and Caribbean states proposed on February 23, 2010, at the Rio Group – Caribbean Community Unity Summit , and created on December 3, 2011, in Caracas , Venezuela , with the signing of the Declaration of Caracas. It consists of 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and has five official languages. CELAC was created to deepen Latin American integration and to reduce
531-702: Is divided into district courts, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in London being the court of last resort. The two political parties with parliamentary representation are the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Unity Labour Party (ULP). The parliamentary opposition is made up of the largest minority stakeholder in the general elections, headed by
590-571: Is the main representative of the CELAC. The troika is composed by the current pro tempore presidency, its predecessor, its successor and the presidency of the CARICOM . The regional body has joint forums that work with external global entities, including China and the European Union . The EU-LAC Foundation chose CELAC to be the main organization representative of the relationship between European and Latin American and Caribbean countries. During
649-667: The Calderón administration of Mexico proposed the creation of the Latin American and the Caribbean Union (Spanish: Unión Latinoamericana y del Caribe , ULC). The proposal was formalized on 27 March 2009 at Rio Group meeting. At the initiative of Mexico, the XXI Rio Summit and the II CALC summit were held together on 22–23 February 2010 in Playa del Carmen , Mexico . The joint summit was named
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#1732876184841708-622: The Commonwealth of Nations , 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. By 12 April, 16,000 residents had evacuated the area. Assistance and emergency financial support was being provided by several nearby islands,
767-742: The First Carib War , which lasted from 1772 to 1773. During the Anglo-French War (1778–1783) , the French recaptured St Vincent in 1779. However, the British regained control under the Treaty of Versailles (1783) . The uneasy peace between the British and the Garifuna led to the Second Carib War , which lasted from 1795 to 1797. The Garifuna were led by paramount chief Joseph Chatoyer and supported by
826-635: The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights . Other leaders argued that the organisation should be used as a tool to resolve regional disagreements and uphold democratic values, but not as a replacement of the OAS. Santos stated that he would like to see dialogue within the group over whether existing counter-drug regulations should be revised. The president of the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) said he expects that Parlatino will become
885-517: The La Soufrière volcano erupted, sending ash several miles into the atmosphere. Approximately 16,000 people were evacuated in the days leading up to the eruption. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies to the west of Barbados , south of Saint Lucia and north of Grenada in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles , an island arc of the Caribbean Sea . The islands of Saint Vincent and
944-584: The Latin American and Caribbean Unity Summit and the 33 attending states decided to create the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which would be formally established in 2011. Hugo Chávez , Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Rafael Correa were among the other prominent left-wing leaders who praised the creation of CELAC. The announcement prompted debate and discussion across Latin America and
1003-792: The Leader of the Opposition . The current opposition leader is Godwin Friday . Saint Vincent has no formal armed forces, although the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force includes a Special Service Unit as well as a militia that has a supporting role on the island. In 2017, Saint Vincent signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . Administratively, Saint Vincent and
1062-466: The Seven Years' War , a claim confirmed by the Treaty of Paris (1763) . On taking control of the island in 1763, the British laid the foundations of Fort Charlotte and also continued the importation of slaves to work on the island's plantations. The Garifuna , an Afro-Indigenous creole people on the island, were opposed to the British presence and entered into open conflict against the British, starting
1121-807: The US , and cooperates with regional political and economic organisations such as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and CARICOM . The island nation's sixth embassy overseas was opened on 8 August 2019 in Taipei, Taiwan, after Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves' official visit to the Republic of China (Taiwan) ; the other five are located in London (a High Commission as Commonwealth countries have high commissions rather than embassies in each other's countries), Washington D.C., Havana, Caracas and Brussels. On 6 July 1994 at Sherbourne Conference Centre, St Michael, Barbados, as
1180-571: 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 . Christopher Columbus , the first European to reach the island, named it after St. Vincent of Saragossa ( San Vicente de Zaragoza ) whose feast day was on the day Columbus first saw it (22 January 1498). The name of
1239-632: The United States . On 16–17 December 2008, the I Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development (CALC) took place in Costa do Sauipe, Bahia , Brazil . It was organized at the initiative of the Lula administration with the goal of building cooperation mechanism with greater autonomy from the United States and Canada. Most heads of state from Latin America and the Caribbean states attended, with
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#17328761848411298-764: The West Indies , at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea , where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean. Its 369 km (142 sq mi) territory consists of the main island of Saint Vincent and, south of that, two-thirds of the northern part of the Grenadines , a chain of 32 smaller islands. Some of the Grenadines are inhabited— Bequia , Mustique , Union Island , Canouan , Petit Saint Vincent , Palm Island , Mayreau , Young Island —while others are not: Tobago Cays , Baliceaux , Battowia , Quatre , Petite Mustique , Savan and Petit Nevis . To
1357-555: The 16th century, various Amerindian groups passed through or settled on St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including the Ciboney , Arawak , and Kalinago people. The island now known as Saint Vincent was originally named Youloumain by the native Island Caribs who called themselves Kalina. It is thought that Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1498, giving it the name St Vincent. The Kalinago people aggressively opposed European settlement on Saint Vincent. Various attempts by
1416-673: The 1960s, the British again tried to unify all of its regional islands, including Saint Vincent, into a single politically unified entity under British control. The unification was to be called the West Indies Federation and was driven by a desire to gain independence from the British government. However, the attempt collapsed in 1962. Saint Vincent was granted "associate statehood" status by Britain on 27 October 1969. This gave Saint Vincent complete control over its internal affairs but fell short of full independence in law. In April 1979, La Soufrière erupted once more. Although no one
1475-460: The Atlantic slave trade. Gonsalves won a second term in 2005, a third in 2010, and a fourth in 2015. In 2009, a referendum was held on a proposal to adopt a new constitution that would make the country a republic , replacing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state with a non-executive President, a proposal supported by Prime Minister Gonsalves. A two-thirds majority was required, but the referendum
1534-420: The Caribbean about whether it was more beneficial to have close ties with the U.S. and Canada or to work independently. Raúl Zibechi, writing for Mexico's center-left La Jornada newspaper said, "The creation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States is part of a global and continental shift, characterized by the decline of U.S. hegemony and the rise of a group of regional blocs that form part of
1593-453: The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States in January 2020 under the administration of Jair Bolsonaro . Following the 2022 Brazilian general election , newly elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signalled his intention to rejoin the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, and effectively did so in the first days of his administration. In June 2023, CELAC recognized
1652-473: The Criminal Code states: Any person, who in public or private, commits an act of gross indecency with another person of the same sex, or procures or attempts to procure another person of the same sex to commit an act of gross indecency with him or her, is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for five years. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines maintains close ties to Canada , the United Kingdom and
1711-462: The English and Dutch to claim the island proved unsuccessful, and it was the French who were first able to colonise the island, settling in the town of Barrouallie on the leeward side of St Vincent in 1719. The French imported Black slaves to work on plantations producing sugar, coffee, indigo, tobacco, cotton and cocoa. The British captured the island and drove out the French from Barrouallie during
1770-417: The French, notably Victor Hugues who was based on the island of Martinique . They were eventually defeated in 1797 by British forces under the command Sir Ralph Abercromby ; a peace treaty agreement was made which resulted in almost 5,000 Garifuna being deported to Roatán , an island off the coast of Honduras , and to Belize and Baliceaux in the Grenadines. In 1806, the construction of Fort Charlotte
1829-399: The Grenadines include the main island of Saint Vincent 344 km (133 sq mi) and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines 45 km (17 sq mi), which are a chain of smaller islands stretching south from Saint Vincent to Grenada. There are 32 islands and cays that make up St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). Nine are inhabited, including the mainland St Vincent and
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1888-569: The Grenadines is divided into six parishes . Five parishes are on Saint Vincent, while the sixth is made up of the Grenadine islands. Kingstown is located in the Parish of Saint George and is the capital city and central administrative centre of the country. "Acts of gross indecency", which may be defined to include homosexual activity , are illegal in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Section 148 of
1947-558: The Grenadines islands: Young Island, Bequia , Mustique , Canouan , Union Island , Mayreau , Petit St Vincent and Palm Island. Prominent uninhabited islands of the Grenadines include Petit Nevis , used by whalers , and Petit Mustique , which was the centre of a prominent real-estate scam in the early 2000s. The capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is Kingstown , Saint Vincent. The main island of Saint Vincent measures 26 km (16 mi) long, 15 km (9.3 mi) in width and 344 km (133 sq mi) in area. From
2006-475: The Grenadines lies within the Main Development Region for Atlantic tropical cyclones . Recently, in 2023, the islands were directly impacted by Tropical Storm Bret . Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy , with Charles III as King of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines . He does not reside in the islands and is represented as head of state in
2065-557: The Grenadines refers to the Spanish city of Granada , but to differentiate it from the island of the same name , the diminutive was used. Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Kalinago natives who inhabited the island of St. Vincent called it Youloumain, in honour of Youlouca, the spirit of the rainbows, who they believed inhabited the island. Before the arrival of Europeans and Africans in
2124-725: The Latin American and Caribbean character of the island of Puerto Rico and “calls on the UN General Assembly to examine the question of Puerto Rico in its entirety and in all its aspects, and rule on this matter as soon as possible”. [1] . CELAC comprises 33 countries, speaking five different languages: Eighteen Spanish-speaking countries Twelve English-speaking countries One Dutch -speaking country One French-speaking country One Portuguese-speaking country Twelve members are in South America. Portuguese -speaking Brazil suspended its membership in January 2020, alleging that
2183-428: The agreement on 19 August 2016, Guyana. This treaty covered taxes, residence, tax jurisdictions, capital gains, business profits, interest, dividends, royalties and other areas. On 30 June 2014, St. Vincent and the Grenadines signed a Model 1 agreement with the United States of America with respect to Foreign Account Tax Compliance (Act) or FATCA. According to the updated site as of 16 January 2017, on 13 May 2016
2242-875: The agreement went to "In Force" status. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a member of the United Nations , the Commonwealth of Nations , the Organization of American States , and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS). In September 2017, at the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly , the Prime Ministers of the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines called for UN action on alleged human rights abuses committed by Indonesia on Western New Guinea 's indigenous Papuans . Community of Latin American and Caribbean States The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States ( CELAC )
2301-513: The bloc would work to further Latin American integration , end U.S. hegemony and consolidate control over regional affairs. Chávez, citing the Monroe Doctrine as the original confirmation of U.S. interference in the region, openly called for CELAC to replace the OAS: "As the years go by, CELAC is going to leave behind the old and worn-out OAS." Correa called for a new human rights commission to replace
2360-461: The centre-left Saint Vincent Labour Party (SVLP) was the country's first Prime Minister (he had been Premier since 1974), ruling until his defeat in the 1984 Vincentian general election by James Fitz-Allen Mitchell of the centre-right New Democratic Party (NDP). During Cato's time in office, there was a brief rebellion on Union Island in December 1979 led by Lennox 'Bumba' Charles . Inspired by
2419-469: The country by the Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , currently Susan Dougan (since 1 August 2019). The office of Governor-General has mostly ceremonial functions including the opening of the islands' House of Assembly and the appointment of various government officials. Control of the government rests with the elected Prime Minister and their cabinet. The current Prime Minister
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2478-645: The exception of President of Colombia Álvaro Uribe and President of Peru Alan García . The summit finished with the signing of the Bahia Declaration, a common agenda establishing the following priorities: cooperation between mechanism of regional and subregional integration, the global financial crisis , energy, infrastructures, social development and eradication of hunger and poverty, food security , sustainable development , natural disasters , human rights promotion, migration , South–South cooperation and Latin America and Caribbean projection. In 2008,
2537-593: The main legislative institution of CELAC. Amongst the key issues on the agenda were the creation of a "new financial architecture," sanction for maintaining the legal status of coca in Bolivia and the rejection of the Cuban embargo by the U.S. United States President Barack Obama's senior adviser on Latin America, Daniel Restrepo, informed reporters from Miami that the U.S. government would "watch and see what direction CELAC takes". Brazil decided to suspend its participation in
2596-629: The middle and upper reaches of the Colonarie’s watershed has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of lesser Antillean swifts , purple and green-throated caribs , Antillean crested hummingbirds , Saint Vincent amazons , Caribbean elaenias , Grenada flycatchers , scaly-breasted thrashers , brown tremblers , rufous-throated solitaires , lesser Antillean euphonias , whistling warblers , Saint Vincent tanagers and lesser Antillean bullfinches . This article related to
2655-429: The most northern to the most southern points, the Grenadine islands belonging to Saint Vincent span 60.4 km (37.5 mi), with a combined area of 45 km (17 sq mi). The island of Saint Vincent is volcanic and heavily forested and includes little level ground. The windward side of the island is very rocky and steep, while the leeward side has more sandy beaches and bays. Saint Vincent's highest peak
2714-451: The new global balance." An editorial in Brazil's Estadão newspaper said, "CELAC reflects the disorientation of the region's governments in relation to its problematic environment and its lack of foreign policy direction, locked as it is into the illusion that snubbing the United States will do for Latin American integration what 200 years of history failed to do." CELAC's inaugural summit
2773-421: The north of Saint Vincent lies Saint Lucia , to the east is Barbados , and Grenada lies to the south. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has a population density of over 300 inhabitants/km (700 per sq mi), with an estimated population of 110,872. Kingstown is the capital and main port. Saint Vincent has a British colonial history, and is now part of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , CARICOM ,
2832-403: The organization failed to "protect democracy" in member states. The decision was taken during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro , who was himself accused of attacking Brazil's democratic institutions. Following the 2022 Brazilian general election , newly elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signalled his intention to rejoin. After taking office Lula reinstated Brazil's membership into
2891-419: The organization. The following table shows various data for CELAC member states, including area, population, economic output and income inequality, as well as various composite indices, including human development, viability of the state, rule of law, perception of corruption, economic freedom, state of peace, freedom of the press and democratic level. The CELAC has six organs: The pro tempore presidency
2950-596: The recent revolution on Grenada, Charles alleged neglect of the Union by the central government. However, the revolt was swiftly put down and Charles was arrested. There were also a series of strikes in the early 1980s. James Mitchell remained Prime Minister for 16 years until 2000, winning three consecutive elections . Mitchell was at the forefront of attempts to improve regional integration. In 1980 and 1987, hurricanes damaged many banana and coconut plantations. Hurricane seasons were also very active in 1998 and 1999, with Hurricane Lenny in 1999 causing extensive damage to
3009-412: The significant influence of the United States on the politics and economics of Latin America. It is seen as an alternative to the Organization of American States (OAS), a regional body that was founded by United States and 21 other Latin American nations in 1948 as a countermeasure to potential Soviet influence in the region. Cuba, which was suspended from the OAS in 1962 and has since refused to rejoin,
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#17328761848413068-410: The sovereign right of each of our countries to choose our own forms of political and economic organization" stated the document. It also states which countries have been developing the best and how they are doing it in order for them to be a model for other countries. The issue of poverty was widely discussed. Cuba's Raúl Castro pointed out that throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, people wanted
3127-450: The summit, the region was declared a "peace zone". After three days and with the approval of participating representatives, a document with 83 focus points was created. It emphasized that, despite cultural and regional differences, unity between the participating countries is necessary in order to create progress. "Unity and the integration of our region must be gradually constructed, with flexibility, with respect to differences, diversity, and
3186-419: The west coast of the island. In 2000, Arnhim Eustace became Prime Minister after taking over the leadership of the NDP following Mitchell's retirement; he was defeated a year later by Ralph Gonsalves of the Unity Labour Party (successor party to the SVLP). Gonsalves—a left-winger known in the country as "Comrade Ralph" —argued that European nations owe Caribbean nations reparations for their role in
3245-588: Was completed. The La Soufrière volcano erupted in 1812, resulting in considerable destruction. The British abolished slavery in Saint Vincent (as well as in all other British West Indies colonies) in 1834, and an apprenticeship period followed which ended in 1838. After its end, labour shortages on the plantations resulted, and were initially addressed by the immigration of indentured servants; starting from 1845, many Portuguese Catholic settlers arrived from Madeira , with around 2,100 arrivals from Portugal recorded from 1845 to 1850. Between 1861 and 1888,
3304-429: Was defeated 29,019 votes (55.64 per cent) to 22,493 (43.13 per cent). Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council 2020–21. In November 2020, Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines since 2001, made history by securing the fifth consecutive victory of his Unity Labour Party (ULP) in general election. In 2021, on 9 April,
3363-650: Was due to be held in mid-2011, but was postponed because of the ill-health of Hugo Chávez , president of the host nation, Venezuela. The summit was instead held on December 2 and 3, 2011, in Caracas . It primarily focused on the global economic crisis and its effects on the region. Several leaders, including presidents Cristina Fernández de Kirchner , Dilma Rousseff and Juan Manuel Santos , encouraged an increase in regional trade, economic development, and further economic cooperation among members in order to defend their growing economies. Chávez, and other leaders such as Rafael Correa and Daniel Ortega , expressed hope that
3422-409: Was installed in 1877, a legislative council was created in 1925 with a limited franchise, and universal adult suffrage was granted in 1951. During the period of its control of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Britain made several attempts to unify the island with the other Windward Islands as a single entity, to simplify British control in the sub-region through a single unified administration. In
3481-420: Was killed, thousands were evacuated and extensive agricultural damage occurred. On 27 October 1979, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gained full independence; the date is now the country's Independence Day , a public holiday . The country opted to remain within the Commonwealth of Nations , retaining the then-Queen Elizabeth II as Monarch , represented locally by a Governor-General . Milton Cato of
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