Key facts
Date of Membership in CARICOM: 1 May 1974
Also Known as:Jewels of the Caribbean
Status of Independence:Independent 1979/10/27
Area: 389 km2 (150 miles2)
Capital City: Kingstown
Population: 100,892 (2009)
Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$)
Highest National Award: Order of British Empire and Member of British Empire
Economy
GDP:
GDP Growth: –0.6% p.a. 2009–13
GNI: US$722m
GNI PC: US$6,580
Key dates in history
1675 Africans arrive via shipwrecked Dutch slave ship. They settled and inter married with Caribs, Establishing a Black Carib Community – the Garifuna
1772 Attempts made by Britain to colonise the island but encountered French settlers
1783 Finally ceded to Britain following numerous battles for possession with France
1796 Black Carib revolt crushed by Britain. 5,000 Black Caribs deported to Roatan (Honduras)
Eruption of La Soufriere volcano, killing 2,000 people
1958 Member of the West Indies Federation
1969 Associated Statehood with Britain (full internal self-government) within WISA. Milton Cato,
First Premier
1979 Independence achieved. Milton Cato, First Prime Minister