圣文森与格瑞那丁

圣文森与格瑞那丁(Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

加勒比海东部向风群岛的岛国。由圣文森岛与格瑞那丁群岛北部组成。面积388平方公里。人口约113,000（2001）。首都︰金斯敦。人口大多数是非洲裔。语言︰英语（官方语）、法语方言。宗教︰新教。货币︰东加勒比元（EC$）。圣文森由火山岩构成。其地形特徵为南北走向，森林密布丁火山山脉，有许多急流小溪穿越其中。苏弗里耶尔活火山为最高峰（1,234公尺），该火山曾猛烈喷发，对该岛造成严重破坏。农业一直是该国经济支柱。出口的农作物为香蕉和竹芋。旅游业也很重要。政府形式为君主立宪政体，一院制。国家元首是总督（代表英国君主），政府首脑是总理。

法国人与英国人为控制圣文森岛一直争斗到1763年，最後根据「巴黎条约」将其让给英国。该岛原居民加勒比海人承认英国的统治权，但於1795年进行反抗。大多数加勒比人被放逐，而大部分留下的加勒比人则在1812年和1902年代火山爆发中丧生。1969年该岛成为英国的自治邦，1979年该国获得完全独立。

English version：

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Island nation, Windward Islands in the eastern Caribbean. It is comprised of St. Vincent island and the northern Grenadines. Area: 150 sq mi (388 sq km). Pop. (1997 est.): 112,000. Capital: Kingstown. Most of the population is of African descent. Languages: English (official), French patois. Religion: Protestantism. Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar. The islands are composed of volcanic rock. Thickly wooded volcanic mountains run north-south and are cut by many swift streams. Mount Soufrière (4,048 ft, or 1,234 m), the highest of the mountains, has had devastating volcanic eruptions. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, and export crops include bananas and arrowroot. Tourism is also important. It is a constitutional monarchy with one legislative house; its chief of state is the British monarch represented by the governor-general, and the head of government is the prime minister. The French and the British contested for control of St. Vincent until 1763, when it was ceded to England by the Treaty of Paris. The original inhabitants, the Caribs, recognized British sovereignty but revolted in 1795. Most of the Caribs were deported; many who remained were killed in volcanic eruptions in 1812 and 1902. In 1969 St. Vincent became a self-governing state in association with the United Kingdom, and in 1979 it achieved full independence.