St. Vincent and the Grenadines

About the Flag

St. Vincent and the Grenadines are located in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean and are comprised of the main island, St. Vincent and the smaller Grenadines Islands to the south. Full independence was gained from Britain in 1979, and they are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, the OAS, CARICOM, the UN, the IMO and the ILO.

The political climate is consistently stable in this constitutional monarchy. There is a Unicameral House of Assembly. The Head of Government is the Prime Minister, and the Head of State is the British Queen represented by a Governor General. The primary language is English and a local patois is also spoken.

Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of the economy. The services industries are growing as well. Chief exports are bananas, arrowroot, eddoes and dasheen (taro), and tennis racquets. Principal trading partners are the United Kingdom, the United States, the O.E.C.S, and the CARICOM nations. The currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is historically rooted in the seafaring industry and has developed as one of the world’s most important open flag registries. Registration of ships is governed by the Merchant Shipping Act of 1982 as amended and as administered by the Commissioner for Maritime Affairs at the Switzerland and Monaco offices.