| Every year, thousands of people from other countries
come to Canada to begin a new life. They bring many talents and skills
and the hope of contributing to their new society. Your interest in reading
this cultural profile may be due to your involvement with the HOST Program,
in which you have the opportunity to meet people from St. Vincent and the
Grenadines and introduce them to life in Canada. You may have colleagues
from St. Vincent at work, or Vincentian students at your school. This profile
will help you understand something about St. Vincent and the Grenadines
and the people who live there.
Vincentians who come to Canada will have
many of the same questions that you would have if you moved to a new city
or country. They will wonder how to find a job, which schools their children
should attend, where to find a doctor, where to shop and what their new
community will be like. You can help your new friends settle in by answering
their questions. You will also find that you can learn a great deal from
them. |
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Although this cultural profile provides insights
into some customs, it does not cover all facets of life. The customs described
may not apply in equal measure to all newcomers from Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines.
|
Summary Fact Sheet |
 |
| Official
Name |
St. Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Capital
City |
Kingstown |
| Type of
Government |
Constitutional democracy |
| Population |
388 sq. km |
| Area |
78,000 sq. km. |
| Major
Ethnic Groups |
African, mixed origin (African and
Amerindian or African and European), European, East Indian, Carib |
| Languages |
English, Creole |
| Religion |
Christianity |
| Unit of
Currency |
Eastern Caribbean dollar |
| National
Flag |
Three vertical bands of blue, gold,
and green; the middle gold band contains three green diamonds |
| Date of
Independence |
October 27, 2021 |
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|
Did you know? |
| Ed
Providence, a Vincentian who now lives in Canada, is an internationally
known composer and conductor. |
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|
Did you know? |
| The
Caribs, who lived in St. Vincent before its colonization, called the island
Yurumein, which means "the beauty of the rainbows in the valleys." Another
Carib name for the island is Hairoun, meaning "land of the blessed." |
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