| Conventional Long Name: | Carriacou and Petite Martinique |
| Native Name: | Carriacou et La Petite Martinique |
| Common Name: | Carriacou and Petite Martinique |
| Capital: | Hillsborough |
| Largest City: | capital |
| Government Type: | Part of Grenada |
| Leader Title1: | Monarch |
| Leader Title2: | Governor General |
| Leader Name2: | Cécile La Grenade |
| Leader Title3: | Prime Minister |
| Leader Name3: | Dickon Mitchell |
| Leader Title4: | Member of Parliament |
| Leader Name4: | Tevin Andrews |
| Leader Title5: | Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs |
| Leader Name5: | Tevin Andrews |
| Established Event1: | Part of British Grenada |
| Established Date1: | 1763 |
| Established Event2: | Constituency |
| Established Date2: | 1944 |
| Established Event3: | Part of Grenada |
| Established Date3: | February 7, 1974 |
| Area Km2: | 37.7 |
| Area Sq Mi: | 13.2 |
| Population Estimate: | 6,081[1] |
| Currency: | East Caribbean dollar |
| Currency Code: | XCD |
| Utc Offset: | −4 |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −4 |
| Drives On: | left |
| Cctld: | .gd |
| Calling Code: | +1 473 |
| Footnote A: | The main patois (or Creole) language is French-based. |
Carriacou and Petite Martinique, also known as the Southern Grenadines, is a dependency (part) of Grenada, lying north of Grenada island and south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Lesser Antilles.[2]
Carriacou Island is the largest island of the Grenadines, an archipelago in the Windward Islands chain. The island is 13sqmi with a population of 9,595 (2019 census). The main settlements on the island are Hillsborough, L'Esterre, Harvey Vale, and Windward.
The neighbouring island of Petite Martinique is 2.5miles away from Carriacou, and also a part of Grenada. With its 586acres and population of 900, it is smaller than Carriacou. Carriacou and Petite Martinique are known for its Regatta and Village Maroon.
On 27 September 1650, Jacques du Parquet bought Grenada from the Compagnie des Iles de l'Amerique, which was dissolved, for the equivalent of £1160. In 1657, Jacques du Parquet sold Grenada to Jean de Faudoas, Comte de Sérillac, for the equivalent of £1890.[3] [4] In 1664, King Louis XIV bought out the independent island owners and established the French West India Company.[5] In 1674, the French West India Company was dissolved. Proprietary rule ended in Grenada, which became a French crown colony as a dependency of Martinique.[5]
Carriacou and Petite Martinique was part of the French colony in 1762. It was part of the British Grenada colony from 1763 to 1779 and 1783–1974. It was part of the French Grenada colony from 1779 to 1783.[6] During this turbulent period, most of the land on Carriacou and all of the property on Petite Martinique was owned by a free black woman, Judith Philip, and her family members.[7] It has been a dependency of Grenada since 1974.
Carriacou is the largest of the Grenadines and is characterized by hilly terrain sloping to white sand beaches. The island stretches from Pegus Point in the south to Gun Point in the north and it is about long.
The island has several natural harbors and many coral reefs and small offshore islets.[8]
The highest point on the island is High Point North at [9] above sea level. Carriacou has no rivers. Residents rely on rainfall for their water.
| Name | Area | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carriacou | 34km2 | 9,595 | |
| Petite Martinique | 2.37km2 | 900 | |
| Large Island | 0.5km2 | none | |
| Frigate Island | 0.4km2 | none | |
| Saline Island | 0.3km2 | none |
There are two seasons, wet and dry. The dry season is between January and June when the trade winds dominate the climate; the rainy season is from July to December. The climate is tropical. Temperatures range from NaNC on land, with NaNC water temps.
Carriacou and Petite Martinique is a Grenadian Constituency. Tevin Andrews, NDC, is the representative for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Constituency and also the Minister of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs. The Grenadian constitution of 1974 guarantees a right to autonomy and local government for Carriacou and Petite Martinique, but this has never been implemented. In 2022, the government of Dickon Mitchell introduced a bill to parliament to establish a local Council for Carriacou and Petite Martinique. [10]
There are four major cultural festivals held on Carriacou and one on Petite Martinique. Carriacou Carnival, called "Kayak Mas",[11] [12] is held during the days leading up to Lent in late February or early March. The Carriacou Regatta, held on the first weekend in August, is a racing event for locally built boats.[13] The Regatta began in 1965, making it the longest running regatta in the Caribbean.[14] The Parang, on the weekend prior to Christmas, celebrates the island's traditional Christmas music and culture.[15] Village Maroons take place year round, and involve villagers partaking in cooking traditional foods and the "Big Drum Dance".[16] The Carriacou Maroon & String Band Music Festival is held in the last weekend of April of the year.[17] Petite Martinique's Whitsuntide Regatta Festival takes place annually on Whitsuntide weekend, and consists of boat races, performances, and other activities.[18]
Carriacou and Petite Martinique's main transport system includes roads and ferries. The people of Carriacou travel mainly by privately run 15 seater buses. Rental cars and taxis are also available and boats are commonplace. Lauriston Airport, located in Lauriston, Carriacou, is the island's major airport, and a small ferry boat known as the Osprey runs between Carriacou, Grenada, and Petite Martinique. The short distances between the Grenadines also enables travel between them by small boats.
