The flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was adopted on October 12, 1985 and has three vertical stripes: blue, gold and green. The golden stripe is twice as wide as the blue and green stripes. In the center of the golden stripe are three diamonds in the shape of the letter "V".
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a country in the Caribbean Sea consisting of 32 islands, including the main island of St. Vincent. Kingstown is the capital and largest city, known for its arches. Bequia Island is known as the "Island of Clouds". The island of St. Vincent is named after Christopher Columbus, who visited it in 1498 and named it "St. Vincent Zaragoza" in honor of the Spanish saint. The name "Grenada" comes from the Spanish word for pomegranate.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines were originally inhabited by island Caribs, but European influence began after the island was claimed by the British in 1627. In fact, Barrouillette was the first colony founded by the French in 1719. The British gained control of the island in 1754-1763 during the 7 Years' War. This caused conflicts with the Caribs and led to the "First Caribbean War". The French regained control of the island in 1779-1783, but the British took it back after the Treaty of Versailles. The country gained full independence in 1979. The economy is based on agriculture, in particular banana production, and tourism, especially on the Tobago Cay archipelago. The capital Kingstown is known for its churches. The release of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie made the country more popular among tourists.
