Grenadines Island Group

The Grenadines are a group of 35 small islands located between Grenada and St. Vincent in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. They stretch from the island of London Bridge in the south to Bequia in the north with about 25% of the area in Grenada and the rest in St. Vincent. The natural boundary of the site is approximate to the Grenadine Shelf, which is some 40 meters deep and falls off steeply into the Tobago Trough. The islands range from rocky volcanic headlands to tiny cays that barely rise above sea level. The largest islands are Carriacou in Grenada (3400 ha.) and Bequia in St. Vincent (1800ha). Geologically the area lies along the interface of the Caribbean and South American Tectonic plates. Several active undersea mounts (eg. Kick`em Jenny) attest to the on-going movement of these plates. Although many of the islands are inhabited and used for agriculture and the surrounding waters for commercial fishing, much of the area still exists in a relatively undisturbed condition. The islands and the surrounding marine environment are considered as an integrated terrestrial and marine ecosystem. Although no one single natural feature dominates, there is a large collection of values that occur from remnant patches of tropical dry forest, mangroves, sea turtle (4 species) nesting beaches, seabird nesting colonies, coral reefs, marine mammals (including whales) and volcanic features. Twenty-six bird species that are regionally threatened are found in the islands. All these values add up to present a harmonious blend of natural features of outstanding universal value. It is the intention of the Government of Grenada to submit a transnational nomination for the property with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.