Saint Vincent, island of the group in the in the eastern , about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of and about 100 miles (160 km) west of . The island has an area of 133 square miles (344 square km). It is 18 miles (30 km) long and has a maximum width of 11 miles (18 km). In 1979 the seven large northern and Saint Vincent became the independent country . On the southwestern coast of Saint Vincent is , which is the chief port and the national capital.Saint Vincent, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines(more)Saint Vincent comprises thickly wooded volcanic mountains that run north-south, with many short swift streams. The are not crossed by roads. The highest peak is part of the volcano (4,048 feet [1,234 metres]), in the north, which erupted violently in 1812, 1902, 1979, and 2021. Located in the path of the northeasterly trade winds, Saint Vincent has a tropical . (hurricanes) usually pass to the north but have occasionally struck the island and caused severe damage.Saint Vincent was among the last set of Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans. The indigenous people, the , rebuffed attempts at settlement by the Dutch, French, and British until the early 18th century, when they allowed the French to settle on part of the western (leeward) side of the island. The British acquired Saint Vincent in 1763 as part of the settlement of the . The , who refused to accept British sovereignty, resisted throughout the late 1700s, but they were eventually exiled to an island off the coast of following their surrender in 1796. A few Caribs remained in the mountains in the interior until their pardon by the colonial legislature in 1805. Descendants of those Caribs who were sent into exile, known as Garifuna, are now found in , , Honduras, and ; there are also large numbers of Garifuna in and ., Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies to the west of Barbados, south of Saint Lucia and north of Grenada in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, an island arc of the Caribbean Sea., With 32 remote islands and cays boasting emerald hills, postcard-worthy harbors, and boutique hotels, this Caribbean destination makes a perfect escape. Devote a few days to exploring St..