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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Carriacou and Petite Martinique. (Discuss) |
| Native name: Kayryouacou Sobriquet: Land of reefs |
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 A view of Hillsborough, the capital of Carriacou |
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Caribbean |
| Coordinates | 12°28′00″N 61°27′00″W / 12.466667°N 61.45°W |
| Archipelago | Grenadines |
| Area | 13 sq mi (34 km2) |
| Length | 7 miles |
| Width | 3 miles |
| Coastline | Caribben coast has lovely white sandy beaches, while the Atlantic coast is rugged. |
| Highest point | High North Peak (956ft) |
| Country | |
| Grenada | |
| Largest city | Hillsborough (700) |
| Prime Minister of Grenada | Tillman Thomas |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 8,000 |
| Density | 176.47 /km² (457.1 /sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | African, European, Native people. |
Carriacou is located in the Southeastern Caribbean Sea, Northeast of Grenada.
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Geography
Carriacou is located in the Southeast Caribbean Sea, Northeast of Grenada. It's the largest in the Grenadines and in the Grenada Grenadines. It is the 3rd largest island in the Grenadine Islands (Vincentian and Grenadian Grenadines). It is located at latitude 12° 28' N, longitude 61° 27' W.
Facts
Carriacou is home to 8,000 people. The capital city is Hillsborough, the only town or city in Carriacou. The rest of Carriacou settlements are very small villages on the island. All over they are 100 rum shops in Carriacou. Carriacou is home to Herbert Augustus Blaize, the founder of GNP (Grenada National Party) and the former Chief Minister of Grenada. Carriacou is a popular vacation destination for Grenadians. Noteworthy beaches in Carriacou include Paradise Beach and Anse La Roche. Popular European (English or French) dances such as Quadrille dance are still popular on the island today. The Big Drum dance is the most popular dance on the island and is performed on a special occasions. Carriacou is reputed to be the friendliest, healthiest and safest island in the Caribbean. Carriacou's Shakespeare Mas is originally from Bogles.
National facts
- National drink: Jack Iron
- National Telephone company: Cable and Wireless
- National dive shop: Carriacou Silver Diving Ltd.
- National Bank: Republic Bank (Grenada)
- National Hospital: Princess Royal Hospital
- National Real Estate: Carriacou Real Estate
Diving
Nickname of the island is "the Island surrounded by reefs." There are lots of reefs around Carriacou. There are all kinds of coral in the sea of Carriacou. The corals in the sea grow up to 10 feet in height. Beautiful diving sites in Carriacou are only a 10-15 minute boat ride away from the shore.
Underwater fauna
In the reef, the animals that live in the sea such as nurse shark, giant green/Juvenile golden-born moray eels, turtles, eagle and stingrays and whole lobster colonies.
Climate
| Celsius °C | Fahrenheit °F | |
|---|---|---|
| Land | 27-32 | 80-85 |
| Sea | 26-30 | 78-82 |
Dry season is from January to June and the rainy season is from July to December.
Government
It's part of the Carriacou and Petite Martinique Constituency and also Carriacou is a dependency of Grenada.
Hurricanes
In 1955 the Beausejour great house second floor was blown away by Hurricane Janet. Recent hurricanes: Hurricane Ivan on September 7th, 2004 and Hurricane Emily on July 13th, 2005.
History
History of Carriacou
History
Between 500-1000 Amerindians came to carriacou.
In 1656, Père du Tertre from Guadeloupe visited Carriacou and he was the first French/European person (turtle Fisherman) to visit Carriacou. In 1720, Bartholomew Roberts captured a French ship near Carriacou and commandeered it, renaming it the Royal Fortune. In 1750, the first census of the island was conducted, and there were 199 people (92 Whites, 92 Blacks and 15 Mulattos) living in Carriacou. In 1776, the island population was 3,239 (86 Whites and 3,153 slaves) people, not counting the free Blacks and the free Mulattos. In 1791, Gun Point (Rapid Point) which had been a division of the Grenadines, was made a latitude on the island, but the point belonged to Saint Vincent and the rest of Carriacou belonged to Grenada. In 1870, Stephen Joseph Perry went in charge of a government expedition to observe a solar eclipse at Carriacou. Bishop's College was the first Secondary School in Carriacou, it was opened in 1964 and the Anglican Church established this school. In 1968 Lauriston airport/airstrip was opened. On October 31, 1975 Carriacou Carib Organization (CGO) began. In 1922, Petite Charles first introduced the Jab Jab (Devil) Mas to Carriacou. In the 1800's, the Pierrot Mas was first introduced to Carriacou. In 1965, the Carriacou Regatta began. The Telephone system began operating in 1961 on the island of Carriacou.
Colonial history
Carriacou was part of the French colony in 1762. It was part of the British Grenada colony from 1763-1779 and 1783-1974. It was part of French Grenada colony from 1779-1783. It has been a dependency of Grenada since 1974.
Native name
In the 17th and 18th centuries Carriacou was spelled 'Kayryouacou' in Carib.
Notable residents
- Herbert Augustus Blaize - former Chief Minister of Grenada
- Canute Caliste - naive painter
- Leonard James Paterson - father of Basil Paterson, grandfather of David Paterson
In literature
Carriacou plays a central role in Paule Marshall's novel "Praisesong for the Widow." The memory of Carriacou (from which her parents emigrated to New York) figures prominently in Audre Lorde's autobiographical work Zami: A New Spelling of My Name.
See also
External links
- Carriacou Sliver Diving Ltd.
- Kido Ecological Research Station
- Carriacou and Petite Martinique Tourism Association
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