WEST INDIES
(BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH TERRITORIES IN THE EAST CARIBBEAN, WEST INDIES ASSOCIATED STATES, INDEPENDENT STATES)
BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH TERRITORIES IN THE EAST CARIBBEAN
The Islands in the East Caribbean presently or formerly administered by the UK fall geographically into two groups and were administered as
two separate units until 1960. The Leeward Islands group consists of
Antigua, with Barbuda and Redonda; St Christopher, Nevis, Anguilla; Montserrat; and the British Virgin Islands. The second group is
known as the Windward Islands and consists of Dominica, St Lucia,
St Vincent and Grenada, together with smaller islands known as the
Grenadines which lie between St Vincent and Grenada, those to the
north forming part of St Vincent and those to the south forming part
of Grenada. Although the administrative groupings of the Leeward and
Windward Islands were dissolved in 1956 and separate colonies
established, they continued to be administered by two Governors until
1960 when these offices were abolished. The Queen's representative was
subsequently an Administrator in each colony.
In 1958 the Federation of the West Indies was formed comprising almost all the Caribbean Islands which were at that time dependencies of Britain. The federation was dissolved in 1962 following the withdrawal of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago which then proceeded to Independence. Several of the other island states have become independent since then:
Barbados in 1966, Bahamas in 1973, Grenada in 1974, Dominica in 1978,
St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1979.
WEST INDIES ASSOCIATED STATES
General Introduction
The West Indies Associates States, set up under the West Indies Act of
1967 originally comprised Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis-
Anguilla and St Lucia. They were joined in 1969 by St Vincent.
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