Windward Islands

The Windward Islands, also known as the Islands of Barlovento, are the southern, generally larger islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies. They lie south of the Leeward Islands, approximately between latitudes 10° and 16° N and longitudes 60° and 62° W. The name was also used to refer to a British colony in these islands, existing between 1833 and 1960 and consisting of the islands of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, and Grenada, which today make up three sovereign nations. The island of Dominica, also today a sovereign nation, was traditionally a part of the Leeward Islands until 1940, when it was transferred from the Leeward Islands colony to the Windward Islands.

This article is about the Caribbean island group. For the eastern islands of French Polynesia, see Windward Islands (Society Islands). For the main islands of Hawaii, see Hawaiian Windward Islands.
Windward Islands
English: Windward Islands
French: Îles du Vent
Political Windward Islands. Clockwise: Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica.
Geography
LocationCaribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates14°N 61°W
Total islands90+
Major islandsDominica
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent
Grenada
Area3,232.5 km2 (1,248.1 sq mi)
Highest elevation1,447 m (4747 ft)
Highest point Morne Diablotins, Dominica
Administration
Largest settlementRoseau
Largest settlementCastries
Largest settlementKingstown
Largest settlementSt. George's
Demographics
Populationc. 854,000
Pop. density227/km2 (588/sq mi)

Name and geography

The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships (not the islands themselves) arriving to the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the West Indies blow east to west. The trans-Atlantic currents and winds that provided the fastest route across the ocean brought these ships to the rough dividing line between the Windward and Leeward islands.

Sailing vessels departing from Africa would first encounter the southeasternmost "Windward" islands of the Lesser Antilles in their west-northwesterly heading to final destinations in the Caribbean and North and Central America. The chain of Windward Islands forms a part of the easternmost boundary of the Caribbean Sea.[1][2]

List of the Windward Islands

The Windward Islands are as follows:[1][3][4]

The Windward Islands are shown/labelled on the map's lower right side.

See also

References
  1. "Windward Islands". Encyclopædia Britannica. [A] line of West Indian islands constituting the southern arc of the Lesser Antilles, at the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea, between latitudes 12° and 16° N and longitudes 60° and 62° W. They include, from north to south, the English-speaking islands of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada; and, between Saint Vincent and Grenada, the chain of 32 islands known as the Grenadines. Though near the general area, Trinidad and Tobago (at the south end of the group) and Barbados (just east) are usually not considered part of the Windward Islands.
  2. Chapter 4 - The Windward Islands and Barbados - U.S. Library of Congress
  3. "Windward Islands". Footprint Travel Guides. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  4. "Windward Islands". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 7 July 2018.

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