St. Vincent is the largest of roughly 30 islands in the Caribbean sea, with a combined territory of about twice that of Washington, D.C. — around 130 square miles. Founded as a plantation colony growing tobacco, spices, coffee and a host of other crops, its primary settlers were first imported slaves from around the Caribbean and Africa, and then — when slavery was abolished — Portuguese laborers.  For most of its history the islands were a British possession — first a colony, then with their own legislative council, then with full suffrage. Finally, by the closing of the 1970s, the territory became fully independent of Britain.

On this day, September 16, in 1980, just a year after their independence, the Grenadines and Saint Vincent joined the United Nation.

As the country is relatively small, their focus in the U.N. is primarily to develop local industry and economy, and affect climate change legislation. The country is heavily reliant on banana production and export and on tourism, both of which are influenced by the weather.