Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern, generally larger islands of the Lesser Antilles. Part of 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 which existed between 1833 and 1960 and originally consisted of the islands of Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent. Today these islands constitute three sovereign states, with the latter now known as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The island of Dominica was traditionally considered a part of the Leeward Islands until 1940 when it was transferred from the British Leeward Islands colony to the British Windward Islands. It now composes the fourth sovereign state in the group. Barbados (until 1885) and Tobago (until 1889) were also part of the British Windward Islands colony, but are not today regarded as being part of the Windward Islands grouping. Name and geography The prevailing trade winds in the West Indies blow east to west. The combination of trans-Atlantic currents and winds that provided the fastest route across the ocean brought sailing ships heading to the New World to the rough dividing line between two