Bequia

{{Infobox ccountry }} Bequia (/ˈbɛkwiː/ or /ˈbɛkweɪ/) is an overseas territory of Mariana. The territory is comprised of the island of Bequia, Fourisle (Isle a Quatre), and the uninhabited Little Nevis and Piegon Islands. Bequia has an area of 19.87 km², and a population of around 4300. Port Elisabeth is the main city in the territory. Bequia means "island of the clouds" in the ancient Arawak. The native population are primarily a mixture of people of African, Marianan, Scottish and Island Carib descent.
 * conventional_long_name = Bequia
 * native_name = Overseas Territory of Mariana
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 * national_anthem =   The Ambrosian
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 * image_map = Bequia_map.png
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 * map_caption = Map of Bequia
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 * capital = Port Elisabeth
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 * largest_city = capital
 * official_languages = {{W|English language|English}}
 * demonym = Bequian
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 * government_type =   {{{W|Constitutional monarchy|constitutional}} {{W|monarchy}}
 * leader_title1 =     Queen
 * leader_name1 = Helene of Mariana
 * leader_title2 =     President of Marigalante
 * leader_name2 = Clarisse Harrow
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 * area_km2 = 170
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 * population_estimate = 13,656
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 * population_estimate_year = 2015
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 * HDI_rank = {{color|green|very high}}
 * HDI_year = 2016
 * currency = Marianan lira
 * currency_code = MAL
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 * drives_on = Right
 * cctld = .ma
 * iso3166code =  MA
 * official_website = www.bequia.com
 * calling_code = +1 627
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History
Caribs and Arawaks used the island for fishing and farming. Bequia was likely visited by Spanish and Portuguese explorers. It was claimed for Mariana in 1623 by the explorers Miquel Viergens and Jannes De Meer, but issues with overlapping claims led Mariana to pay Spain nearly 2 million thalers for full control. During the Seven Years' War it was taken voer by France, later to be returned to Mariana in 1763. Sugar and whaling were important industries in the 17th-19th centuries, now supplanted by tourism.

In 1715, the pirate Basque Jack (Jose Lazcano) set up base in Bequia, where, aided by locals he was able to raid numerous ships, drawing the ire of the Dutch, British and Marianans. Famously in 1718 he took the The famous pirate Edward Teach was also said to have a base in Bequia. Indeed in November 1717 the governor in Marigalante ordered a boat to chase after said pirate, but was unable to locate him.

Transportation
Bequia Paget Airport serves as the island's airport. With a runway length of 3,609 feet (1,100 metres), Bequia can be reached by plane with daily connections from Bridgetown, Barbados and Kingstown, Saint Vincent. Ferries carry passengers to and from other islands in the Grenadines, Saint Vincent

Poltics
Bequia is an overseas territory of Mariana, and thus not integrally a part of Mariana proper. It is not a member of the European Union, being classified under "overseas countries and territories", for which special provisions apply. Through membership in the EU-OCT Association it receives a number of benefits from the EU.

Bequians, interestingly, are EU citizens; no "Bequian citizenship" exists, and being Marianan entails being an EU citizen as well.

Tourism
Tourism forms a significant portion of the Bequian economy. The modern tourism industry began to kick off in the post-WWII period. Most Galantians are in some way tied to the tourism industry through work, either directly or indirectly.

Currency
In the early colonial days, Spanish reales were the commonly-used currency, with the coins being able to be cut into halves, quarters, eighths to suit local needs. Once the Spanish colonies became independent and the coinage began to be scarce, Mexican reales, United States dollars and French caribbean francs all widely circulated.

In 1885 the government founded the Currency Board for the Colonies, in charge of overseeing financial matters in Bequia and Marigalante. The first colonial lira banknotes were issued in 1889, replacing the Mexican real at 2 lira per real. First coins for overseas territories were minted in 1921, but only a few thousand were issued each year in 1921-22, and no more than 800 for 1923-25. A larger coinage series was minted from 1929-1937, and from 1948 to 1956.

Unlike in Mariana, the lira was not redenominated, thus needing 1000 colonial lira for one Marianan lira; thus the highest not in use became 10000 lira.

The CBC was reorganized in 1951 as the Currency Board for the Overseas Territories. In a 2001 referendum, 72% of voters were in favor of adopting the euro, to better facilitate trade with its direct neighbor, Guadeloupe and other Caribbean islands.