This eastern Caribbean country consists of volcanic St. Vincent island and the Grenadines, 32 smaller islands and cays. St. Vincent is hilly with rich volcanic soils, and its volcano, Soufrière, last erupted in 1979—the year of independence from Britain. Two hydroelectric plants help power St. Vincent's diversifying economy, dependent in part on exports of bananas and arrowroot, valuable as a starch in carbonless copy paper. Tourism is of growing importance.