CaII spectroscopy of SMC red giants. V.

We added this information to that available in the literature for other clusters studied with the same method, compiling a final sample of 48 clusters with metallicities homogeneously determined. Clusters of the final sample are distributed in an area of 70deg^2^ and cover an age range from 0.4 Gyr to 10.5 Gyr. This is the largest sample of spectroscopically analyzed SMC clusters available to date.

We confirm the large cluster metallicity dispersion (~0.6dex) at any given age in the inner region of the SMC. The metallicity distribution of our new cluster sample shows a lower probability of being bimodal than suggested in previous studies. The separate chemical analysis of clusters in the six components (Main Body, Counter-Bridge, West Halo, Wing/Bridge, Northern Bridge and Southern Bridge) shows that only clusters belonging to the Northern Bridge appear to trace a V-Shape, showing a clear inversion of the metallicity gradient in the outer regions.

There is a suggestion of a metallicity gradient in theWest Halo, similar to that previously found for field stars. It presents, however, a very large uncertainty. Also, clusters belonging to theWest Halo,Wing/Bridge and Southern Bridge exhibit a well-defined age-metallicity relation with relatively little scatter in abundance at fixed age compared to other regions.