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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Background: Disputed between France and Great Britain in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969, and independence in 1979.
Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area:
Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 84 km Maritime claims:
Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) Terrain: volcanic, mountainous Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: hydropower, cropland Land use:
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
Population: 115,461 (July 2000 est.) Age structure:
Population growth rate: 0.43% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 18.25 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: -7.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 17.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 2.11 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2% Religions: Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Hindu, other Protestant Languages: English, French patois Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: VC Government type: parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth Capital: Kingstown Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979) Constitution: 27 October 1979 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch:
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia), one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent Political parties and leaders: National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [James F. MITCHELL]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU) International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Flag description: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
Economy - overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower-middle-income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and a high unemployment rate of 22% continues. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995. The tourism sector has considerable potential for development over the next decade. Recent growth has been stimulated by strong activity in the construction sector and an improvement in tourism. There is a small manufacturing sector and a small offshore financial sector whose particularly restrictive secrecy laws have caused some international concern. GDP: purchasing power parity - $309 million (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1999 est.) Labor force: 67,000 (1984 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.) Unemployment rate: 22% (1997 est.) Budget:
Industries: food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch Industrial production growth rate: -0.9% (1997 est.) Electricity - production: 64 million kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 60 million kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish Exports: $47.8 million (1998 est.) Exports - commodities: bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets Exports - partners: Caricom countries 49%, UK 16%, US 10% (1995) Imports: $180 million (1998 est.) Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels Imports - partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 28%, UK 13% (1995) Debt - external: $83.6 million (1997) Economic aid - recipient: $47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998) Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 20,500 (1998) Telephones - mobile cellular: 83 (1993) Telephone system:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 77,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 18,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Railways: 0 km Highways:
Ports and harbors: Kingstown Merchant marine:
Airports: 6 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Military branches: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Disputes - international: none Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
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