Map of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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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.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 340 km²
Land: 340 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 84 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: none

Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain:

Elevation

Natural resources: negligible

Land use: arable land: 38%; permanent crops: 12%; meadows and pastures 6%; forest and woodland 41%; other 3%; includes irrigated 3%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 115,339 (July 1992), growth rate 1.1% (1992)

Nationality:

Ethnic groups: mainly of black African descent; remainder mixed, with some white, East Indian, Carib Indian

Languages: English, some French patois

Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 23 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: -7 migrants/1000 population (1992)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: subject to hurricanes; Soufriere volcano is a constant threat
Current issues note: some islands of the Grenadines group are administered by Grenada

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 19 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 74 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1992)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 96% (male 96%, female 96%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Kingstown

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas

Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution: 27 October 1979

Legal system: based on English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18
House of Assembly: last held 16 May 1989 (next to be held NA July 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total; 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators) NDP 15

Executive branch:

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation:
Diplomatic representation:
US: no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Diplomatic representation

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of the economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The economy continues to have a high unemployment rate of 30% because of an overdependence on the weather-plagued banana crop as a major export earner. Government progress toward diversifying into new industries has been relatively unsuccessful.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $146 million, per capita $1,300; real growth rate 5.9% (1989)

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 15% of GDP and 60% of labor force; provides bulk of exports; products - bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, hogs, goats; small fish catch used locally

Industries: food processing (sugar, flour), cement, furniture, clothing, starch, sheet metal, beverage

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 0% (1989; accounts for 14% of GDP

Labor force: 67,000 (1984 est.)
Organized labor: 10% of labor force

Unemployment rate: 30% (1989 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $62 million; expenditures $67 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY90 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year:

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $75 million (f.o.b., 1990)
Commodoties: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets, flour
Partners: UK 43%, CARICOM 37%, US 15%

Imports: $130 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Partners: US 42%, CARICOM 19%, UK 15%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)


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Electricity
Production: 16,594 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 560 kWh per capita (1991)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports:

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine:
Civil air: no major transport aircraft

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs