Statistical information Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1993

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: in the eastern Caribbean Sea about three-fourths of the way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard
Time Zones of the World
AreaTotal: 340 km²
Land: 340 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
CoastlineMaritime claimsClimate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain:
volcanic, mountainous; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint
Vincent
ElevationNatural resources: negligible
Land useArable land: 38%
Permanent crops: 12%
Meadows and pastures: 6%
Forest and woodland: 41%
Other: 3%
Irrigated land: 10 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 114,562 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 0.76% (1993 est.)
NationalityEthnic groups: black African descent, white, East Indian, Carib Indian
Languages: English, French patois
Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.76% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 20.86 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 5.39 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: -7.92 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to hurricanes; Soufriere volcano is a constant threat
Current issues note: some islands of the Grenadines group are administered by Grenada
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 18.3 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 71.72 years
Male: 70.21 years
Female: 73.28 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
Adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
Total population: 96%
Male: 96%
Female: 96%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Kingstown
Administrative divisions:
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew,
Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
Dependent areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchLegislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley LAYNE
In the us chancery: 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: NA
From the us: no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)
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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 35%-40% 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 3% (1992 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $1,500 (1992 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture 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, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 0% (1989; accounts for 14% of GDP
Labor force: 67,000 (1984 est.)
By occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 35%-40% (1992 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $62 million; expenditures $67 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY90 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $65.7 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets
Partners: UK 43%, CARICOM 37%, US 15%
ImportsCommodoties: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Partners: US 42%, CARICOM 19%, UK 15%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 16,600 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 555 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Percent of gdp July 1994 SuDoc No. C 1.88: 994/7/v.1-2 / R. Muns, UM-St. Louis Libraries
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 6
Usable: 6
With permanentsurface runways: 5
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 0
With runways 1220-2439 m: 1
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine:
407 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,388,427
GRT/5,511,325 DWT; includes 3 passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 222 cargo, 22 container, 19 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 14 refrigerated cargo, 24 oil tanker, 7 chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 73 bulk, 13 combination bulk, 2 vehicle carrier, 1 livestock carrier, 1 specialized tanker; note - China owns 3 ships; a flag of convenience registry
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs