Statistical information Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1997

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: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W
Map reference:
Central America and the CaribbeanAreaTotal: 340 km²
Land: 340 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 84 km
Maritime claimsContiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain: volcanic, mountainous
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land useArable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 18%
Permanent pastures: 5%
Forests and woodland: 36%
Other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat
GeographyNote: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
top of pagePopulation: 119,092 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 0.62% (1997 est.)
NationalityNoun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
Adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Ethnic groups: black, white, East Indian, Carib Amerindian
Languages: English, French patois
Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 32% (male 19,208; female 18,571)
15-64 years: 63% (male 37,555; female 37,166)
65 years and over: 5% (male 2,719; female 3,873) (July 1997 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.62% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 19.07 births/1000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.35 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -7.52 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 16.2 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 73.22 years
Male: 71.71 years
Female: 74.78 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (1997 est.)
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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Total population: 96%
Male: 96%
Female: 96% (1970 est.)
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 branchChief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989)
Head of government: Prime Minister James Fitz-Allen MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; members are elected by popular vote from single member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 21 February 1994 (next to be held by NA May 1999)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 12, ULP 3
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent
Political parties and leadersInternational 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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE
In the us chancery: 3,216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,016
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 364-6,730
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 364-6,736
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 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 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 high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue. 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,190 (1996 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 12%
Industry: 18%
Services: 70% (1995 est.)
Agriculture products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; small fish catch used locally
Industries: food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor forceTotal: 67,000 (1984 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 26%
By occupation industry: 17%
By occupation services: 57% (1980 est.)
Unemployment rate: 35%-40% (1994 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $80 million
Expenditures: $118 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1996 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 balanceExportsTotal value: $55 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodities: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets
Partners: Caricom countries 57%, UK 29%, US 9% (1994)
ImportsTotal value: $122 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Partners: US 35%, Caricom countries 27%, UK 12% (1994)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $93 million (1996 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (February 1997; fixed rate since 1976)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 20,000 kW (1993)
Production: 61.6 million kWh (1993)
Consumption per capita: 480 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 6,189 (1983 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines
International: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 6 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 4 (1996 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marineTotal: 692 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,545,742 GRT/10,306,453 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 114, cargo 349, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 6, container 36, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 5, multi-function large load carrier 1, oil tanker 65, passenger 3, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 35, roll-on/roll-off cargo 34, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1
Note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 24 countries among which are Croatia 29, Slovenia 9, China 9, Greece 5, Norway 3, Ukraine 3, UAE 3, Germany 2, Russia 2, Syria 1 (1996 est.)
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transshipment points for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe