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: 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 Caribbean

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

Natural resources: hydropower cropland

Land use

Irrigated land: 10 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Geography
Note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada


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Population: 115,461 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 0.43% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: black 66% mixed 19% East Indian 6% Carib Amerindian 2%

Languages: English French patois

Religions: Anglican 47% Methodist 28% Roman Catholic 13% Seventh-Day Adventist Hindu other Protestant

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.43% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 18.25 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.75 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 17.06 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 2.11 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

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

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: 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
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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: bananas coconuts sweet potatoes spices; small numbers of cattle sheep pigs goats; fish

Industries: food processing cement furniture clothing starch

Industrial production growth rate: -0.9% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 67,000 (1984 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 26%
By occupation industry: 17%
By occupation services: 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: 22% (1997 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2% (1999 est.)

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: $47.8 million (1998 est.)
Commodities: bananas 39% eddoes and dasheen (taro) arrowroot starch tennis racquets
Partners: Caricom countries 49% UK 16% US 10% (1995)

Imports: $180 million (1998 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs machinery and equipment chemicals and fertilizers minerals and fuels
Partners: US 36% Caricom countries 28% UK 13% (1995)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $83.6 million (1997)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)


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Electricity
Production: 64 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 60 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 20,500 (1998)
Mobile cellular: 83 (1993)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $N/A
Percent of gdp: NA%

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: 6 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe