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: Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint Vincent until 1719. Disputed by France and the UK for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to Britain in 1783. The British prized Saint Vincent due to its fertile soil, which allowed for thriving slave-run plantations of sugar, coffee, indigo, tobacco, cotton, and cocoa. In 1834, the British abolished slavery. Immigration of indentured servants eased the ensuing labor shortage, as did subsequent Portuguese immigrants from Madeira and East Indian laborers. Conditions remained harsh for both former slaves and immigrant agricultural workers, however, as depressed world sugar prices kept the economy stagnant until the early 1900s. The economy then went into a period of decline with many landowners abandoning their estates and leaving the land to be cultivated by liberated slaves. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979. In April 2021, the explosive eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in the north of Saint Vincent destroyed much of Saint Vincent’s most productive agricultural lands. Unlike most of its tourism-dependent neighbors, the Vincentian economy is primarily agricultural. The US provided $4.7 million in humanitarian support after the eruption.


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Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 389 km² (Saint Vincent 344 km²)
Land: 389 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 84 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm

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

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

Elevation
Highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources: hydropower, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 25.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 12.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 7.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 5.1% (2018 est.)
Forest: 68.7% (2018 est.)
Other: 5.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 2,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: hurricanes; La 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; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays


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Population
Distribution: most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown: 100,804 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: -0.16% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
Adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic groups: African descent 71.2%, mixed 23%, Indigenous 3%, East Indian/Indian 1.1%, European 1.5%, other 0.2% (2012 est.)

Languages: English, Vincentian Creole English, French patois

Religions: Protestant 75% (Pentecostal 27.6%, Anglican 13.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.6%, Baptist 8.9%, Methodist 8.7%, Evangelical 3.8%, Salvation Army 0.3%, Presbyterian/Congregational 0.3%), Roman Catholic 6.3%, Rastafarian 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, other 4.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 4.7% (2012 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.05% (male 9,687/female 9,515)
15-64 years: 68.55% (male 35,621/female 33,478)
65 years and over: 12.4% (2023 est.) (male 6,021/female 6,482)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 49
Youth dependency ratio: 32.9
Elderly dependency ratio: 16.1
Potential support ratio: 6.2 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 37 years (2023 est.)
Male: 37.2 years
Female: 36.9 years

Population growth rate: -0.16% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 12.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown

Urbanization
Urban population: 54.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 27,000 KINGSTOWN (capital) (2018)

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; poor land use planning; deforestation; watershed management and squatter settlement control
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
International agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 9.41 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.22 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.09 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 62 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.9 years (2023 est.)
Male: 74.9 years
Female: 79 years

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved: total: 95.1% of population
Unimproved: total: 4.9% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 4.8% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 0.66 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 4.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.7% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 7.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 4.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 5.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

Literacy
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2015)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 41.1% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 39.7%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 43.9%


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Etymology: Saint Vincent was named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS after Saint VINCENT of Saragossa because the 22 January 1498 day of discovery was the saint's feast day

Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital
Name: Kingstown
Geographic coordinates: 13 08 N, 61 13 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: an earlier French settlement was renamed Kingstown by the British in 1763 when they assumed control of the island; the king referred to in the name is GEORGE III (r. 1760-1820)

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Dependent areas

Independence: 27 October 1979 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution
History: previous 1969, 1975; latest drafted 26 July 1979, effective 27 October 1979 (The Saint Vincent Constitution Order 1979)
Amendments: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections on fundamental rights and freedoms, citizen protections, various government functions and authorities, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum of at least two thirds of the votes cast, and assent of the governor general

Legal system: English common law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Susan DOUGAN (since 1 August 2019)
Head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party 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
Description: unicameral House of Assembly (23 seats; 15 representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 6 senators appointed by the governor general, and 2 ex officio members - the speaker of the house and the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 5 November 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
Election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 49.58%, NDP 50.34%, other 0.8%; seats by party - ULP 9, NDP 6

Judicial branch
Highest courts: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 assigned to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; note - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
Subordinate courts: magistrates' courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lou-Anne Gaylene GILCHRIST (since 18 January 2017)
In the us chancery: 1627 K Street, NW, Suite 704, Washington, DC 20,006
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 364-6,730
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 364-6,736
In the us email address and website:
From the us embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to 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, which stands for Vincent; the diamonds recall the islands as "the Gems of the Antilles" and are set slightly lowered in the gold band to reflect the nation's position in the Antilles; blue conveys the colors of a tropical sky and crystal waters, yellow signifies the golden Grenadine sands, and green represents lush vegetation

National symbols: Saint Vincent parrot; national colors: blue, gold, green

National anthem
Name: "St. Vincent! Land So Beautiful!"
Lyrics/music: Phyllis Joyce MCCLEAN PUNNETT/Joel Bertram MIGUEL
Note: adopted 1967

National heritage


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Economy overview: upper middle-income Caribbean island economy; key agriculture and tourism sectors; environmentally fragile; diversifying economy across services, science and knowledge, and creative industries; CARICOM member and US Caribbean Basin Initiative beneficiary

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 87.3% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 16.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 10.8% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 37.1% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -51.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 7.1% (2017 est.)
Industry: 17.4% (2017 est.)
Services: 75.5% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products

Industries: tourism; food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 51,700 (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 41.1% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 39.7%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 43.9%

Population below poverty line: NA

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: NA
Highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $243 million (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $288 million (2020 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt:

Taxes and other revenues: 23.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance:

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:
Partners: Netherlands 45%, India 9%, United States 6%, Barbados 5%, Greece 5% (2021)
Commodities: recreational boats, drilling platforms, cargo ships, wheat flours, animal food, collector's items (2021)

Imports:
Partners: United States 29%, Netherlands 15%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, China 8%, France 5% (2021)
Commodities: dredger ships, refined petroleum, floating docks, aircraft, poultry, packaged medicines (2021)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity access
Electrification-total population: 100% (2021)

Electricity production

Electricity consumption: 133.917 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

Electricity imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

Electricity installed generating capacity: 49,000 kW (2020 est.)

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources
Fossil fuels: 73.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 25.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 1,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 1,621 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 202,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 202,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 27.821 million Btu/person (2019 est.)


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Telephones fixed lines
Total subscriptions: 11,016 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2021 est.)

Telephones mobile cellular
Total subscriptions: 114,892 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: St. Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation operates 1 TV station and 5 repeater stations that provide near total coverage to the multi-island state; multi-channel cable TV service available; a partially government-funded national radio service broadcasts on 1 station and has 2 repeater stations; about a dozen privately owned radio stations and repeater stations

Internet country code: .vc

Internet users
Total: 85,000 (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 85% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 24,733 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF; includes the Coast Guard, Special Services Unit, Rapid Response Unit, Drug Squad, and Anti-Trafficking Unit) (2023)
Note: the RSVPF is the only security force in the country and is responsible for maintaining internal security; it reports to the Minister of National Security, a portfolio held by the prime minister

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: J8

Airports: 6 (2021)
With paved runways: 5
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
With unpaved runways: 1
With unpaved runways note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Airports with paved runways: 5
Note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports with unpaved runways: 1
Note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 832 (2022)
By type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 17, general cargo 148, oil tanker 14, other 621

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Kingstown


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Disputes international: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-Venezuela: joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean; some local demand for cocaine and some use of synthetic drugs