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.

Map reference:

Area
Total: 340 km²
Land: 340 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Terrain:

Natural resources: negligible

Land use
Arable land: 38%
Permanent crops: 12%
Meadows and pastures: 6%
Forest and woodland: 41%
Other: 3%

Irrigated land: 10 km² (1989 est.)

Population: 114,562 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 0.76% (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups: black African descent, white, East Indian, Carib Indian

Languages: English, French patois

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

Population 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.)

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

Infant mortality rate: 18.3 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total 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

Literacy: age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
Total population: 96%
Male: 96%
Female: 96%

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Kingstown

Administrative divisions:

Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution: 27 October 1979

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In 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

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 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 growth rate: 3% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,500 (1992 est.)

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, 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.)

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $65.7 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets
Partners: UK 43%, CARICOM 37%, US 15%

Imports
Commodoties: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Partners: US 42%, CARICOM 19%, UK 15%

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

Electricity
Production: 16,600 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 555 kWh per capita (1992)

Military expenditures
Percent 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

Airports: 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

Merchant marine:

Disputes international: none