Background: Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. 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.

Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N 61 12 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 389 km²
Rank: 203
Land: 389 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: twice the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 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
Extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: La Soufriere 1234 m

Natural resources: hydropower cropland

Land use
Arable land: 17.95%
Permanent crops: 17.95%
Other: 64.1% (2005)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2008)

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; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

Population: 103,869 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 193
Growth rate: -0.327% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 217
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic groups: black 66% mixed 19% East Indian 6% European 4% Carib Amerindian 2% other 3%

Languages: English French patois

Religions: Protestant 75% (Anglican 47% Methodist 28%) Roman Catholic 13% other (includes Hindu Seventh-Day Adventist other Protestant) 12%

Age structure
0-14 years: 24.5%
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 36,042/female 33,985)
65 years and over: 8.1% (male 3,807/female 4,555) (2011 est.)

Median age
Total: 30.1 years
Male: 30.2 years
Female: 30 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.327% (2011 est.)
Rank: 217

Birth rate: 14.62 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 138

Death rate: 6.98 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 135

Net migration rate: -10.92 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 210

Urbanization
Urban population: 49% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.031 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 14.27 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 124
Male: 15.54 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 12.97 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.15 years
Rank: 107
Male: 72.26 years
Female: 76.09 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 135

Physicians density: 0.7542 physicians/1000 population (2000)
Rank: 113

Hospital bed density: 3 beds/1000 population (2007)
Rank: 75

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: 6.6% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 20

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Total population: 96%
Male: 96%
Female: 96% (1970 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 13 years (2005)

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

Government type: parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital
Name: Kingstown
Geographic coordinates: 13 09 N 61 14 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

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

Independence: 27 October 1979 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 27 October (1979)

Constitution: 27 October 1979

Legal system: English common law

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II ; represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)
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: the monarchy is hereditary; the 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: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 13 December 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
Election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 51.6% NDP 47.8%; seats by party - ULP 8 NDP 7

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consisting of a High Court and Court of Appeals; based on Saint Lucia; two judges of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; 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 AOSIS C Caricom CDB FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC ISO (subscriber) ITU MIGA NAM OAS OECS OPANAL OPCW PetroCaribe UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador La Celia A. PRINCE
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
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us: 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'; blue conveys the colors of a tropical sky and crystal waters yellow signifies the golden Grenadine sands and green represents lush vegetation

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

Economy overview: Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture tourism and construction activity as well as remittance inflows. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism but persistent high unemployment has prompted many to leave the islands. This lower-middle-income country is vulnerable to natural disasters - tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994 1995 and 2002. In 2008 the islands had more than 200,000 tourist arrivals mostly to the Grenadines a drop of nearly 20% from 2007. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high public debt burden which was over 90% of GDP at the end of 2010. Following the global downturn St. Vincent and the Grenadines saw an economic decline in 2009 after slowing since 2006 when GDP growth reached a 10-year high of nearly 7%. The GONSALVES administration is directing government resources to infrastructure projects including a new international airport that is expected to be completed in 2011.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 199
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 208

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 106
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 7.9%
Industry: 25.2%
Services: 66.9% (2010 est.)

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

Industries: food processing cement furniture clothing starch

Labor force: 57,520 (2007 est.)
Rank: 186
By occupation agriculture: 26%
By occupation industry: 17%
By occupation services: 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (2001 est.)
Rank: 149

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Budget
Revenues: $185.2 million
Expenditures: $222.2 million (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -6.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 171

Taxes and other revenues: 33% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 77

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.4% (2009 est.)
Rank: 48

Central bank discount rate: 6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 51

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.2% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 119

Stock of narrow money: $133 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 180

Stock of broad money: $444.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 176

Stock of domestic credit: $423.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 172

Current account balance: -$198.1 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 88

Exports: $54.76 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 196
Commodities: bananas eddoes and dasheen (taro) arrowroot starch; tennis racquets
Partners: France 43.6% Greece 9.8% Trinidad and Tobago 7.4% St. Lucia 6.6% Barbados 5.4% Dominica 4.3% Grenada 4.1% (2010)

Imports: $293.9 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 192
Commodities: foodstuffs machinery and equipment chemicals and fertilizers minerals and fuels
Partners: Singapore 23.3% Trinidad and Tobago 17% US 14.5% China 12.4% France 5.2% (2010)

Debt external: $208.8 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 175

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 132 million kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 188
Consumption: 122.7 million kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 190
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 138
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 124
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 198
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 198
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 201

Telephones
Main lines in use: 21,700 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 188
Mobile cellular: 131,800 (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 184

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate islandwide fully automatic telephone system
Domestic: fixed-line teledensity exceeds 20 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons
International: country code - 1-784; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables carry international calls; connectivity also provided by VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Broadcast media: St. Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation operates 1 television station and 5 repeater stations that give near total coverage to the multi-island state; multi-channel cable TV service is obtainable; 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 operate (2007)

Internet
Country code: .vc
Hosts: 211 (2010)
Hosts rank: 192
Users: 76,000 (2009)
Users rank: 168

Military expenditures: NA

Airports: 6 (2010)
Rank: 176
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Roadways
Total: 829 km
Rank: 185
Paved: 580 km
Unpaved: 249 km (2003)

Merchant marine
Total: 444
Rank: 23
By type: bulk carrier 76 cargo 274 carrier 16 chemical tanker 4 container 21 liquefied gas 3 passenger 2 passenger/cargo 9 petroleum tanker 10 refrigerated cargo 12 roll on/roll off 15 specialized tanker 2
Foreign owned: 382 (Austria 2 Bangladesh 1 Belgium 6 Bermuda 1 Bulgaria 10 China 82 Croatia 8 Cyprus 2 Czech Republic 1 Denmark 19 Dominica 1 Egypt 4 Estonia 10 France 2 Germany 2 Greece 63 Guyana 2 Hong Kong 4 Israel 3 Italy 5 Japan 3 Kenya 2 Latvia 15 Lebanon 4 Lithuania 10 Monaco 3 Netherlands 2 Nigeria 1 Norway 12 Oman 1 Pakistan 1 Poland 1 Romania 1 Russia 15 Slovenia 2 Sweden 2 Switzerland 5 Syria 13 Turkey 18 UAE 4 UK 7 Ukraine 12 US 19 Venezuela 1)
Note: this country allows large numbers of ships owned by foreign entities to be registered in its national shipping registry and to fly its flag; these ships operate under the laws of the flag state (2010)

Ports and terminals: Kingstown

Disputes international: joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation a criterion under UNCLOS which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation