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

Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 389 km²
Note: (Saint Vincent 344 km²)
Land: 389 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 204
Comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 84 km

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

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

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

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

Natural resources: hydropower, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 25.6% (2011 est.)
Forest: 68.7% (2011 est.)
Other: 5.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: hurricanes; La Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threatvolcanism: La Soufriere (1,234 m) on the island of Saint Vincent last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

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
Distribution: most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown: 101,390 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 194
Growth rate: -0.22% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 210
Below poverty line note: 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 .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 .3%, Presbyterian/Congregational .3%), Roman Catholic 6.3%, Rastafarian 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, other 4.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 4.7% (2012 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.15% (male 10,309/female 10,121)
15-24 years: 14.83% (male 7,582/female 7,451)
25-54 years: 42.63% (male 22,395/female 20,824)
55-64 years: 11.68% (male 6,136/female 5,703)
65 years and over: 10.72% (male 5,167/female 5,702) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 46.7
Youth dependency ratio: 32.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 14.5
Potential support ratio: 6.9 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 35.3 years
Male: 35.4 years
Female: 35.1 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 86

Population growth rate: -0.22% (2020 est.)
Rank: 210

Birth rate: 12.6 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 153

Death rate: 7.6 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 100

Net migration rate: -7.2 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 209

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 53% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 1.03% annual rate of change

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, 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: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 11 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 12 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 10 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 122

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.2 years
Male: 74.1 years
Female: 78.3 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 101

Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 157

Current health expenditure: 4.5% (2017)

Physicians density: 0.66 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 4.3 beds/1000 population (2016)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.5% (2018)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 30
People living with hivaids: 1200 (2018)
People living with hivaids rank: 142
Deaths note: <100 (2018)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.7% (2016)
Rank: 64

Education expenditures: 5.7% of GDP (2018)
Rank: 30

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

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 saints 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

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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); 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
Electionsappointments: 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: Democratic Republican Party or DRP [Anesia BAPTISTE]New Democratic Party or NDP [Godwin L. FRIDAY]Unity Labor Party or ULP [Dr. Ralph GONSALVES] (formed in 1994 by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)SVG Green Party or SVGP [Ivan O'NEAL]

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 1202, Washington, DC 20,006
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 364-6,730
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 364-6,730
In the us consulate: 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' 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!
Lyricsmusic: Phyllis Joyce MCCLEAN PUNNETT/Joel Bertram MIGUEL
Note: adopted 1967

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

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 182

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 110

Gross national saving:
Rank: 148

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2017 est.)
Rank: 118

Labor force: 57,520 (2007 est.)
Rank: 187
By occupation agriculture: 26%
By occupation industry: 17%
By occupation services: 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: 18.8% (2008 est.)
Rank: 185

Population below poverty line
Note: NA

Budget
Revenues: 225.2 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 230 million (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 66

Taxes and other revenues: 28.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 93

Public debt:
Rank: 42

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 121

Current account balance:
Rank: 90

Exports:
Rank: 204
Partners: Jordan 40.7%, France 12.5%, Barbados 7%, St. Lucia 6.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 5.7%, US 5.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.7% (2017)
Commodities: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis racquets

Imports:
Rank: 207
Commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Partners: US 36.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.1%, UK 7%, China 5.8% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 178

Debt external:
Rank: 182

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 157 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 196
Consumption: 146 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 198
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 191
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 193
Installed generating capacity: 54,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 188
Generation sources fossil fuels: 85% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 71
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 175
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 110
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 143

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 194
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 187
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 189
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 189

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 196
Products consumption: 1620 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 197
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 197
Products imports: 1621 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 193

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 191
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 193
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 176
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 182
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 188

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 226,800 Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 196

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 11,889
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.7 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 187
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 94,367
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92.87 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 194

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
Users total: 22,803
Users percent of population: 22.39% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 208

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 24,613
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2018 est.)
Rank: 149

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; the Special Services Unit (SSU) is the paramilitary arm of the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF) (2019)

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 (2016)

Airports: 6 (2013)
Rank: 176
With paved runways total: 5 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2017)
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Merchant marine
Total: 810
By type: bulk carrier 19, container ship 12, general cargo 172, oil tanker 16, other 591 (2019)
Rank: 28

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Kingstown

Disputes international: 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

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