Background: Resistance from native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint Vincent until 1719. France and England disputed the island for most of the 18th century, but it was ceded to England in 1783. The British prized Saint Vincent because of 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 immigrant waves from Portugal and East India. 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 2021, the 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.

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

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 17.9% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 5.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 73.2% (2023 est.)
Other: 8.8% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: hurricanes; La Soufrière volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat
Volcanism: La Soufrière (1,234 m) 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 composed of 32 islands and cays

Population
Total: 100,647 (2024 est.)
Male: 51,249
Female: 49,398
Distribution: most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown
Growth rate: -0.15% (2024 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.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.8% (male 9,527/female 9,353)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 35,401/female 33,288)
65 years and over: 13% (2024 est.) (male 6,321/female 6,757)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 46.5 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 27.5 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 19 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 5.3 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 37.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 37.7 years
Female: 37.4 years

Population growth rate: -0.15% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 11.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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)

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: 0.94 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 56 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75.2 years
Female: 79.3 years

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Total: 90.2% of population

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 18.1% (2024 est.); 18.6% (2023 est.); 19.5% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Kingstown
Geographic coordinates: 13 08 N, 61 13 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

Legal system: English common law

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

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 Godwin FRIDAY (since 28 November 2025)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch
Legislature name: House of Assembly
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 22 (15 directly elected; 6 appointed)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 11/27/2025
Parties elected and seats per party: United Labour Party (ULP) (9); New Democratic Party (NDP) (6)
Percentage of women in chamber: 21.7%
Expected date of next election: November 2,030

Flag description: three vertical bands of blue (left side), gold (double-width), and green; the gold band has three green diamonds arranged in a 'V' pattern that stands for 'Vincent'

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: in use since 1745

Real gdp growth rate: 4.1% (2024 est.); 5.3% (2023 est.); 3.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.1% (2024 est.); 5.3% (2023 est.); 3.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.5% (2024 est.)
Industry: 15.4% (2024 est.)
Services: 66.4% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 7.3% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 52,100 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 18.1% (2024 est.); 18.6% (2023 est.); 19.5% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 18.1% (2024 est.); 18.6% (2023 est.); 19.5% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $226.404 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $208.744 million (2017 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 23.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $425.182 million (2024 est.); $345.098 million (2023 est.); $278.292 million (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: ships, wheat flours, animal food, shellfish, construction vehicles (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $641.179 million (2024 est.); $588.865 million (2023 est.); $540.833 million (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, wheat, coal, poultry (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 55,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 140.316 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 10.868 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 86.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 12.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Exports: 8 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 8,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 268,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 19,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 249,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 37.253 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 10,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 103,000 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 31,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.)

Airports: 5 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 830 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 30, container ship 18, general cargo 137, oil tanker 16, other 629