1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 340 km2 land area: 340 km2 comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Coastline
84 km
Environment
subject to hurricanes; Soufriere volcano is a constant threat
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
10 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 38% permanent crops: 12% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 41% other: 3%
Location
in the eastern Caribbean Sea about three-fourths of the way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
negligible
Note
some islands of the Grenadines group are administered by Grenada
Terrain
volcanic, mountainous; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent
People and Society
Birth rate
20.86 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
5.39 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
black African descent, white, East Indian, Carib Indian
Infant mortality rate
18.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
67,000 (1984 est.) by occupation: NA
Languages
English, French patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 71.72 years male: 70.21 years female: 73.28 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) total population: 96% male: 96% female: 96%
Nationality
noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Net migration rate
-7.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
114,562 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
0.76% (1993 est.)
Religions
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist
Total fertility rate
2.16 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
Capital
Kingstown
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989)
Constitution
27 October 1979
Digraph
VC
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley LAYNE chancery: 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: NA
Executive branch
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, Cabinet
Flag
three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
Head of Government
Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984)
House of Assembly
last held 16 May 1989 (next to be held NA July 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total; 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators) NDP 15
Independence
27 October 1979 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly
Member of
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
National holiday
Independence Day, 27 October (1979)
Political parties and leaders
New Democratic Party (NDP), James (Son) MITCHELL; Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP), Stanley JOHN; United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; Movement for National Unity (MNU), Ralph GONSALVES; National Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
constitutional monarchy
US diplomatic representation
no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)
Economy
Agriculture
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
Budget
revenues $62 million; expenditures $67 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY90 est.)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $11 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $81 million
Electricity
16,600 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 555 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$65.7 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets partners: UK 43%, CARICOM 37%, US 15%
External debt
$50.9 million (1989)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$110.7 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels partners: US 42%, CARICOM 19%, UK 15%
Industrial production
growth rate 0% (1989); accounts for 14% of GDP
Industries
food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.3% (1991 est.)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $171 million (1992 est.)
National product per capita
$1,500 (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate
3% (1992 est.)
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.
Unemployment rate
35%-40% (1992 est.)
Communications
Airports
total: 6 usable: 6 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Highways
1,000 km total; 300 km paved; 400 km improved; 300 km unimproved (est.)
Merchant marine
407 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,388,427 GRT/5,511,325 DWT; includes 3 passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 222 cargo, 22 container, 19 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 14 refrigerated cargo, 24 oil tanker, 7 chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 73 bulk, 13 combination bulk, 2 vehicle carrier, 1 livestock carrier, 1 specialized tanker; note - China owns 3 ships; a flag of convenience registry
Ports
Kingstown
Telecommunications
islandwide fully automatic telephone system; 6,500 telephones; VHF/UHF interisland links from Saint Vincent to Barbados and the Grenadines; new SHF links to Grenada and Saint Lucia; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV (cable)
Military and Security
Branches
Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
NA