1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 340 sq km land area: 340 sq km 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
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 natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano is a constant threat international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
10 sq km (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
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
negligible
Note
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
Terrain
volcanic, mountainous; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 34% (female 19,551; male 20,185) 15-64 years: 61% (female 35,565; male 35,573) 65 years and over: 5% (female 3,793; male 2,677) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
19.62 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
5.46 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
African descent, Caucasian, East Indian, Carib Indian
Infant mortality rate
17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
67,000 (1984 est.) by occupation: NA
Languages
English, French patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.66 years male: 71.15 years female: 74.21 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over has 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
-7.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
117,344 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
0.65% (1995 est.)
Religions
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist
Total fertility rate
2.08 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
Capital
Kingstown
Constitution
27 October 1979
Digraph
VC
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE chancery: 1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7806, 7846
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989) head of government: Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984); Deputy Prime Minister Parnel CAMPBELL (since NA February 1994); note - governor general appoints leader of the majority party to position of prime minister cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
FAX
[1] (202) 462-7807
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
House of Assembly
elections last held 21 February 1994 (next to be held NA July 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators) NDP 12, ULP 3
Independence
27 October 1979 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia)
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral
Member of
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, 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 MITCHELL (son of Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL); United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; National Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL; Unity Labor Party (ULP),Vincent BEACHE - formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP) and the Movement for National Unity (MNU)
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 14% 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: $66.2 expenditures: $77.3 million, including capital expenditures of $23 million (1993 est.)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $11 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $81 million
Electricity
capacity: 16,600 kW production: 50 million kWh consumption per capita: 436 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$57.1 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets partners: UK 54%, CARICOM 34%, US 10%
External debt
$74.9 million (1993)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe
Imports
$134.6 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels partners: US 36%, CARICOM 21%, UK 18%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%
Industrial production
NA
Industries
food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4% (1993 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $235 million (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$2,000 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
2% (1994 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. In 1993, economic growth slowed to 1.4%, reflecting a sharp decline in agricultural production caused by drought. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue.
Unemployment rate
35%-40% (1994 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
6,500 telephones; islandwide fully automatic telephone system local: NA intercity: VHF/UHF interisland links from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines international: VHF/UHF interisland links from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF links to Grenada and to Saint Lucia
Television
broadcast stations: 1 cable televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 6 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 4
Highways
total: 1,000 km paved: 300 km unpaved: improved earth 400 km; unimproved earth 300 km
Merchant marine
total: 580 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,212,812 GRT/8,530,725 DWT ships by type: bulk 106, cargo 289, chemical tanker 15, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 3, container 36, liquefied gas tanker 5, livestock carrier 2, oil tanker 53, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 30, roll-on/roll-off cargo 25, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes 16 countries among which are Croatia 49 ships, Russia 23, Slovenia 11, China 8, Germany 3, Serbia 2, Latvia 1, Montenegro 1, Georgia 1, UAR 1
Ports
Kingstown
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ SAN MARINO