1996 Edition

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

Location

13 15 N, 61 12 W -- Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago Flag ----

Area

comparative area

twice the size of Washington, DC

land area

340 sq km

total area

340 sq km

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

international agreements

party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

natural hazards

hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Geographic coordinates

13 15 N, 61 12 W

Geographic note

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

10 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

38%

forest and woodland

41%

meadows and pastures

6%

other

3%

permanent crops

12%

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

NEGL

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

highest point

Soufriere 1,234 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 33% (male 19,742; female 19,106) 15-64 years: 62% (male 36,576; female 36,381) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,702; female 3,837) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

19.36 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.4 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

African descent, white, East Indian, Carib Indian

Infant mortality rate

16.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English, French patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.49 years (1996 est.)

male

71.43 years

total population

72.94 years

Literacy

age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.)

female

96%

male

96%

total population

96%

Nationality

adjective

Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

noun

Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)

Net migration rate

-7.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

118,344 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.64% (1996 est.)

Religions

Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist

Sex ratio

all ages

1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.04 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Capital

Kingstown

Constitution

27 October 1979

Data code

VC

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE

telephone

[1] (202) 462-7806, 7846

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a hereditary monarch, represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989)

head of government

Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984); the governor general appoints the leader of the majority party to the position of prime minister; Deputy Prime Minister Carlyle DOUGAN (since 17 September 1995) was 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)

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia)

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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 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 of government

constitutional monarchy

US diplomatic representation

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Agriculture

bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; small fish catch used locally

Budget

expenditures

$118 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1996 est.)

revenues

$80 million

Currency

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic 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 government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995.

Electricity

capacity

16,600 kW

consumption per capita

436 kWh (1993)

production

50 million kWh

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (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 countries 34%, US 10%

External debt

$74.9 million (1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $240 million (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

24%

industry

33.1%

services

42.9% (1994 est.)

GDP per capita

$2,060 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

0.4% (1995 est.)

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 countries 21%, UK 18%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.2% (1995)

Labor force

67,000 (1984 est.)

by occupation

agriculture, industry, services, other (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate

35%-40% (1994 est.)

Branches

Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

NA

males fit for military service

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

76,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic

islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines

international

VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Telephones

6,189 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 cable

Televisions

20,600 (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

6

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

2

with paved runways under 914 m

4 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

330 km

total

1,100 km

unpaved

770 km

Merchant marine

note

a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 24 countries among which are Croatia 42, Russia 14, Slovenia 9, China 9, Germany 2, Serbia 2, Hong Kong 2, Latvia 1, Ukraine 1, and Poland 1 (1995 est.)

ships by type

bulk 106, cargo 305, chemical tanker 20, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 4, container 33, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 5, oil tanker 58, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 35, roll-on/roll-off cargo 25, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 2

total

611 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,690,104 GRT/9,367,014 DWT

Ports

Kingstown

Railways

0 km