1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 340 sq km land: 340 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative
twice the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Coastline
84 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m
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
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geographic coordinates
13 15 N, 61 12 W
Geography--note
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
Irrigated land
10 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 18% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 36% other: 31% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat
Natural resources
NEGL
Terrain
volcanic, mountainous
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 30% (male 18,160; female 17,524) 15-64 years: 65% (male 39,448; female 38,672) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,762; female 3,953) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
18.34 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
5.23 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
black, white, East Indian, Carib Amerindian
Infant mortality rate
15.16 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English, French patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.8 years male: 72.29 years female: 75.36 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 96% male: 96% female: 96% (1970 est.)
Nationality
noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Net migration rate
-7.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
120,519 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
0.57% (1999 est.)
Religions
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.94 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
Capital
Kingstown
Constitution
27 October 1979
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Data code
VC
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since NA) head of government: Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
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
Government type
constitutional monarchy
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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C. A. LAYNE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 Diplomatic representation from the US: 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)
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party or NDP [James Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15 June 1998 (next to be held by NA May 2003) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NDP 8, ULP 7
National holiday
Independence Day, 27 October (1979)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish
Budget
revenues: $85.7 million expenditures: $98.6 million, including capital expenditures of $25.7 million (1997 est.)
Currency
1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Debt--external
$83.6 million (1997)
Economic aid--recipient
$47.5 million (1995); note?Stabex (EU), $34.5 million (1998)
Economy--overview
Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower-middle-income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995. The tourism sector has considerable potential for development over the next decade. Recent growth has been stimulated by strong activity in the construction sector and an improvement in tourism.
Electricity--consumption
62 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
62 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 67.74% hydro: 32.26% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$47.3 million (1997)
Exports--commodities
bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets
Exports--partners
Caricom countries 49%, UK 16%, US 10% (1995)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$289 million (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 10.6% industry: 17.5% services: 71.9% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
4% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$158.8 million (1997)
Imports--commodities
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Imports--partners
US 36%, Caricom countries 28%, UK 13% (1995)
Industrial production growth rate
-0.9% (1997 est.)
Industries
food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.6% (1996)
Labor force
67,000 (1984 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
35%-40% (1994 est.)
Communications
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 (in addition, there are three repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
20,600 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
6 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 1,040 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 720 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Kingstown
Merchant marine
total: 814 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,726,930 GRT/11,835,144 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 138, cargo 402, chemical tanker 26, combination bulk 11, combination ore/oil 7, container 47, liquefied gas tanker 3, livestock carrier 4, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 64, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 40, roll-on/roll-off cargo 51, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 20 countries among which are Croatia 17, Slovenia 7, China 5, Greece 5, UAE 3, Norway 2, Japan 2, and Ukraine 2 (1998 est.)
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe