2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.7% (male 16,007/female 15,426) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 40,676/female 38,155) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,315/female 4,269) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

6 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

5 914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m

1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1

under 914 m

1 (2006)

Area

land

389 sq km

total

389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, DC

Background

Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. 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. Geography Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Birth rate

16.18 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$85.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

revenues

$94.6 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

13 09 N, 61 14 W

name

Kingstown

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Coastline

84 km

Constitution

27 October 1979

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Currency (code)

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code

XCD

Death rate

5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$223 million (2004)

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

chief of mission

Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN

telephone

[1] (202) 364-6730

Disputes - international

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Economic aid - recipient

$10.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (2004)

Economy - overview

Economic growth in this lower-middle-income country hinges upon seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean suffered low arrivals in the immediate aftermath of 11 September 2001. The islands had more than 160,000 tourist arrivals in 2005, mostly to the Grenadines. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. Saint Vincent is also a producer of marijuana and is being used as a transshipment point for illegal narcotics from South America.

Electricity - consumption

106 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

114 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

69.3%

hydro

30.7%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

La Soufriere 1,234 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)

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

head of government

Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)

Exports

$37 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis racquets

Exports - partners

UK 26.7%, Barbados 12.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, Saint Lucia 10.9%, US 9.2%, Dominica 7.2%, Grenada 6.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.2% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6736

consulate(s) general

New York

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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 Economy Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

10%

industry

26%

services

64% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.9% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$428 million (2005)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$342 million (2002 est.)

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; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays People Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Government type

parliamentary democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$225 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels

Imports - partners

US 33.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 23.6%, UK 9.4%, Japan 4.2% (2005)

Independence

27 October 1979 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.9% (1997 est.)

Industries

food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Infant mortality rate

female

13.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

15.67 deaths/1,000 live births

total

14.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Internet country code

.vc

Internet hosts

94 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

15 (2000)

Internet users

8,000 (2005) Transportation Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Labor force

41,680 (1991 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

26%

industry

17%

services

57% (1980 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

17.95%

other

64.1% (2005)

permanent crops

17.95%

Languages

English, French patois

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - ULP 55.26%, NDP 44.68%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

elections

last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held 2010)

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.77 years (2006 est.)

male

71.99 years

total population

73.85 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

96% (1970 est.) Government Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

male

96%

total population

96%

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

31,489 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

25,787 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

1,204 (2005 est.)

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

Median age

female

27.1 years (2006 est.)

male

26.7 years

total

26.9 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 106, cargo 351, chemical tanker 5, container 20, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 38, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 3

foreign-owned

529 (Bangladesh 1, Barbados 1, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 17, Canada 6, China 103, Croatia 9, Cyprus 1, Czech Republic

registered in other countries

1 (Comoros 1) (2006)

total

589 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,449,699 GRT/8,051,250 DWT

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard (2005)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA Transnational Issues Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Nationality

adjective

Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

noun

Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

hydropower, cropland

Net migration rate

-7.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

117,848 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.26% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Kingstown Military Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios

77,000 (1997)

Religions

Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant

Roadways

paved

580 km

total

829 km

unpaved

249 km (2003)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

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

general assessment

adequate system

international

country code - 1-784; 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 - main lines in use

22,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

70,600 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Televisions

18,000 (1997)

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Total fertility rate

1.83 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

15% (2001 est.)