2010 Edition

Background

Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint 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.

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

Climate

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

Coastline

84 km

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

83 cu m/yr (1995)

total

0.01

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

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

17.95%

other

64.1% (2005)

permanent crops

17.95%

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, 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

hydropower, cropland

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.9% (male 13,637/female 13,425) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 35,693/female 33,701) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 3,659/female 4,459) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

14.89 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

6.94 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

7% of GDP (2007)

Ethnic groups

black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, European 4%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 3%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

13.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

16 deaths/1,000 live births

total

14.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English, French patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.82 years (2010 est.)

male

72.04 years

total population

73.9 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

96% (1970 est.)

male

96%

total population

96%

Median age

female

29.4 years (2010 est.)

male

29.6 years

total

29.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

noun

Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)

Net migration rate

-11.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

104,217 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.341% (2010 est.)

Religions

Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant) 12%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2005)

male

12 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.94 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

47% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

13 09 N, 61 14 W

name

Kingstown

time difference

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

Constitution

27 October 1979

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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 La Celia A. PRINCE

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6736

telephone

[1] (202) 364-6730

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

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

elections

the monarchy is hereditary; the governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party 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)

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, which stands for Vincent; the diamonds recall the islands as the "Gems of the Antilles"; blue conveys the colors of a tropical sky and crystal waters, yellow signifies the golden Grenadine sands, and green represents lush vegetation

Government type

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

27 October 1979 (from the UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AOSIS, 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, PetroCaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consisting of a High Court and Court of Appeals; based on Saint Lucia; two judges of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Legal system

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - ULP 51.6%, NDP 47.8%; seats by party - ULP 8, NDP 7

elections

last held on 13 December 2010 (next to be held in 2015)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Phyllis Joyce MCCLEAN PUNNETT/Joel Bertram MIGUEL note: adopted 1967

name

"St. Vincent! Land So Beautiful!"

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2009) 6.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.19% (31 December 2009 est.) 9.52% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$149 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$479 million (2010 est.) $223 million (2004)

Economy - overview

Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity as well as remittance inflows. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism, but persistent high unemployment has prompted many to leave the islands. This lower-middle-income country is vulnerable to natural disasters - tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002. In 2008, the islands had more than 200,000 tourist arrivals, mostly to the Grenadines, a drop of nearly 20% from 2007. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high public debt burden, which was over 90% of GDP at the end of 2010. Following the global downturn, St. Vincent and the Grenadines saw an economic decline in 2009, after slowing since 2006, when GDP growth reached a 10-year high of nearly 7%. The GONSALVES administration is directing government resources to infrastructure projects, including a new international airport that is expected to be completed in 2011.

Electricity - consumption

124.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

133.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)

Exports

$193 million (2006)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Greece 40.04%, Poland 11.78%, France 9.05%, China 8.53%, India 4.71% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

10%

industry

26%

services

64% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$10,600 (2010 est.) $10,500 (2009 est.) $10,600 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

0.5% (2010 est.) -1% (2009 est.) -0.6% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$583 million (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.107 billion (2010 est.) $1.102 billion (2009 est.) $1.112 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$578 million (2006)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Singapore 16.16%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.71%, US 13.41%, China 10.9%, Italy 8.89%, Turkey 6.6%, France 5.64%, Romania 4.44% (2009)

Industries

food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.8% (2009 est.) 5.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force

57,520 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

26%

industry

17%

services

57% (1980 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

1,451 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Stock of broad money

$444.4 million (31 December 2009) $453.5 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit

$417.4 million (31 December 2008 est.) $387.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$133 million (31 December 2009) $138.7 million (31 December 2008)

Unemployment rate

15% (2001 est.)

Broadcast media

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation operates 1 television station and 5 repeater stations that give near total coverage to the multi-island state; multi-channel cable TV service is obtainable; a partially government-funded national radio service broadcasts on 1 station and has 2 repeater stations; about a dozen privately-owned radio stations and repeater stations operate (2007)

Internet country code

.vc

Internet hosts

211 (2010)

Internet users

76,000 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 telephones per 100 persons

general assessment

adequate system

international

country code - 1-784; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables carry international calls; connectivity also provided by VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use

23,000 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

121,100 (2009)

Airports

6 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 76, cargo 274, carrier 16, chemical tanker 4, container 21, liquefied gas 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 2

foreign-owned

382 (Austria 2, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 6, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 10, China 82, Croatia 8, Cyprus 2, Czech Republic 1, Denmark 19, Dominica 1, Egypt 4, Estonia 10, France 2, Germany 2, Greece 63, Guyana 2, Hong Kong 4, Israel 3, Italy 5, Japan 3, Kenya 2, Latvia 15, Lebanon 4, Lithuania 10, Monaco 3, Netherlands 2, Nigeria 1, Norway 12, Oman 1, Pakistan 1, Poland 1, Romania 1, Russia 15, Slovenia 2, Sweden 2, Switzerland 5, Syria 13, Turkey 18, UAE 4, UK 7, Ukraine 12, US 19, Venezuela 1) (2010)

total

444

Ports and terminals

Kingstown

Roadways

paved

580 km

total

829 km

unpaved

249 km (2003)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 27,940 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 22,932 females age 16-49: 22,134 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

979 (2010 est.)

male

990

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard; for national defense, Saint Vincent relies on the Regional Security System, headquartered in Barbados (2010)

Military expenditures

NA

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

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation page last updated on January 11, 2011 ======================================================================