2022 Edition

Background

Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint Vincent until 1719. Disputed by France and the UK for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. The British prized Saint Vincent due to its fertile soil, which allowed for thriving slave-run plantations of sugar, coffee, indigo, tobacco, cotton, and cocoa. In 1834, the British abolished slavery. Immigration of indentured servants eased the ensuing labor shortage, as did subsequent Portuguese immigrants from Madeira and East Indian laborers. Conditions remained harsh for both former slaves and immigrant agricultural workers, however, as depressed world sugar prices kept the economy stagnant until the early 1900s. The economy then went into a period of decline with many landowners abandoning their estates and leaving the land to be cultivated by liberated slaves. 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. In April 2021, the explosive eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in the north of Saint Vincent destroyed much of Saint Vincent’s most productive agricultural lands. Unlike most of its tourism-dependent neighbors, the Vincentian economy is primarily agricultural. The US provided $4.7 million in humanitarian support after the eruption.

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

highest point

La Soufriere 1,234 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

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 (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

25.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 12.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 7.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 5.1% (2018 est.)

forest

68.7% (2018 est.)

other

5.7% (2018 est.)

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; La Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threatvolcanism: La Soufriere (1,234 m) on the island of Saint Vincent last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Natural resources

hydropower, arable land

Population distribution

most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Age structure

0-14 years

20.15% (male 10,309/female 10,121)

15-24 years

14.83% (male 7,582/female 7,451)

25-54 years

42.63% (male 22,395/female 20,824)

55-64 years

11.68% (male 6,136/female 5,703)

65 years and over

10.72% (male 5,167/female 5,702) (2020 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

4.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

12.27 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

4.8% of GDP (2019)

Death rate

7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

16.1

potential support ratio

6.2 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

49

youth dependency ratio

32.9

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 95.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 4.9% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

5.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

Ethnic groups

African descent 71.2%, mixed 23%, Indigenous 3%, East Indian/Indian 1.1%, European 1.5%, other 0.2% (2012 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

Hospital bed density

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Infant mortality rate

female

11.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

14.56 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English, Vincentian Creole English, French patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.79 years (2022 est.)

male

74.63 years

total population

76.68 years

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

27,000 KINGSTOWN (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

98 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

35.1 years (2020 est.)

male

35.4 years

total

35.3 years

Nationality

adjective

Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

noun

Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)

Net migration rate

-6.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.7% (2016)

Physicians density

0.66 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population

100,969 (2022 est.)

Population distribution

most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown

Population growth rate

-0.17% (2022 est.)

Religions

Protestant 75% (Pentecostal 27.6%, Anglican 13.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.6%,  Baptist 8.9%, Methodist 8.7%, Evangelical 3.8%, Salvation Army 0.3%, Presbyterian/Congregational 0.3%), Roman Catholic 6.3%,  Rastafarian 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, other 4.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 4.7% (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 90.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 9.8% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2015)

male

14 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.02 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.07 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.73 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.75 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

54.3% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

an earlier French settlement was renamed Kingstown by the British in 1763 when they assumed control of the island; the king referred to in the name is GEORGE III (r. 1760-1820)

geographic coordinates

13 08 N, 61 13 W

name

Kingstown

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections on fundamental rights and freedoms, citizen protections, various government functions and authorities, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum of at least two thirds of the votes cast, and assent of the governor general

history

previous 1969, 1975; latest drafted 26 July 1979, effective 27 October 1979 (The Saint Vincent Constitution Order 1979)

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

etymology

Saint Vincent was named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS after Saint VINCENT of Saragossa because the 22 January 1498 day of discovery was the saint's feast day

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

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

1627 K Street, NW, Suite 1202, Washington, DC 20006

chief of mission

Ambassador Lou-Anne Gaylene GILCHRIST (since 18 January 2017)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

mail@embsvg.comhttp://wa.embassy.gov.vc/washington/

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6730

telephone

[1] (202) 364-6730

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Susan DOUGAN (since 1 August 2019)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; 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" and are set slightly lowered in the gold band to reflect the nation's position in 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 under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence

27 October 1979 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 assigned to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; note - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice

judge selection and term of office

chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62

subordinate courts

magistrates' courts

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral House of Assembly (23 seats; 15 representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 6 senators appointed by the governor general, and 2 ex officio members - the speaker of the house and the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - ULP 49.58%, NDP 50.34%, other 0.8%; seats by party - ULP 9, NDP 6

elections

last held on 5 November 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Phyllis Joyce MCCLEAN PUNNETT/Joel Bertram MIGUEL

name

"St. Vincent! Land So Beautiful!"

note

note: adopted 1967

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

National symbol(s)

Saint Vincent parrot; national colors: blue, gold, green

Political parties and leaders

New Democratic Party or NDP [Dr. Godwin L. FRIDAY]SVG Green Party or SVGP [Ivan O'NEAL]Unity Labor Party or ULP [Dr. Ralph GONSALVES] (formed in 1994 by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

bananas, sugar cane, roots/tubers, plantains, vegetables, fruit, coconuts, sweet potatoes, yams, mangoes/guavas

Budget

expenditures

230 million (2017 est.)

revenues

225.2 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

B3 (2014)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$122 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$116 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$330.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$362.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity, as well as remittances. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is home to a small offshore banking sector and continues to fully adopt international regulatory standards.   This lower-middle-income country remains vulnerable to natural and external shocks. The economy has shown some signs of recovery due to increased tourist arrivals, falling oil prices and renewed growth in the construction sector. The much anticipated international airport opened in early 2017 with hopes for increased airlift and tourism activity. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high public debt burden, which was 67% of GDP at the end of 2013.

Exchange rates

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

2.7 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

2.7 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

2.7 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

2.7 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

2.7 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2016

$47.3 million (2016 est.)

Exports 2018

$320 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

natural gas, drilling platforms and ships, recreational boats, collector's items, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch (2019)

Exports - partners

Jordan 39%, Singapore 14% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

37.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption

16.6% (2017 est.)

household consumption

87.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-51.7% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

10.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.2% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

7.1% (2017 est.)

industry

17.4% (2017 est.)

services

75.5% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$785 million (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2016

$294.6 million (2016 est.)

Imports 2018

$450 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, poultry meats, tug boats, recreational boats (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 30%, Trinidad and Tobago 12%, China 8%, United Kingdom 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

2.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

tourism; food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

-0.2% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

2.2% (2017 est.)

Labor force

57,520 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

26%

industry

17%

services

57% (1980 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

Public debt 2016

82.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

73.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$1.37 billion (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$1.38 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$1.34 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

0.8% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

0.8% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

0.7% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$12,500 (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$12,500 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$12,100 (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$192.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$182.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

28.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2008

18.8% (2008 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

202,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

202,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

133.917 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

49,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

11.083 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

73.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

25.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

27.821 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

1,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,621 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

22 (2020 est.)

total

24,733 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation operates 1 TV station and 5 repeater stations that provide near total coverage to the multi-island state; multi-channel cable TV service available; 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

Internet country code

.vc

Internet users

percent of population

22% (2020 est.)

total

24,408 (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity exceeds 11 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 87 per 100 persons (2020)

general assessment

adequate island-wide, fully automatic telephone system; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) markets; LTE launches; regulatory development; telecom sector contributes greatly to the overall GDP; telecom sector is a growth area (2020)

international

country code - 1-784; landing points for the ECFS, CARCIP and Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cables providing connectivity to US and Caribbean Islands; 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 (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

12,483 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

87 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

97,059 (2020 est.)

Airports

total

6 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

3

total

5

under 914 m

1 (2021)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1

under 914 m

1 (2021)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

J8

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 27, container ship 17, general cargo 155, oil tanker 16, other 577 (2021)

total

792

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

11

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Kingstown

Military - note

the country has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts, and Saint Lucia) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2022)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF; includes the Coast Guard, Special Services Unit, Rapid Response Unit, Drug Squad, and Anti-Trafficking Unit) (2022)

note

note: the RSVPF reports to the minister of national security, a portfolio held by the prime minister

Disputes - international

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-Venezuela: joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs

a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.22 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.09 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

21.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

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; poor land use planning; deforestation; watershed management and squatter settlement control

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

25.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 12.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 7.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 5.1% (2018 est.)

forest

68.7% (2018 est.)

other

5.7% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

100 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

2,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

8.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

54.3% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

31,561 tons (2015 est.)