2024 Edition Primary

Background

Resistance from native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint Vincent until 1719. France and England disputed the island for most of the 18th century, but it was ceded to England in 1783. The British prized Saint Vincent because of 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 immigrant waves from Portugal and East India. 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 2021, the 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. 

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

18.8% (male 9,527/female 9,353)

15-64 years

68.2% (male 35,401/female 33,288)

65 years and over

13% (2024 est.) (male 6,321/female 6,757)

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

11.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

4.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.85 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

13.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

English, Vincentian Creole English, French patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.3 years

male

75.2 years

total population

77.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

27,000 KINGSTOWN (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

62 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

37.4 years

male

37.7 years

total

37.6 years (2024 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

noun

Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)

Net migration rate

-5.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.7% (2016)

Physician density

0.66 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population

female

49,398 (2024 est.)

male

51,249

total

100,647

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

-0.15% (2024 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

15-64 years

1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.94 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.74 children born/woman (2024 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 704, 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) 364-6736

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 Everard 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, ACS, 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; composition - men 18, women 5, percentage women 21.7%

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

New Democratic Party or NDPSVG Green Party or SVGPUnity Labor Party or ULP (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, root vegetables, plantains, vegetables, fruits, coconuts, mangoes/guavas, yams, spices, sweet potatoes (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$208.744 million (2017 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$226.404 million (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 2021

-$197.13 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$186.777 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$142.763 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$414.492 million (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

upper middle-income Caribbean island economy; key agriculture and tourism sectors; environmentally fragile; diversifying economy across services, science and knowledge, and creative industries; CARICOM member and US Caribbean Basin Initiative beneficiary

Exchange rates

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

2.7 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.7 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.7 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.7 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2.7 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$140.607 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$278.292 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$347.827 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, fish, shellfish, wheat (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Malaysia 34%, US 10%, Greece 9%, Barbados 8%, Spain 6% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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

4.2% (2023 est.)

industry

14.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

64.2% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.066 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports

Imports 2021

$425.694 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$537.929 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$566.477 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, poultry, ships, raw sugar, plastic products (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

US 40%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, China 6%, UK 6%, Turkey 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

3.91% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.57% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5.66% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.56% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

53,000 (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

Public debt 2017

73.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.635 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.752 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.858 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

0.75% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

7.16% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

6.02% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$15,700 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$16,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$17,900 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

8.03% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

9.17% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

6.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$311.903 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$320.193 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$280.564 million (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

20.28% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

19.51% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

18.67% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

42% (2023 est.)

male

42.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

42.3% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

246,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

246,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

exports

16.8 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

16 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

162.316 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

54,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

10.868 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

75.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

23.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

1.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

35.826 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2022 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

85% (2021 est.)

total

85,000 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is 11 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is 110 per 100 persons (2021)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

11,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

100 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

104,000 (2022 est.)

Airports

5 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

J8

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 30, container ship 18, general cargo 137, oil tanker 16, other 629

total

830 (2023)

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

11

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports

key ports

Kingstown

ports with oil terminals

1

small

1

total ports

1 (2024)

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, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, 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 (2024)

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) (2024)

note

note: the RSVPF is the only security force in the country and is responsible for maintaining internal security; it reports to the Minister of National Security, a portfolio held by the prime minister

Illicit drugs

a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean; some local demand for cocaine and some use of synthetic drugs

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.22 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.09 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

9.41 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

2,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

10 million cubic meters (2020 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.)