Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

15 (2000)

Internet country code

.vc

Internet users

2,000 (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

77,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate 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 - main lines in use

20,500 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

18,000 (1997)

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

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code

XCD

Debt - external

$99.3 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$47.5 million (1995); note - 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 a high unemployment rate persists. 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. There is a small manufacturing sector and a small offshore financial sector whose particularly restrictive secrecy laws have caused some international concern.

Electricity - consumption

76.3 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

82 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 73.17% hydro: 26.83% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports

$53.7 million (2000 est.)

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 - $322 million (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 10.6% industry: 17.5% services: 71.9% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,800 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$185.6 million (2000 est.)

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)

2% (1999 est.)

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

22% (1997 est.)

Area

total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) land: 389 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, Environmental Modification, 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

hydropower, cropland

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Ralph GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001) 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

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6736

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

parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

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

Judicial branch

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

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 28 March 2001 (next to be held by NA March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Political parties and leaders

National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; 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

Background

Disputed between France and Great Britain in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969, and independence in 1979.

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%

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.61% (male 17,466; female 16,865) 15-64 years: 64.04% (male 38,074; female 36,179) 65 years and over: 6.35% (male 3,162; female 4,196) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

17.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

6.16 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

16.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

English, French patois

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.56 years male: 70.83 years female: 74.34 years (2001 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

-7.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

115,942 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

0.4% (2001 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.06 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Airports

6 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 1,040 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 720 km (1996)

Merchant marine

total: 800 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,705,336 GRT/10,134,002 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 131, cargo 395, chemical tanker 29, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 1, container 46, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 56, refrigerated cargo 42, roll on/roll off 49, short-sea passenger 11, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: China 4, Ireland 1, France 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 1, Croatia 10, India 1, Japan 2, Monaco 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Pakistan 1, Russia 1, Slovenia 5, UAE 1 (2000 est.)

Ports and harbors

Kingstown

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none