Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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 (2007)

Internet country code

.vc

Internet users

total: 76,000 | percent of population: 72.7% (2009) | country comparison to the world: 177

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 8, shortwave 0 (2008)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate islandwide, fully automatic telephone system | domestic: fixed-line teledensity exceeds 20 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 125 per 100 persons | 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 (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 23,900 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 115,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2004)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $185.2 million | expenditures: $185.2 million (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2010) | 6.5% (31 December 2009) | country comparison to the world: 54

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9% (31 December 2014 est.) | 9.44% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97

Current account balance

-$216 million (2014 est.) | -$223 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Debt - external

$282.7 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $292.7 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

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. Floods and mudslides caused by unseasonable 2013 rainfall caused substantial damage to infrastructure, homes, and crops, which the World Bank estimated at US$112 million. In 2013, the islands had more than 200,000 tourist arrivals, mostly to the Grenadines. The arrival numbers represent a marginal increase from 2012 but remain 26% below St. Vincent's 2009 peak. 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 67% of GDP - one of the lowest levels in the Eastern Caribbean - at the end of 2013. Weak recovery in the tourism and construction sectors limited growth in 2014.

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - | 2.7 (2014 est.) | 2.7 (2013 est.) | 2.7 (2012 est.) | 2.7 (2011 est.) | 2.7 (2010 est.)

Exports

$48.2 million (2014 est.) | $53.4 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 202

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Trinidad and Tobago 17.7%, St. Lucia 13.2%, Barbados 11%, Turkey 9.6%, Dominica 8.7%, Grenada 8.3%, Antigua and Barbuda 7.5%, France 6.5% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$729 million (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.174 billion (2014 est.) | $1.177 billion (2013 est.) | $1.15 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 202

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 96.6% | government consumption: 17.3% | investment in fixed capital: 24.4% | investment in inventories: 0% | exports of goods and services: 19.4% | imports of goods and services: -57.7% | (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 7.5% | industry: 17.9% | services: 74.6% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$10,700 (2014 est.) | $10,700 (2013 est.) | $10,500 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 133

GDP - real growth rate

-0.2% (2014 est.) | 2.3% (2013 est.) | 1.3% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 201

Gross national saving

-2.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | -6.2% of GDP (2013 est.) | -3.5% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 177

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$313.6 million (2014 est.) | $333.5 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 198

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Trinidad and Tobago 24.7%, US 19%, Singapore 17.2%, China 6.8%, Barbados 5.2%, Turkey 4.3% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.2% (2014 est.) | 0.8% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Labor force

57,520 (2007 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 26% | industry: 17% | services: 57% (1980 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

67% of GDP (2013 est.) | 68% of GDP (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 46

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$135 million (31 December 2015 est.) | $157.4 million (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Stock of broad money

$521.7 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $475.9 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 181

Stock of domestic credit

$422 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $414.5 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Stock of narrow money

$157.9 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $138.6 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 184

Taxes and other revenues

25.4% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118

Unemployment rate

18.8% (2008 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

268,900 Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Electricity - consumption

127.4 million kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 211

Electricity - from fossil fuels

85.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

14.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 202

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Electricity - installed generating capacity

47,000 kW (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Electricity - production

137 million kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 206

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 150

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 203

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,500 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,514 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Area

total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) | land: 389 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 204

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: La 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, 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)

total: 0.01 cu km/yr | per capita: 92.59 cu m/yr (1995)

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

agricultural land: 25.6% | arable land 12.8%; permanent crops 7.7%; permanent pasture 5.1% | forest: 68.7% | other: 5.7% (2011 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

territorial sea: 12 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | continental shelf: 200 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

hydropower, arable land

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Kingstown | geographic coordinates: 13 08 N, 61 13 W | time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent: 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

several previous; latest passed by the House of Assembly 3 September 2009 (The Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Constitution Act, 2009) (2015)

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

chief of mission: Ambassador La Celia A. PRINCE (since 30 May 2008) | chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 | telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 | FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 | consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002) | head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister | 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

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 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 itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States to include Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the ECSC - with its headquarters on Saint Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and is comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the member states; 2 High Court judges reside on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; note - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice | judge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; 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 (21 seats; 15 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 6 appointed by the governor general; members serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 9 December 2015 (next to be held in 2020) | election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 52.3%, NDP 47.4%, other 0.3%; seats by party - ULP 8, NDP 7

National anthem

name: "St. Vincent! Land So Beautiful!" | lyrics/music: Phyllis Joyce MCCLEAN PUNNETT/Joel Bertram MIGUEL | 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

Democratic Republican Party or DRP [Anesia BAPTISTE] | 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) | SVG Green Party or SVGP [Ivan O'NEAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 27,809 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 22,875 | females age 16-49: 22,015 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 964 | female: 953 (2010 est.)

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF) (2013)

Age structure

0-14 years: 22.31% (male 11,548/female 11,351) | 15-24 years: 16.49% (male 8,537/female 8,384) | 25-54 years: 42.66% (male 22,742/female 21,034) | 55-64 years: 9.73% (male 5,124/female 4,864) | 65 years and over: 8.81% (male 4,203/female 4,840) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

13.57 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Death rate

7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 46.8% | youth dependency ratio: 36.6% | elderly dependency ratio: 10.5% | potential support ratio: 9.5% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 95.1% of population | rural: 95.1% of population | total: 95.1% of population | urban: 4.9% of population | rural: 4.9% of population | total: 4.9% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 69

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

Health expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 136

Hospital bed density

5.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.69 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 13.83 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 11.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119

Languages

English, French patois

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.09 years | male: 73.11 years | female: 77.13 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Major urban areas - population

KINGSTOWN (capital) 27,000 (2014)

Maternal mortality rate

45 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Median age

total: 32.5 years | male: 32.6 years | female: 32.3 years (2015 est.)

Nationality

noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) | adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Net migration rate

-9.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 213

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.1% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 75

Population

102,627 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Population growth rate

-0.28% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 218

Religions

Protestant 75% (Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%), Roman Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant) 12%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 76.1% of population | rural: 76.1% of population | total: 76.1% of population | urban: 23.9% of population | rural: 23.9% of population | total: 23.9% of population (2007 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.08 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female | total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.82 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 150

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 33.8% | male: 27.8% | female: 41.4% (2008 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 50.6% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.72% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its Economic Exclusion Zone/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

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; some children under 18 are pressured into providing sexual acts in exchange for money or gifts; foreign workers may experience forced labor and are particularly vulnerable when employed by small, foreign-owned companies; adults and children are vulnerable to forced labor domestically, especially in the agriculture sector | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; authorities investigated three trafficking cases in 2013 but did not report prosecuting or convicting any offenders; the government did not proactively identify any victims or refer them to care in 2013, a decline from the previous year; anti-trafficking awareness efforts in schools have increased; a national action plan awaits parliamentary approval but lacks resources for implementation (2014)

Airports

6 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 175

Airports - with paved runways

total: 5 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 3 | under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 | 1 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 412 | by type: bulk carrier 64, cargo 263, carrier 14, chemical tanker 4, container 18, liquefied gas 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 1 | foreign-owned: 325 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 1, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 7, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 9, China 65, Croatia 8, Cyprus 3, Czech Republic 1, Denmark 9, Dominica 1, Egypt 2, Estonia 8, France 2, Germany 3, Greece 42, Guyana 2, Hong Kong 5, Israel 3, Italy 4, Japan 3, Kenya 2, Latvia 15, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 9, Monaco 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 13, Poland 3, Romania 1, Russia 11, Singapore 5, Slovenia 1, Sweden 10, Switzerland 7, Syria 9, Turkey 13, UAE 3, UK 6, Ukraine 12, US 18, Venezuela 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 25

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Kingstown

Roadways

total: 829 km | paved: 580 km | unpaved: 249 km (2003) | country comparison to the world: 188