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 Match 208   DB Rec# - 7,660  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 
Text          : 
                        Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago 
Map references: 
    Central America and the Caribbean 
Area: 
  total area: 
    340 sq km 
  land area: 
    340 sq km 
  comparative area: 
    slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC 
Land boundaries: 
    0 km 
Coastline: 
    84 km 
Maritime claims: 
  contiguous zone: 
    24 nm 
  continental shelf: 
    200 nm 
  exclusive economic zone: 
    200 nm 
  territorial sea: 
    12 nm 
International disputes: 
    none 
Climate: 
    tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to 
    November) 
Terrain: 
    volcanic, mountainous; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent 
Natural resources: 
    negligible 
Land use: 
  arable land: 
    38% 
  permanent crops: 
    12% 
  meadows and pastures: 
    6% 
  forest and woodland: 


    41% 
  other: 
    3% 
Irrigated land: 
    10 sq km (1989 est.) 
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 
  natural hazards: 
    hurricanes; Soufriere volcano is a constant threat 
  international agreements: 
    party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution, Whaling; 
    signed, but not ratified - Desertification 
Note: 
    the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between
 
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    117,344 (July 1995 est.) 
Age structure: 
  0-14 years: 
    34% (female 19,551; male 20,185) 
  15-64 years: 
    61% (female 35,565; male 35,573) 
  65 years and over: 
    5% (female 3,793; male 2,677) (July 1995 est.) 
Population growth rate: 
    0.65% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    19.62 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    5.46 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    -7.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Infant mortality rate: 
    17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    72.66 years 
  male: 
    71.15 years 
  female: 
    74.21 years (1995 est.) 
Total fertility rate: 
    2.08 children born/woman (1995 est.) 
Nationality: 
  noun: 
    Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) 
  adjective: 
    Saint Vincentian or Vincentian 
Ethnic divisions: 
    African descent, Caucasian, East Indian, Carib Indian 
Religions: 
    Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist 


Languages: 
    English, French patois 
Literacy: 
    age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970) 
  total population: 
    96% 
  male: 
    96% 
  female: 
    96% 
Labor force: 
    67,000 (1984 est.) 
  by occupation: 
    NA 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  conventional long form: 
    none 
  conventional short form: 
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 
Digraph: 
    VC 
Type: 
    constitutional monarchy 
Capital: 
    Kingstown 
Administrative divisions: 
    6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, 
    Saint Patrick 
Independence: 
    27 October 1979 (from UK) 
National holiday: 
    Independence Day, 27 October (1979) 
Constitution: 
    27 October 1979 
Legal system: 
    based on English common law 
Suffrage: 
    18 years of age; universal 
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 James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984); Deputy Prime Minister
 
    Parnel CAMPBELL (since NA February 1994); note - governor general appoints 
    leader of the majority party to position of prime minister 
  cabinet: 
    Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime 
    minister 
Legislative branch: 
    unicameral 
  House of Assembly: 
    elections last held 21 February 1994 (next to be held NA July 1999); results
 
    - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total, 15 elected representatives
 


    and 6 appointed senators) NDP 12, ULP 3 
Judicial branch: 
    Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia) 
Political parties and leaders: 
    New Democratic Party (NDP), James MITCHELL (son of Prime Minister James F. 
    MITCHELL); United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; National Reform 
    Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL; Unity Labor Party (ULP),Vincent BEACHE - formed by
 
    the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP) and the Movement for 
    National Unity (MNU) 
Member of: 
    ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, 
    IFAD, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, 
    OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
  chief of mission: 
    Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE 
  chancery: 
    1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC 20036 
 
                                   Government 
  telephone: 
    [1] (202) 462-7806, 7846 
  FAX: 
    [1] (202) 462-7807 
US diplomatic representation: 
    no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados) 
Flag: 
    three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; 
    the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern 
 
                                     Economy 
 
Overview: 
    Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of
 
    the economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist 
    industry, is also important. In 1993, economic growth slowed to 1.4%, 
    reflecting a sharp decline in agricultural production caused by drought. The
 
    government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, 
    and high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue. 
National product: 
    GDP - purchasing power parity - $235 million (1994 est.) 
National product real growth rate: 
    2% (1994 est.) 
National product per capita: 
    $2,000 (1994 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
    4% (1993 est.) 
Unemployment rate: 
    35%-40% (1994 est.) 
Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $66.2 
  expenditures: 
    $77.3 million, including capital expenditures of $23 million (1993 est.) 
Exports: 
    $57.1 million (f.o.b., 1993) 
  commodities: 


    bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets 
  partners: 
    UK 54%, CARICOM 34%, US 10% 
Imports: 
    $134.6 million (f.o.b., 1993) 
  commodities: 
    foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and
 
    fuels 
  partners: 
    US 36%, CARICOM 21%, UK 18%, Trinidad and Tobago 13% 
External debt: 
    $74.9 million (1993) 
Industrial production: 
    NA 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    16,600 kW 
  production: 
    50 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    436 kWh (1993) 
Industries: 
    food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch 
Agriculture: 
    accounts for 14% of GDP and 60% of labor force; provides bulk of exports; 
    products - bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of 
    cattle, sheep, hogs, goats; small fish catch used locally 
Illicit drugs: 
    transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe 
Economic aid: 
  recipient: 
    US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $11 million; Western (non-US) 
    countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $81 million 
 
                                     Economy 
Currency: 
    1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents 
Exchange rates: 
    East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976) 
Fiscal year: 
    calendar year 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
    0 km 
Highways: 
  total: 
    1,000 km 
  paved: 
    300 km 
  unpaved: 
    improved earth 400 km; unimproved earth 300 km 
Ports: 
    Kingstown 
Merchant marine: 
  total: 
    580 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,212,812 GRT/8,530,725 DWT 
  ships by type: 


    bulk 106, cargo 289, chemical tanker 15, combination bulk 10, combination 
    ore/oil 3, container 36, liquefied gas tanker 5, livestock carrier 2, oil 
    tanker 53, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 30, 
    roll-on/roll-off cargo 25, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1, 
    vehicle carrier 1 
  note: 
    a flag of convenience registry; includes 16 countries among which are 
    Croatia 49 ships, Russia 23, Slovenia 11, China 8, Germany 3, Serbia 2, 
    Latvia 1, Montenegro 1, Georgia 1, UAR 1 
Airports: 
  total: 
    6 
  with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 
    2 
  with paved runways under 914 m: 
    4 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    6,500 telephones; islandwide fully automatic telephone system 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    VHF/UHF interisland links from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the 
    Grenadines 
  international: 
    VHF/UHF interisland links from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF links to 
    Grenada and to Saint Lucia 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    1 cable 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Branches: 
    Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard 
Defense expenditures: 
    $NA, NA% of GDP 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996