Airports [time series]

6 total, 6 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

no major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

about 1,000 km total; 300 km paved; 400 km improved; 300 km unimproved

Merchant marine [time series]

175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,305,945 GRT/2,029,935 DWT; includes 2 passenger, 1 passenger cargo, 103 cargo, 10 container, 8 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 4 refrigerated cargo, 9 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 28 bulk, 4 combination bulk; note--a flag of convenience registry

Ports [time series]

Kingstown

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

islandwide fully automatic telephone system; 6,500 telephones; VHF/UHF interisland links to Barbados and the Grenadines; new SHF links to Grenada and St. Lucia; stations--2 AM, no FM, 1 TV (cable)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

NA

Military manpower [time series]

NA

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 20% of GDP and 60% of labor force; provides bulk of exports; products--bananas, arrowroot (world's largest producer), coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, hogs, goats; small fish catch used locally

Aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $11 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $71 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $42.7 million; expenditures $67.5 million, including capital expenditures of $25.8 (FY88)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

East Caribbean dollar (plural--dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Electricity [time series]

16,600 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 610 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports [time series]

$63.8 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, copra; partners--CARICOM 60%, UK 27%, US 10%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$35 million (July 1987)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$136 million, per capita $1,305; real growth rate 8.4% (1988)

Imports [time series]

$87.3 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities--foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels; partners--US 37%, CARICOM 18%, UK 13%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate - 1.2% (1986)

Industries [time series]

food processing (sugar, flour), cement, furniture, rum, starch, sheet metal, beverage

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.0% (1988)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of the economy, providing employment for over 60% of the labor force and contributing about 20% to GDP. The services sector is next in importance, based mostly on a growing tourist industry. The economy continues to have a high unemployment rate of 30% because of an overdependence on the weather-plagued banana crop as a major export earner. Government progress toward diversifying into new industries has been relatively unsuccessful.

Unemployment rate [time series]

30% (1989 est.)

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

84 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Contiguous zone [time series]

24 nm;

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to hurricanes; Soufriere volcano is a constant threat

Extended economic zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

38% arable land; 12% permanent crops; 6% meadows and pastures; 41% forest and woodland; 3% other; includes 3% irrigated

Natural resources [time series]

negligible

Note [time series]

some islands of the Grenadines group are administered by Grenada

Terrain [time series]

volcanic, mountainous; Soufriere volcano on the island of St. Vincent

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

340 km2; land area: 340 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Kingstown

Constitution [time series]

27 October 1979

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

none

Executive branch [time series]

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Independence [time series]

27 October 1979 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 Septermber 1989); Head of Government--Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984)

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral House of Assembly (includes 15 elected representatives and six appointed senators)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

none

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, CARICOM, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IMO, OAS, OECS, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

New Democratic Party (NDP), James (Son) Mitchell; St. Vincent Labor Party (SVLP), Vincent Beach; United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian Saunders; Movement for National Unity (MNU), Ralph Gonsalves; National Reform Party (NRP), Joel Miguel

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18 House of Assembly--last held 16 May 1989 (next to be held July 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(15 total) NDP 15

Government type (Type) [time series]

constitutional monarchy

Birth rate [time series]

27 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

mainly of black African descent; remainder mixed, with some white, East Indian, Carib Indian

Infant mortality rate [time series]

32 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

67,000 (1984 est.)

Languages (Language) [time series]

English, some French patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

68 years male, 72 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

82%

Nationality [time series]

noun--St. Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s); adjectives--St. Vincentian or Vincentian

Net migration rate [time series]

- 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

10% of labor force

Population [time series]

112,646 (July 1990), growth rate 1.4% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.9 children born/woman (1990)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines