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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: NA males fit for military service: NA

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

76,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

6,189 (1983 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 cable

Televisions [time series]

20,600 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $80 million expenditures: $118 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1996 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview [time series]

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. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue. 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.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 16,600 kW production: 50 million kWh consumption per capita: 436 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports [time series]

$57.1 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets partners: UK 54%, Caricom countries 34%, US 10%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$74.9 million (1993)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $240 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 24% industry: 33.1% services: 42.9% (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$2,060 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

0.4% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$134.6 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 21%, UK 18%, Trinidad and Tobago 13%

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-0.2% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

67,000 (1984 est.) by occupation: agriculture, industry, services, other (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

35%-40% (1994 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 340 sq km land area: 340 sq km comparative area: twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

84 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 15 N, 61 12 W

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

10 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

NEGL

Terrain [time series]

volcanic, mountainous lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Government

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

Data code [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE chancery: 1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7806, 7846

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a hereditary monarch, represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989) head of government: Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984); the governor general appoints the leader of the majority party to the position of prime minister; Deputy Prime Minister Carlyle DOUGAN (since 17 September 1995) was appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

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

[1] (202) 462-7807

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

Legislative branch (House of Assembly) [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

27 October 1979 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia)

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

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

New Democratic Party (NDP), 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)

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

constitutional monarchy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 33% (male 19,742; female 19,106) 15-64 years: 62% (male 36,576; female 36,381) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,702; female 3,837) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

19.36 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.4 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

African descent, white, East Indian, Carib Indian

Infant mortality rate [time series]

16.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

English, French patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 72.94 years male: 71.43 years female: 74.49 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970 est.) total population: 96% male: 96% female: 96%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-7.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

118,344 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.64% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.04 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 6 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 4 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,100 km paved: 330 km unpaved: 770 km

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 611 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,690,104 GRT/9,367,014 DWT ships by type: bulk 106, cargo 305, chemical tanker 20, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 4, container 33, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 5, oil tanker 58, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 35, roll-on/roll-off cargo 25, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 2 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 24 countries among which are Croatia 42, Russia 14, Slovenia 9, China 9, Germany 2, Serbia 2, Hong Kong 2, Latvia 1, Ukraine 1, and Poland 1 (1995 est.)

Ports [time series]

Kingstown

Railways [time series]

0 km