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Communications

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 (in addition, there are three repeaters) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

20,600 (1992 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $85.7 million expenditures: $98.6 million, including capital expenditures of $25.7 million (1997 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$83.6 million (1997)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$47.5 million (1995); note?Stabex (EU), $34.5 million (1998)

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

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 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. 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.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

62 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

62 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 67.74% hydro: 32.26% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$47.3 million (1997)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

Caricom countries 49%, UK 16%, US 10% (1995)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity--$289 million (1998 est.)

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

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

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

purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)

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

4% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$158.8 million (1997)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

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

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

US 36%, Caricom countries 28%, UK 13% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-0.9% (1997 est.)

Industries [time series]

food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.6% (1996)

Labor force [time series]

67,000 (1984 est.)

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

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

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

35%-40% (1994 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 340 sq km land: 340 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

84 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 15 N, 61 12 W

Geography - note (Geography--note) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 18% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 36% other: 31% (1993 est.)

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 hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

NEGL

Terrain [time series]

volcanic, mountainous

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

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [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)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C. A. LAYNE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since NA) head of government: Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984) 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

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

constitutional monarchy

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

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

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 15 June 1998 (next to be held by NA May 2003) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NDP 8, ULP 7

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

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

New Democratic Party or NDP [James Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures--dollar figure) [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures--percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 30% (male 18,160; female 17,524) 15-64 years: 65% (male 39,448; female 38,672) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,762; female 3,953) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.34 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.23 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black, white, East Indian, Carib Amerindian

Infant mortality rate [time series]

15.16 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

English, French patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.8 years male: 72.29 years female: 75.36 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-7.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

120,519 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.57% (1999 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.94 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

6 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 814 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,726,930 GRT/11,835,144 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 138, cargo 402, chemical tanker 26, combination bulk 11, combination ore/oil 7, container 47, liquefied gas tanker 3, livestock carrier 4, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 64, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 40, roll-on/roll-off cargo 51, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 20 countries among which are Croatia 17, Slovenia 7, China 5, Greece 5, UAE 3, Norway 2, Japan 2, and Ukraine 2 (1998 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Kingstown

Railways [time series]

0 km