Internet country code [time series]

.vc

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

4 (2003)

Internet users [time series]

7,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: adequate system domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines international: country code - 1-784; 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 - main lines in use) [time series]

27,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

10,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $94.6 million expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

XCD

Debt - external [time series]

$167.2 million (2000)

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

$47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Economic growth in this lower-middle-income country hinges upon seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered low arrivals following 11 September 2001. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. Saint Vincent is also a large producer of marijuana and is being used as a transshipment point for illegal narcotics from South America.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

86 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

92.48 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Exports [time series]

$38 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

France 52.7%, UK 6.9%, Greece 6.4%, Spain 6.4% (2003)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $342 million (2002 est.)

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

agriculture: 10% industry: 26% services: 64% (2001 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

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

0.7% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports [time series]

$174 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

France 31.4%, US 10.4%, Singapore 10.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, Spain 9%, Italy 5.5% (2003)

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]

-0.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force [time series]

67,000 (1984 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Oil - consumption [time series]

1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA

Unemployment rate [time series]

22% (1997 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) land: 389 sq km water: 0 sq km

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 [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, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, 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 [time series]

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 [time series]

10 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 17.95% permanent crops: 17.95% other: 64.1% (2001)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

hydropower, cropland

Terrain [time series]

volcanic, mountainous

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN 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 [time series]

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: 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]

parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Independence [time series]

27 October 1979 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

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

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 28 March 2001 (next to be held by July 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

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

National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; 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)

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

NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

Disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.

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 [time series]

NA

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

NA

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 27.6% (male 16,463; female 15,872) 15-64 years: 66% (male 39,827; female 37,547) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,247; female 4,237) (2004 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

16.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 15.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages [time series]

English, French patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.35 years male: 71.54 years female: 75.21 years (2004 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Median age [time series]

total: 25.8 years male: 25.7 years female: 26 years (2004 est.)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population [time series]

117,193 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.31% (2004 est.)

Religions [time series]

Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation

Airports [time series]

6 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,040 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 720 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 704 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,967,418 GRT/9,041,023 DWT by type: bulk 120, cargo 346, chemical tanker 19, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 51, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 4, multi-functional large load carrier 4, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 45, roll on/roll off 42, short-sea/passenger 9, specialized tanker 8, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: Albania 1, Angola 2, Argentina 1, Australia 3, Bangladesh 3, Barbados 2, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 16, China 114, Colombia 1, Croatia 7, Cyprus 2, Denmark 13, Egypt 5, Estonia 13, France 17, Germany 10, Greece 134, Guyana 8, Hong Kong 15, Iceland 7, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 3, Italy 21, Kenya 5, South Korea 4, Latvia 7, Lebanon 9, Liberia 5, Lithuania 3, Malta 4, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 6, Netherlands 9, Nigeria 8, Norway 32, Pakistan 6, Panama 3, Poland 3, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 2, Romania 2, Russia 21, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Lucia 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 5, Slovenia 7, Spain 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 8, Syria 6, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 23, Ukraine 8, United Kingdom 11, United States registered in other countries: 25 (2004 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Kingstown