Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the UK for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. The British prized Saint Vincent due to its fertile soil, which allowed for thriving slave-run plantations of sugar, coffee, indigo, tobacco, cotton, and cocoa. In 1834, the British abolished slavery. Immigration of indentured servants eased the ensuing labor shortage, as did subsequent Portuguese immigrants from Madeira and East Indian laborers. Conditions remained harsh for both former slaves and immigrant agricultural workers, however, as depressed world sugar prices kept the economy stagnant until the early 1900s. The economy then went into a period of decline with many landowners abandoning their estates and leaving the land to be cultivated by liberated slaves. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.

geography

location

Central America and the Caribbean
13.15° N, 61. 12° W
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

area

389 sq km
land
389 sq km
water
0 sq km

land boundaries

0 km

coastline

84 km

climate

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

terrain

volcanic, mountainous

elevation

lowest point
Caribbean Sea
0
highest point
La Soufriere
1,234

natural resources

  • hydropower
  • arable land

land use

arable land
12.8 %
permanent crops
7.7 %
permanent pasture
5.1 %
forest
68.7 %
other
5.7 %

population distribution

most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown

people

population

  • 101,390
  • 195
    global rank

nationality

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

ethnic groups

African descent
71.2 %
mixed
23 %
indigenous
3 %
East Indian/Indian
1.1 %
European
1.5 %
other .2%
%

languages

  • English
  • Vincentian Creole English
  • French patois

religions

Protestant
75 %
Roman Catholic
6.3 %
Rastafarian
1.1 %
Jehovah's Witness
0.8 %
other
4.7 %
none
7.5 %
unspecified
4.7 %

birth rate

  • 12.6
    per 1,000 population
  • 154
    global rank

death rate

  • 7.6
    per 1,000 population
  • 101
    global rank

urban population

53 %

major urban areas

  • Kingstown
    pop. 27,000

life expectancy

  • 76.2
    total population
  • 101
    global rank
74.1
male
78.3
female

adult obesity rate

  • 23.7%
    percent of adults
  • 64
    global rank

government

government type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

capital

Kingstown
13.8 N, 61.13 W

independence

national holidays

  • Independence Day
    27 October

legal system

English common law

age of suffrage

18

flag description

three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern, which stands for Vincent; the diamonds recall the islands as "the Gems of the Antilles" and are set slightly lowered in the gold band to reflect the nation's position in the Antilles; blue conveys the colors of a tropical sky and crystal waters, yellow signifies the golden Grenadine sands, and green represents lush vegetation

national colors

  • blue
  • gold
  • green

national anthem

St. Vincent! Land So Beautiful!

economy

overview

Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity, as well as remittances. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is home to a small offshore banking sector and continues to fully adopt international regulatory standards. This lower-middle-income country remains vulnerable to natural and external shocks. The economy has shown some signs of recovery due to increased tourist arrivals, falling oil prices and renewed growth in the construction sector. The much anticipated international airport opened in early 2017 with hopes for increased airlift and tourism activity. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high public debt burden, which was 67% of GDP at the end of 2013.

GDP

1,265,000,000 USD
2017

agriculture products

  • bananas
  • coconuts
  • sweet potatoes
  • spices
  • cattle
  • sheep
  • pigs
  • goats
  • fish

budget

  • 225,200,000
    revenue (USD)
  • 230,000,000
    expenditures (USD)

communications

telephones

    fixed lines

  • 19,219
    total subscriptions
  • 178
    global rank

    mobile cellular

  • 105,875
    total subscriptions
  • 194
    global rank

broadcast media

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation operates 1 TV station and 5 repeater stations that provide near total coverage to the multi-island state; multi-channel cable TV service available; a partially government-funded national radio service broadcasts on 1 station and has 2 repeater stations; about a dozen privately owned radio stations and repeater stations

internet

.vc
country code

    users

  • 22,803
    total
  • 22.39
    % of population
  • 208
    global rank

energy

electricity access

100%
2016

transportation

air transport

    airports

  • 6
    total
  • 5
    paved

military

This entry doesn't have any available military data.