1989 Edition

Climate

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

Coastline

84 km

Comparative area

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Contiguous zone

24 nm

Environment

subject to hurricanes; Soufriere volcano is a constant threat

Extended economic zone

200 nm

Land boundaries

none

Land use

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

Natural resources

negligible

Note

some islands of the Grenadines group are administered by Grenada

Terrain

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

Territorial sea

1 2 nm

Total area

340 km2; land area: 340 km2

Birth rate

27 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

6 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

32 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

67,000 (1984 est.) Organized labor 10% of labor force

Language

English, some French patois

Life expectancy at birth

68 years male, 72 years female (1990)

Literacy

82%

Nationality

noun — St. Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s); adjectives — St. Vincentian or Vincentian St. Vincent and the Grenadines (continued)

Net migration rate

— 8 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Population

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

Religion

Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist

Total fertility rate

2.9 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Kingstown

Constitution

27 October 1979

Diplomatic representation

none

Elections

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

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag

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

Independence

27 October 1979 (from UK)

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State — Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989); Head of Government — Prime Minister James F. MITCHELL (since 30 July 1984) Political parties and leaders: 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

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Assembly (includes 1 5 elected representatives and six appointed senators)

Long-form name

none

Member of

ACP, CARICOM, FAO, G77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IMO, OAS, OECS, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Suffrage

universal at age 18

Type

constitutional monarchy

Agriculture

vegetables, cattle, sheep and pigs for local consumption; fish catch, 14,750 metric tons (1986)

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

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (197087), $477 million

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

Budget

revenues SNA million; expenditures $13.9 million, including capital expenditures of SNA (1988)

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

Currency

French franc (plural — francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

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

Electricity

10,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 3,970 kWh per capita (1989)

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

Exchange rates

French francs (F) per US$1— 5.7598 (January 1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852(1985)

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1— 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976) Fiscal yean 1 July-30 June

Exports

$23.3 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities— fish and fish products, fox and mink pelts; partners — US 58%, France 17%, UK 11%, Canada, Portugal

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

External debt

SNA

$35 million (July 1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

SNA, per capita $2,495 (1984); real growth rate NA%

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

Imports

$50.3 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities— meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials; partners — Canada, France, US, Netherlands, UK

$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 NA%

growth rate — 1 .2% (1986)

Industries

fishing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

2.0% (1988)

Overview

The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because the number of ships stopping at St. Pierre has steadily dropped over the years. In March 1 989, an agreement between France and Canada set fish quotas for St. Pierre's trawlers fishing in Canadian and Canadian-claimed waters for three years. The agreement settles a longstanding dispute that had virtually brought fish exports to a halt. The islands are heavily subsidized by France. Imports come primarily from Canada.

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

13.3% (1987)

30% (1989 est.)

Airports

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

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

Branches

Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

Defense expenditures

NA

Highways

120 km total; 60 kM paved (1985)

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

Merchant marine

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

Military manpower

NA

Note

defense is the responsibility of France Chateaubelair KINGSTOWN eorgetown Saint 'incent Caribbean Bequia^J Sea V i« Caribbean * Sea A *Mutti«iH •£>. Union Island Sec regional map III

Ports

St. Pierre Civil air Air Saint-Pierre

Kingstown

Telecommunications

3,601 telephones; stations — 1 AM, 3 FM, no TV; radiotelecommunication with most countries in the world; 1 satellite earth station in French domestic system Defense Forces

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) Defense Forces