MONETARY UNIT: The East Caribbean dollar (ec$) of 100 cents is the national currency. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 25 cents and 1 dollar, and notes of 5, 10, 20, and 100 East Caribbean dollars. ec$1 = us$0.37037 (or us$1 = ec$2.7) as of 2004.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The imperial measures are used.

HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Labor Day, 1 May; CARICOM Day, 5 July; Carnival, 6 July; Bank Holiday, 1st Monday in August; Independence Day, 27 October; Christmas Day, 25 December; Boxing Day, 26 December. Movable religious holidays include Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Whitmonday.

TIME: 8 am = noon GMT.

1 Location and Size

Saint Vincent is located in the Caribbean Windward Islands group of the Lesser Antilles. Scattered between Saint Vincent and Grenada are more than one hundred small islands called the Grenadines, half of which belong to Saint Vincent and the other half to Grenada. The total land area of the country is 389 square kilometers (150 square miles), slightly less than twice the size of Washington, D.C. The total coastline is 84 kilometers (52 miles). The capital city, Kingstown, is located on the southeast coast of the island of Saint Vincent.

2 Topography

Saint Vincent is a rugged island of volcanic formation and the Grenadines are formed by a volcanic ridge running north and south between Saint Vincent and Grenada. The highest peak on Saint Vincent is Soufrière, an active volcano with an altitude of 1,234 meters (4,048 feet). It has a crater lake 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) wide. In the center of the island, Richmond Peak rises to a height of 1,074 meters (3,523 feet). The lowlying Grenadines have wide beaches and shallow bays and harbors, but most have no source of

GEOGRAPHICAL PROFILE

Geographic Features

Area: 389 sq km (150 sq mi)

Size ranking: 184 of 194

Highest elevation: 1,234 meters (4,048 feet) at Soufrière

Lowest elevation: Sea level at the Caribbean Sea

Land Use*

Arable land: 18%

Permanent crops: 18%

Other: 64%

Weather**

Average annual precipitation: 231–380 centimeters (91–150 inches)

Average temperature in January: 26°c (79°f)

Average temperature in July: 27°c (81°f)

* Arable Land: Land used for temporary crops, like meadows for mowing or pasture, gardens, and greenhouses.

Permanent crops: Land cultivated with crops that occupy its use for long periods, such as cocoa, coffee, rubber, fruit and nut orchards, and vineyards.

Other: Any land not specified, including built-on areas, roads, and barren land.

** The measurements for precipitation and average temperatures were taken at weather stations closest to the country’s largest city.

Precipitation and average temperature can vary significantly within a country, due to factors such as latitude, altitude, coastal proximity, and wind patterns.

fresh water except rainfall. The highest point in the Grenadines is Mount Tobai on Union Island, with an altitude of 308 meters (1,010 feet). The lowest point of the country is at sea level (Caribbean Sea).

3 Climate

The islands enjoy a pleasant tropical climate all year round, with a yearly average temperature of 26°c (79°f) in January and 27°c (81°f) in June. The warmest month is September, with an average temperature of 27°c (81°f); the coolest is January. The average yearly rainfall on Saint Vincent is 231 centimeters (91 inches).

4 Plants and Animals

The shallow waters of the Grenadines abound with marine life. Lobsters, conch, fish of all varieties, and turtles can be found in such areas as the Tobago Cays, which lie north of Prune (Palm) Island. Whales are frequently sighted off Petit Nevis, and large iguanas can be found on some of the waterless rocks and cays.

In Kingstown, on Saint Vincent, there is a famous botanical garden where the breadfruit tree was introduced to the West Indies from South Pacific islands in 1793. Some of the many birds found on Saint Vincent are the Caribbean eleania, the trembler, the bananaquit, and the Antillean crested hummingbird.

5 Environment

The principal recurring threat to the environment comes from the Soufrière volcano. After an eruption on 13 April 1979, the volcano remained active for weeks, spewing volcanic ash over much of the island. The debris covered mountains, forests, and plantation fields. Forests also are threatened by farming development and use of wood for commercial purposes.

Pollution from pleasure yachts and other sources has seriously affected the eastern shorelines of all the major islands of the Grenadines. Fresh water resources are also limited. The nation’s coast is particularly vulnerable to pollution from industrial sources.

The central highlands of Saint Vincent have been set aside as a natural preservation area for nesting of the Saint Vincent parrot, the Saint Vincent wren, and the Saint Vincent solitaire, all endangered or rare species. In the Grenadines, the hawksbill, green sea, and leatherback turtles have been declared endangered. The Tobago Cays have been proposed as a nature preserve, but aside from a few sites on Union Island there are no protected areas in the Grenadines belonging to Saint Vincent.

6 Population

As of 2005, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines had a population of 111,000, the majority of whom lived on Saint Vincent. The projected population for 2025 is 117,000. The population of Kingstown, the capital, was 29,000 in 2005, including its suburbs. Overall, the islands’ population density in 2005 was 304 persons per square kilometer (787 per square mile).

7 Migration

Although no reliable statistics are available, emigration is known to take place to Trinidad, Guyana, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. In 2001, there were 8,000 migrants in the country. In 2005, the estimated net migration rate was -7.6 per 1,000 population.

8 Ethnic Groups

About 66% of St. Vincentians are descendants of slaves brought from Africa. About 19% of

the population is of mixed origin and a small minority (3.5%) of the residents are of European descent. In the second half of the 19th century, 2,472 indentured laborers from Asia were brought to Saint Vincent. Their descendants, making up about 6% of the current population, are known as East Indians. About 2% of the people are Amerindians. Of the mixed group, about 1,000 persons, identified as Black Caribs, descend from the intermingling of Amerindians and Africans that occurred prior to European colonization.

9 Languages

English is the official language of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Some islanders speak a French patois, representing a mixture of African and French grammar. Their vocabulary is primarily French, sprinkled with some English and Spanish words. A few islanders speak French as their first language.

10 Religions

Christianity is the dominant religion. There are small communities of Baha’is, Hindus, and Muslims. There is also a sizable Rastafarian minority. Some Rastafarians claim discrimination by local police because their religion endorses the use of marijuana, which is illegal in the country. Religious freedom is guaranteed by the constitution.

11 Transportation

Saint Vincent is on the main air routes of the Caribbean, with direct flights to Trinidad, Barbados, and other islands to the north. In 2004, there were six airports and airfields, five of which had paved runways. The international airport is located on the southern tip of the island, near Kingstown.

All of the Grenadines have excellent harbors served by a ferry service operating out of Kingstown. Many foreign-owned merchant ships register with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines because it is cheaper than registering in their own country. In 2005, the merchant fleet comprised 657 ships totaling 7.9 million gross registered tons.

The main road of Saint Vincent connects all the main towns with the capital. As of 2002, the islands had about 829 kilometers (516 miles) of roads, of which 580 kilometers (361 miles) were paved. About 8,110 vehicles were registered in 1995, including 4,935 passenger cars. There is approximately one vehicle for every fifteen residents.

12 History

The Arawak Amerindians, who migrated from South America, are the earliest known inhabitants of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The Caribs inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus reached Saint Vincent on 22 January 1498.

Saint Vincent was left to the Carib Amerindians by British and French agreement in 1660, and it continued to have a sizable Amerindian population until the early 18th century. The island was taken formally by the British in 1763, who ruled from then on, except for a brief period of French rule from 1779 to 1783.

The island changed its ethnic character during the next century. When the remaining Amerindian and mixed-blood population rebelled against the British in 1795, most were expelled from the island. Those who remained were decimated by an eruption of the Soufrière volcano in 1812. They were replaced by African slaves, who were freed in 1834; Madeiran Portuguese, who immigrated in 1848 because of a labor shortage; and Asian indentured laborers, who arrived later in the 19th century.

Saint Vincent was administered as a crown colony within the Windward Islands group from 1833 until 1960, when it joined the Federation of the West Indies. The federation fell apart in 1962, and Saint Vincent became a self-governing state in association with the United Kingdom seven years later. On 27 October 1979, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines achieved full independence as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

During the first months of independence, the young nation faced a rebellion by a group of Rastafarians (semi-political, semi-religious cult based in Jamaica) attempting to secede. The revolt was put down with help from neighboring Barbados. Otherwise, the political system has had few disruptions. The government at independence under the Saint Vincent Labor Party gave way to the New Democratic Party (NDP) in 1984, with the NDP renewing its electoral majority in 1989 and again in 1994 and 1998.

In 2001, the Unity Labor Party (ULP), a coalition of the St. Vincent Labor Party and the Movement for National Unity led by Ralph Gonsalves, won the election. The ULP captured 56.7% of the vote and secured 12 of the 15 elected seats in the 21-member assembly. In December 2005, Gonsalves was reelected prime minister and the ULP retained its 12 seats in the assembly.

13 Government

The British monarch, represented by a governor-general, is the formal head of the government. Executive power is in the hands of the prime minister and cabinet, who are members of the majority party in the legislature. The single-chamber legislature is a 21-seat House of Assembly consisting of 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators. The nation is divided into six parishes.

14 Political Parties

There are two major parties on the islands. The New Democratic Party (NDP) was led by Arnhim Eustace as of 2006. The Unity Labor Party (ULP) was in power at independence and governed until the 1984 elections. Following a period of NDP control, the ULP under the leadership of Ralph Gonsalves, won the 2001 and 2006 parliamentary elections.

15 Judicial System

The islands are divided into three judicial districts, each with its own magistrate’s court. Appeals may be made to the East Caribbean Supreme Court, based in Saint Lucia.

Prior to 2003, appeals were taken to the Privy Council in the United Kingdom. In 2003, Caribbean leaders met in Jamaica to establish the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was one of eight nations that approved the CCJ, although 14 nations were planning to use the court for appeals.

BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE

Name: Ralph Gonsalves

Position: Prime minister of a parliamentary democracy

Took Office: 2001, reelected December 2005

Birthplace: Colonaire, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Birthdate: 8 August 1946

Religion: Roman Catholic

Education: University of the West Indies; obtained economic and government degrees in Jamaica; University of Manchester, England; Makerere University, Uganda; Gray’s Inn, London, professional law qualification

Spouse: Eloise Harris Gonsalves

Children: Camillo, Adam, Isis, Storm, and Soleil

Of interest: In college, Gonsalves participated in a variety of activities, including writing for the school newspaper, playing cricket, and being a member in a steelband. He also is a champion debater.

16 Armed Forces

There are no armed forces except those of the police department. A regional defense pact provides for joint coast-guard operations, military exercises, and disaster contingency plans.

17 Economy

In recent years, tourism and manufacturing have expanded steadily. However, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines continues to rely heavily on agriculture—especially bananas—for its economic progress. Saint Vincent’s banana industry, however, has suffered serious blows in recent years, as have those of other Caribbean island nations.

18 Income

In 2005, the gross domestic product (GDP) was $342 million, or about $2,900 per person. In 2002, the annual growth rate of GDP was estimated at 0.7%. By 2005, annual growth reached 5%. The average inflation rate in 2005 was 1%.

19 Industry

A large amount of industrial activity centers on the processing of agricultural products.

Yearly Growth Rate

This economic indicator tells by what percent the economy has increased or decreased when compared with the previous year.

Nonagricultural industries include several garment factories, a furniture factory, an electronics plant, and a corrugated cardboard box plant.

The 2003 budget called for the establishment of two business parks at Diamond and Campden Park. The government also announced the reintroduction of a new product development and processing facility.

20 Labor

Some 41,680 persons made up the work force in 1991. Services account for 60.7% of those employed, with 15.4% in agriculture and 19.7% engaged in industry. Unemployment was 15% in 2001. One of the first authentic labor unions in the West Indies was formed in Saint Vincent in 1935, during the Great Depression.

Components of the Economy

This pie chart shows how much of the country’s economy is devoted to agriculture (including forestry, hunting, and fishing), industry, or services.

The minimum working age is 16, and this law is enforced by the government and respected by employers. Some children under 16 work on family-owned banana plantations. As of 2002, the minimum wage for agricultural workers was $6.74 per day (not including shelter); and $7.49 per day for industrial workers.

21 Agriculture

About one-third of Saint Vincent is devoted to growing crops. Agricultural products accounted for 60% of exports in 2004. Bananas constitute the main crop. Vegetables, coconuts, spices, and sugar are also important. Banana production was at 45,000 tons in 2004. Other crops harvested in 2004 included coconuts (21,500 tons), sugarcane (18,000 tons), sweet potatoes (1,200 tons), and plantains (3,500 tons).

22 Domesticated Animals

In 2005, estimates of the livestock population included 12,000 sheep, 9,150 hogs, 5,000 head

of cattle, 7,200 goats, and 125,000 poultry of all types.

23 Fishing

At one time, Saint Vincent and Bequia were the centers of a thriving whaling industry, but only six humpback whales were captured from 1982 to 1991. In 2000, the total catch amounted to 7,294 tons, up from 921 tons in 1996. Fisheries exports amounted to $551,000 in 2003. Technical assistance and training to fisherman and fisheries staff is being sponsored by the Canadian Fisheries Development Project.

Yearly Balance of Trade

The balance of trade is the difference between what a country sells to other countries (its exports) and what it buys (its imports). If a country imports more than it exports, it has a negative balance of trade (a trade deficit). If exports exceed imports there is a positive balance of trade (a trade surplus).

24 Forestry

There is virtually no commercial forestry, although 36% of the land consists of forests and woodlands. Some local timber is used for residential and boat construction.

25 Mining

Mining plays a minor role in the economy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Some sand is extracted for local construction projects and, on some of the smaller and drier Grenadines, salt is produced on a small scale for local consumption.

Selected Social Indicators

The statistics below are the most recent estimates available as of 2006. For comparison purposes, data for the United States and averages for low-income countries and high-income countries are also given. About 15% of the world’s 6.5 billion people live in high-income countries, while 37% live in low-income countries.

Indicator	St. Vincent and the Grenadines	Low-income countries	High-income countries	United States
sources: World Bank. World Development Indicators. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, 2006; Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2006; World Resources Institute, Washington, D.C.
Per capita gross national income (GNI)*	$6,030	$2,258	$31,009	$39,820
Population growth rate	0.3%	2%	0.8%	1.2%
People per square kilometer of land	304	80	30	32
Life expectancy in years: male	72	58	76	75
female	76	60	82	80
Number of physicians per 1,000 people	0.9	0.4	3.7	2.3
Number of pupils per teacher (primary school)	n.a.	43	16	15
Literacy rate (15 years and older)	96%	65%	>95%	99%
Television sets per 1,000 people	234	84	735	938
Internet users per 1,000 people	66	28	538	630
Energy consumed per capita (kg of oil equivalent)	n.a.	501	5,410	7,843
CO2 emissions per capita (metric tons)	1.57	0.85	12.97	19.92
* The GNI is the total of all goods and services produced by the residents of a country in a year. The per capita GNI is calculated by dividing a country’s GNI by its population and adjusting for relative purchasing power.
n.a.: data not available >: greater than <: less than

26 Foreign Trade

Exports include bananas, eddoes (a white tuber also called taro root), flour, sweet potatoes, arrowroot starch, and tennis racquets. Imports are food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and equipment, and manufactured goods. Exports in 2000 went primarily to other CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market) countries (48%); most of the rest of the exports were shipped to the United Kingdom and the United States. Over one-third (38%) of imports come from the United States.

27 Energy and Power

In 2002, total power generation amounted to 91 million kilowatt hours, of which 72.5% came from fossil fuels and 27.5% from hydropower.

28 Social Development

The social security system provides benefits for old age, disability, death, sickness, and maternity. Employers fund a compulsory workers’ compensation program. Saint Vincent has an extensive program of community development, as well as a national family planning program. By law, women are to receive equal pay for equal work. A domestic violence law has established a family court to handle cases of spousal abuse.

29 Health

As of 1998, Kingstown’s general hospital, with 209 beds, was the country’s only government-run acute care hospital. There were five rural hospitals. There are also hospitals for the aged and a 120-bed mental health center. In 2004, there were a total of 88 doctors, 239 nurses, and 5 dentists per 100,000 people.

Gastrointestinal diseases continue to be major health problems. In 1995, there were six new acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases reported. Life expectancy at birth in 2005 was 72 years for men and 76 years for women.

30 Housing

The government has undertaken housing renewal projects in both rural and urban areas and has sought to provide housing for workers on industrial estates. Another government program supplies building materials at low cost to working people.

Dwellings are constructed primarily of either wood or concrete, with a smaller number constructed of both wood and concrete, or of stone.

31 Education

Primary education, which lasts for seven years, is free but not compulsory. Secondary education at the first stage is for five years, followed by two more years at the second stage.

At the postsecondary level, there is a technical college and a teachers’ training college affiliated with the University of the West Indies. Some 700 students attend all higher-level institutions, including the university. Approximately 68% of these higher-level students are women. The adult illiteracy rate has been estimated at 4%.

32 Media

There were 27,300 main telephones lines on the islands in 2002. In 2004, there was one government-owned radio station and two privately-owned radio stations. In the same year, there was on government-operated television station and two private television stations. There were more than 300 cable subscribers in 2004. In 1997 there were 627 radios per 1,000 people. In 2005, there were about 234 television sets per 1,000 people. About 15 Internet service providers were serving 3,500 subscribers in 2001. By 2005, an estimated 66 of every 1,000 people had access to the Internet.

In 2005, there were four major newspapers and several small political publications. These were all privately owned.

33 Tourism and Recreation

Tourism is oriented toward yachting, with havens located on most of the Grenadines. Posh resorts have been created on many of the smaller Grenadines, with villas and cottages built alongside small private beaches. In 2003, there were a total of 1,680 hotel rooms with 3,360 beds. The number of tourist arrivals totaled 78,535 that year.

34 Famous Saint Vincentians

Robert Milton Cato (1915–1997) was prime minister from independence until 1984; James FitzAllen Mitchell (1931–) followed from 1984 until 2001, when he was succeeded by Ralph Gonsalves (1946–). Sir Fred Albert Phillips (1918–) is a specialist on constitutional and international law.

35 Bibliography

BOOKS

Morgan, Nina. The Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1997.

Orr, Tamra. Windward Islands: St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Martinique & Dominica. Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers, 2004.

Toy, Mike. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Oxford: Macmillan Caribbean, 2003.

Walton, Chelle Koster. Caribbean Ways: A Cultural Guide. Westwood, MA: Riverdale, 1993.