St Vincent and Grenadines

Location

• Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
• 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 composed of 32 islands and cays

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Kingstown	24,518	Capital
Calliaqua	24,205

Size

• 150 square miles
• 389 square kilometers
• twice the size of Washington, D.C.

History

Resistance from native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint Vincent until 1719. France and England disputed the island for most of the 18th century, but it was ceded to England in 1783. The British prized Saint Vincent because of 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 immigrant waves from Portugal and East India. 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. In 2021, the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in the north of Saint Vincent destroyed much of Saint Vincent’s most productive agricultural lands. Unlike most of its tourism-dependent neighbors, the Vincentian economy is primarily agricultural. 

Climate

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

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Languages

English, Vincentian Creole English, French patois

Religions

Protestant 75% (Pentecostal 27.6%, Anglican 13.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.6%,  Baptist 8.9%, Methodist 8.7%, Evangelical 3.8%, Salvation Army 0.3%, Presbyterian/Congregational 0.3%), Roman Catholic 6.3%,  Rastafarian 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, other 4.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 4.7% (2012 est.)

Government

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

• Constitution: history: previous 1969, 1975; latest drafted 26 July 1979, effective 27 October 1979 (The Saint Vincent Constitution Order 1979)amendment process: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections on fundamental rights and freedoms, citizen protections, various government functions and authorities, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum of at least two thirds of the votes cast, and assent of the governor general
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: English common law
• Executive Branch: chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Susan DOUGAN (since 1 August 2019)head of government: Prime Minister Ralph Everard GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime ministerelection/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by governor general on the advice of the prime minister
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justicejudge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62subordinate courts: magistrates' courts
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: House of Assemblylegislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 22 (15 directly elected; 6 appointed)electoral system: plurality/majorityscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 5 yearsmost recent election date: 11/5/2020parties elected and seats per party: United Labour Party (ULP) (9); New Democratic Party (NDP) (6)percentage of women in chamber: 21.7%expected date of next election: November 2025

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• upper middle-income Caribbean island economy; key agriculture and tourism sectors; environmentally fragile; diversifying economy across services, science and knowledge, and creative industries; CARICOM member and US Caribbean Basin Initiative beneficiary
• Budget: revenues: $226.404 million (2017 est.)expenditures: $208.744 million (2017 est.)note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: hydropower, arable land
• Industries: tourism; food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
• Agricultural Products: bananas, root vegetables, plantains, spices, coconuts, fruits, apples, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, sweet potatoes (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 17.9% (2022 est.)arable land: 5.1% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 7.7% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 5.1% (2022 est.)forest: 73.2% (2022 est.)other: 8.9% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, wheat, coal, poultry (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: USA 37%, Italy 7%, Trinidad & Tobago 7%, China 6%, UK 6% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: ships, wheat flours, animal food, shellfish, construction vehicles (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: Croatia 16%, Barbados 14%, USA 10%, St. Lucia 10%, St. Kitts & Nevis 8% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports