CapitalKingstown
Population100,647
Area389 km²
GDP per capita$18,700
LanguagesEnglish, Vincentian Creole English, French patois
CurrencyEast Caribbean dollars
Life Expectancy77.2 yr
Governmentparliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; part of the Commonwealth realm.
Introduction
Background
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.
Geography
Area
land
389 sq km
water
0 sq km
total
389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)
Climate
tropical climate; minimal seasonal temperature fluctuations; wet season occurring from May to November
Terrain
characterized by volcanic and mountainous terrain
Land use
other
8.8% (2023 est.)
forest
73.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
17.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 5.1% (2023 est.)
Location
located in the Caribbean, situated among the islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, to the north of Trinidad and Tobago
Coastline
84 km
Elevation
lowest point
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point
La Soufriere 1,234 m
Irrigated land
10 sq km (2012)
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
200 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
subject to hurricanes; the La Soufrière volcano on Saint Vincent poses an ongoing risk
volcanic activity: La Soufrière (1,234 m) last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is a component of the volcanic island arc known as the Lesser Antilles, which stretches from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Geography - note
governance of the Grenadines is shared between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines comprises 32 islands and cays
Natural resources
utilizes hydropower, has cultivable land
Area - comparative
approximately twice the area of Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates
13 15 N, 61 12 W
Population distribution
the majority of the populace is situated in and around the capital, Kingstown
People & Society
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.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.06 male(s)/female
total population
1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.94 male(s)/female
Birth rate
11.72 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
37.7 years
total
38.1 years (2025 est.)
female
37.4 years
Population
male
51,249
total
100,647 (2024 est.)
female
49,398
Nationality
noun
Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
adjective
Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Urbanization
urban population
54.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
18.8% (male 9,527/female 9,353)
15-64 years
68.2% (male 35,401/female 33,288)
65 years and over
13% (2024 est.) (male 6,321/female 6,757)
Ethnic groups
71.2% of the population is of African descent, 23% are of mixed heritage, 3% are Indigenous, 1.1% are East Indian/Indian, 1.5% are European, and 0.2% fall under other categories (2012 estimate).
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
46.5 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio
27.5 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio
5.3 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
19 (2024 est.)
Physician density
0.66 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
5.4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
8.6% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-5.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
4.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
6.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
12.6% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
13.9 deaths/1,000 live births
total
12 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
10.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
-0.15% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.85 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
The majority of the populace is situated in and near the capital city of Kingstown.
Life expectancy at birth
male
75.2 years
female
79.3 years
total population
77.2 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
56 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: total
total: 90.2% of population
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
7.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
4.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
27,000 KINGSTOWN (capital) (2018)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
23.7% (2016)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
14 years (2015 est.)
total
15 years (2015 est.)
female
15 years (2015 est.)
Environment
Climate
tropical climate; minimal seasonal temperature fluctuations; rainy period (May through November)
Land use
other
8.8% (2023 est.)
forest
73.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
17.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 5.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 5.1% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
54.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
31,600 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
13.3% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
contamination of coastal waters and shorelines due to vessels; inadequate land-use planning; deforestation; management of watersheds; regulation of informal settlements
Total water withdrawal
municipal
8.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
2,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
0 cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
268,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
19,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
249,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
9.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
100 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: consisting of three vertical stripes in blue (on the left), gold (twice the width), and green; the gold section features three green diamonds arranged in a "V" formation symbolizing "Vincent"
meaning: the diamonds symbolize the islands as "the Gems of the Antilles" and are positioned slightly below the gold band to indicate the country's location within the Antilles; blue represents the tropical sky and sea, yellow signifies the sand, and green denotes the vegetation.
Capital
name
Kingstown
time difference
UTC-4 (one hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
13 08 N, 61 13 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
yes
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
7 years
Constitution
history
previously from 1969, 1975; latest drafted on 26 July 1979, effective from 27 October 1979 (The Saint Vincent Constitution Order 1979)
amendment process
introduced by the House of Assembly; to pass, it requires a minimum two-thirds majority vote from the Assembly members and the assent of the governor general; amendments to constitutional sections concerning fundamental rights and freedoms, citizen protections, various governmental functions and authorities, and procedures for constitutional amendments require approval from the Assembly membership, a referendum approval of at least two-thirds of the votes cast, and the governor general's assent.
Country name
etymology
explorer Christopher COLUMBUS designated the island in honor of Saint VINCENT of Saragossa, as 22 January 1498, the day it was discovered, coincided with the saint's feast day.
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Independence
27 October 1979 (from the UK)
Legal system
English common law
Government type
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; part of the Commonwealth realm.
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) serves as the superior court for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; headquartered in St. Lucia, it comprises the Court of Appeal -- led by the chief justice and four judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal visits member states on a schedule to adjudicate appeals from the High Court and lower courts; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a participant in the Caribbean Court of Justice.
subordinate courts
magistrates' courts
judge selection and term of office
the chief justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court is appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges are selected by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, which is an independent body of judicial officials; justices of the Court of Appeal are appointed for life, subject to mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges are also appointed for life, with a mandatory retirement age of 62.
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
chief of state
King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Stanley JOHN (since 6 January 2026).
head of government
Prime Minister Godwin FRIDAY (since 28 November 2025)
election/appointment process
the monarchy operates on a hereditary basis; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general typically designates the leader of the majority party or coalition as prime minister; the deputy prime minister is also appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation.
National holiday
Independence Day, 27 October (1979)
National color(s)
blue, gold, green
Political parties
New Democratic Party or NDP
SVG Green Party or SVGP
Unity Labor Party or ULP (formed in 1994 by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
22 (15 directly elected; 6 appointed)
electoral system
plurality/majority
legislature name
House of Assembly
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
11/27/2025
expected date of next election
November 2030
percentage of women in chamber
21.7%
parties elected and seats per party
United Labour Party (ULP) (9); New Democratic Party (NDP) (6).
National anthem(s)
title
"God Save the King"
history
in use since 1745
lyrics/music
unknown
National symbol(s)
Saint Vincent parrot
Administrative divisions
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick.
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 364-6736
chancery
1627 K Street, NW, Suite 704, Washington, DC 20006
telephone
[1] (202) 364-6730
chief of mission
Ambassador Lou-Anne Gaylene GILCHRIST (since 18 January 2017)
consulate(s) general
New York
email address and website
[email protected]
http://wa.embassy.gov.vc/washington/
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy
the US does not maintain an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is also accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
International organization participation
ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not provided an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction.
Economy
Budget
revenues
$226.404 million (2017 est.)
expenditures
$208.744 million (2017 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$278.292 million (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$345.098 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$425.182 million (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$540.833 million (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$588.865 million (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$641.179 million (2024 est.)
Industries
tourism; food processing, cement production, furniture manufacturing, apparel, starch production
Labor force
52,100 (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2016
82.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
8.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
8.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
2.7 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
2.7 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
2.7 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
2.7 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
2.7 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$456.971 million (2023 est.)
Economic overview
upper middle-income island economy in the Caribbean; significant sectors include agriculture and tourism; environmentally sensitive; diversifying its economy into services, science and knowledge, and creative sectors; member of CARICOM and a beneficiary of the US Caribbean Basin Initiative
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
19.5% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
18.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
18.1% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
Croatia 16%, Barbados 14%, USA 10%, St. Lucia 10%, St. Kitts & Nevis 8% (2023)
Imports - partners
USA 37%, Italy 7%, Trinidad & Tobago 7%, China 6%, UK 6% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$16,800 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$17,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$18,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
3.1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
5.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
4.1% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
bananas, root vegetables, plantains, spices, coconuts, fruits, apples, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, sweet potatoes (2023)
Exports - commodities
ships, wheat flour, animal feed, shellfish, construction machinery (2023)
Imports - commodities
ships, refined petroleum, wheat, coal, poultry (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$199.727 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$180.43 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
-$156.589 million (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
23.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.157 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
5.7% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
4.6% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
3.6% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
7.3% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$1.718 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$1.809 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$1.883 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
41.4% (2024 est.)
total
41.4% (2024 est.)
female
41.4% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$320.193 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$280.564 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$316.824 million (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
15.4% (2024 est.)
services
66.4% (2024 est.)
agriculture
3.5% (2024 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
8 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
8,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
consumption
140.316 million kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
55,000 kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
10.868 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
37.253 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar
1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
86.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
12.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
76% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation runs a single television station along with five repeater stations, ensuring comprehensive coverage across the multi-island nation. There is also a multi-channel cable television service available. Furthermore, a national radio service, which receives partial government funding, operates on one station and maintains two repeater stations. In addition, there are approximately twelve privately owned radio stations and their corresponding repeater stations.
Internet country code
.vc
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
10,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
10 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
103,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
100 (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
31,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
30 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
1
medium
0
key ports
Kingstown
very small
0
total ports
1 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
1
Airports
5 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
830 (2023)
by type
30 bulk carriers, 18 container ships, 137 general cargo vessels, 16 oil tankers, and 629 others
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
J8
Military & Security
Military - note
Since its establishment in 1982, the nation has been a participant in the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS). The signatories of the RSS, which include Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, have committed to devising contingency plans and providing mutual assistance during national emergencies upon request. This cooperation encompasses a range of areas including the prevention of smuggling, search and rescue operations, immigration enforcement, fishery protection, customs and excise regulation, maritime policing responsibilities, safeguarding offshore installations, pollution management, as well as addressing national disasters and threats to national security (2025)
Military and security forces
No standing military forces exist; the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF) operates under the Ministry of National Security (2025)
