Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Central America and Caribbean Kingstown

Population

100.6K

Area

389 km²

GDP

$1.16B

GDP Per Capita

$18,700

Pop. Density

259/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

$Eastern Caribbean dollar(XCD)

Calling Code

+1784

Timezone

UTC-04:00

Languages

English

Driving Side

left

Demonym

Saint Vincentian

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.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑79.8% since 2006

$644M (2006)$1B (2024)

Population

↓10.2% since 2006

112,014 (2006)100,616 (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 71.2 years

2006: 70.4 years2023: 71.2 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography17

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates

13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total : 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)
land: 389 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

twice the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

84 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate

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

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Elevation

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

Natural resources

hydropower, arable land

Land use

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.)

forest

73.2% (2023 est.)

other

8.8% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

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

Natural hazards

hurricanes; La Soufrière volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

volcanism: La Soufrière (1,234 m) last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the volcanic-island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Geography - note

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

People & Society29

Population

total: 100,647 (2024 est.)
male: 51,249
female: 49,398

Nationality

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

Ethnic groups

African descent 71.2%, mixed 23%, Indigenous 3%, East Indian/Indian 1.1%, European 1.5%, other 0.2% (2012 est.)

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.)

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)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 46.5 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 27.5 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 19 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 5.3 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 38.1 years (2025 est.)
male: 37.7 years
female: 37.4 years

Population growth rate

-0.15% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

11.72 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-5.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

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

Urbanization

urban population: 54.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

27,000 KINGSTOWN (capital) (2018)

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
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

56 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 75.2 years
female: 79.3 years

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.85 (2025 est.)

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.)

Physician density

0.66 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density

4.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total: total: 90.2% of population

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.7% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 7.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 2.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.24 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.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 6.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 12.6% national budget (2024 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years (2015 est.)
male: 14 years (2015 est.)
female: 15 years (2015 est.)

Government22

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint VINCENT of Saragossa because 22 January 1498, the day of discovery, was the saint's feast day

Government type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital

name: Kingstown
geographic coordinates: 13 08 N, 61 13 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

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

Legal system

English common law

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
election/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

Legislative branch

legislature name

House of Assembly

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

22 (15 directly elected; 6 appointed)

electoral system

plurality/majority

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

11/27/2025

parties 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 2030

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 Justice
judge 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 62
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts

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)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Lou-Anne Gaylene GILCHRIST (since 18 January 2017)

chancery

1627 K Street, NW, Suite 704, Washington, DC 20006

telephone

[1] (202) 364-6730

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6736

email address and website

mail@embsvg.com

http://wa.embassy.gov.vc/washington/

consulate(s) general

New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is 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

Independence

27 October 1979 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Flag

description: three vertical bands of blue (left side), gold (double-width), and green; the gold band has three green diamonds arranged in a "V" pattern that stands for "Vincent"

meaning: the diamonds represent the islands as "the Gems of the Antilles" and are set slightly lowered in the gold band to reflect the country's position in the Antilles; blue stands for the tropical sky and sea, yellow for the sand, and green for vegetation

National symbol(s)

Saint Vincent parrot

National color(s)

blue, gold, green

National anthem(s)

title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: in use since 1745

Economy27

Economic overview

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $1.883 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.809 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.718 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 4.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 5.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 3.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $18,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $17,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $16,800 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.157 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 3.6% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 4.6% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 5.7% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 3.5% (2024 est.)
industry: 15.4% (2024 est.)
services: 66.4% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

bananas, root vegetables, plantains, spices, coconuts, fruits, apples, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, sweet potatoes (2023)

Industries

tourism; food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate

7.3% (2024 est.)

Labor force

52,100 (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 18.1% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 18.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 19.5% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 41.4% (2024 est.)
male: 41.4% (2024 est.)
female: 41.4% (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2024: 8.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 8.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget

revenues: $226.404 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: $208.744 million (2017 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 82.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024: -$156.589 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$180.43 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$199.727 million (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2024: $425.182 million (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $345.098 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $278.292 million (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

Croatia 16%, Barbados 14%, USA 10%, St. Lucia 10%, St. Kitts & Nevis 8% (2023)

Exports - commodities

ships, wheat flours, animal food, shellfish, construction vehicles (2023)

Imports

Imports 2024: $641.179 million (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $588.865 million (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $540.833 million (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

USA 37%, Italy 7%, Trinidad & Tobago 7%, China 6%, UK 6% (2023)

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, wheat, coal, poultry (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $316.824 million (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $280.564 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $320.193 million (2022 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023: $456.971 million (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

2.7 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2.7 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.7 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.7 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.7 (2020 est.)

Energy6

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 55,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 140.316 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 10.868 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 86.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 12.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

exports: 8 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 8,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 37.253 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications6

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.)

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 country code

.vc

Internet users

percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 31,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.)

Transportation4

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

5 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 830 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 30, container ship 18, general cargo 137, oil tanker 16, other 629

Ports

total ports

1 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Kingstown

Military & Security2

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Ministry of National Security: Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF) (2025)

Military - note

the country has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

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