Compare Baker Island (2004) - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2001)

Baker Island (2004)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2001)

Administrative divisions

-

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

Age structure

-

0-14 years:
29.61% (male 17,466; female 16,865)

15-64 years:
64.04% (male 38,074; female 36,179)

65 years and over:
6.35% (male 3,162; female 4,196) (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products

-

bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish

Airports

1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2003 est.)

6 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

-

total:
5

914 to 1,523 m:
3

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

-

total:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)

Area

total: 1.4 sq km

land: 1.4 sq km

water: 0 sq km

total:
389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)

land:
389 sq km

water:
0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

twice the size of Washington, DC

Background

The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast.

Disputed between France and Great Britain in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969, and independence in 1979.

Birth rate

-

17.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Budget

-

revenues:
$85.7 million

expenditures:
$98.6 million, including capital expenditures of $25.7 million (1997 est.)

Capital

-

Kingstown

Climate

equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

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

Coastline

4.8 km

84 km

Constitution

-

27 October 1979

Country name

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Baker Island

conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Currency

-

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Death rate

-

6.16 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Debt - external

-

$99.3 million (1998)

Dependency status

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

-

Diplomatic representation from the US

-

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

-

chief of mission:
Ambassador Ellsworth JOHN

chancery:
3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone:
[1] (202) 364-6730

FAX:
[1] (202) 364-6736

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

-

$47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998)

Economy - overview

no economic activity

Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower-middle-income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and a high unemployment rate persists. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995. The tourism sector has considerable potential for development over the next decade. Recent growth has been stimulated by strong activity in the construction sector and an improvement in tourism. There is a small manufacturing sector and a small offshore financial sector whose particularly restrictive secrecy laws have caused some international concern.

Electricity - consumption

-

76.3 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

-

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

-

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

-

82 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

-

fossil fuel:
73.17%

hydro:
26.83%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 8 m

lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Soufriere 1,234 m

Environment - current issues

no natural fresh water resources

pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Environment - international agreements

-

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Ethnic groups

-

black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%

Exchange rates

-

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Executive branch

-

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 Ralph GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)

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

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Exports

-

$53.7 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

-

bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets

Exports - partners

-

Caricom countries 49%, UK 16%, US 10% (1995)

Fiscal year

-

calendar year

Flag description

the flag of the US is used

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

GDP

-

purchasing power parity - $322 million (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

-

agriculture:
10.6%

industry:
17.5%

services:
71.9% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

-

purchasing power parity - $2,800 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-

2% (2000 est.)

Geographic coordinates

0 13 N, 176 31 W

13 15 N, 61 12 W

Geography - note

treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Highways

-

total:
1,040 km

paved:
320 km

unpaved:
720 km (1996)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

-

lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%

Illicit drugs

-

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Imports

-

$185.6 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

-

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels

Imports - partners

-

US 36%, Caricom countries 28%, UK 13% (1995)

Independence

-

27 October 1979 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-

-0.9% (1997 est.)

Industries

-

food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Infant mortality rate

-

16.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-

2% (1999 est.)

International organization participation

-

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

-

15 (2000)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (1998 est.)

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Judicial branch

-

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Labor force

-

67,000 (1984 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

-

agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2001)

arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
18%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
36%

other:
31% (1993 est.)

Languages

-

English, French patois

Legal system

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

based on English common law

Legislative branch

-

unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by NA March 2006)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

Life expectancy at birth

-

total population:
72.56 years

male:
70.83 years

female:
74.34 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

-

definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population:
96%

male:
96%

female:
96% (1970 est.)

Location

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Map references

Oceania

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM

Merchant marine

-

total:
800 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,705,336 GRT/10,134,002 DWT

ships by type:
barge carrier 1, bulk 131, cargo 395, chemical tanker 29, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 1, container 46, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 56, refrigerated cargo 42, roll on/roll off 49, short-sea passenger 11, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 1

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: China 4, Ireland 1, France 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 1, Croatia 10, India 1, Japan 2, Monaco 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Pakistan 1, Russia 1, Slovenia 5, UAE 1 (2000 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

-

Military branches

-

Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

-

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

-

NA%

National holiday

-

Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Nationality

-

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

adjective:
Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Natural hazards

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

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

Natural resources

guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

hydropower, cropland

Net migration rate

-

-7.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

-

National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Political pressure groups and leaders

-

NA

Population

uninhabited

note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (2004 est.)

115,942 (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

-

NA%

Population growth rate

-

0.4% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Kingstown

Radio broadcast stations

-

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

-

77,000 (1997)

Railways

-

0 km

Religions

-

Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Hindu, other Protestant

Sex ratio

-

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.75 male(s)/female

total population:
1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Suffrage

-

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

-

general assessment:
adequate system

domestic:
islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines

international:
VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use

-

20,500 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

-

NA

Television broadcast stations

-

1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Terrain

low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

volcanic, mountainous