%, Carib
Amerindian 2%

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

Languages: English, French patois

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 96%

male: 96%

female: 96% (1970 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Government type: parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign
state within the Commonwealth

Capital: Kingstown

Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint
Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution: 27 October 1979

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

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 Move