and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds
arranged in a V pattern

Geography
---------

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

Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total area: 340 sq km
land area: 340 sq km
comparative area: twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 84 km

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

International disputes: none

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

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 38%
permanent crops: 12%
meadows and pastures: 6%
forest and woodland: 41%
other: 3%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: 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
natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of
Saint Vincent is a constant threat
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the
Sea, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification

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

People
------

Population: 118,344 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 19,742; female 19,106)
15-64 years: 62% (male 36,576; female 36,381)
65 years and over: 5% (male 2,702; female 3,837) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.64% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 19.36 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.4 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.94 years
male: 71.43 years
female: 74.49 years (1996 est.)

Total f