AS,
OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE
chancery: 1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 102, Washington, DC
20036
telephone: [1] (202) 462-7806, 7846
FAX: [1] (202) 462-7807

US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Ambassador to Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

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

Economy
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Economic overview: Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is
the most important sector of the 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 high unemployment rates of 35%-40% continue. 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.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $240 million (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 0.4% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $2,060 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 24%
industry: 33.1%
services: 42.9% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.2% (1995)

Labor force: 67,000 (1984 est.)
by occupation: agriculture, industry, services, other (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate: 35%-40% (1994 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $80 million
expenditures: $118 million, including capital expenditures of $39
million (1996 est.)

Industries: food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 16,600 kW
production: 50 million kWh
consumption per capita: 436 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small
numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; small fish catch used locally

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

Exports: $57.1 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: bananas, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch,
tennis racquets
partners: UK 54%, Caricom countries 34%, US 10%

Imports: $134.6 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment,