. Increased tourist arrivals have helped spur growth in the
construction and transport sectors. The dual island nation's
agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the
sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages
that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction.
Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major
products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components.
Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to
depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the
US, which accounts for about half of all tourist arrivals.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$470 million (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$7,400 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.8%
industry: 18.9%
services: 77.3% (1995)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2.5% (1996)

Labor force:
total: 30,000
by occupation: commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7%
(1983)

Unemployment rate: 5%-10%(1995 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $107 million
expenditures: $132 million, including capital expenditures of $18
million (1995)

Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing,
alcohol, household appliances)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 26,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 95 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,458 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts,
cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Exports:
total value: $45 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, food and live
animals 4%, machinery and transport equipment 17%
partners: OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%,
US 0.3%

Imports:
total value: $350.8 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment,
manufactures, chemicals, oil
partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50%

Debt-external: $225 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed
rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Telephones: 6,700

Telephone system:
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satel