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

Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party (NDP), James F.
MITCHELL; United People's Movement (UPM), Adrian SAUNDERS; National
Reform Party (NRP), Joel MIGUEL; Unity Labor Party (ULP),Vincent
BEACHE-formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party (SVLP) and
the Movement for National Unity (MNU)

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,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kingsley C.A. LAYNE
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736

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

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:Economy

Economy-overview: 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 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. The tourism
sector has considerable potential for development over the next
decade.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$259 million (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,200 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.6%
industry: 17.5%
services: 71.9% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 3.6% (1996)

Labor force:
total: 67,000 (1984 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)

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

Budget:
revenues: $80 million
expenditures: $118 million, including capital