Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Facts, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Flag -- National Geographic

Fast Facts

Population:: 111,000
Capital:: Kingstown; 29,000
Area:: 389 square kilometers (150 square miles)
Language:: English, French patois
Religion:: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, other Protestant
Currency:: East Caribbean dollar
Life Expectancy:: 72
GDP per Capita:: U.S. $2,900
Literacy Percent:: 96

This eastern Caribbean country consists of volcanic Saint Vincent island and the Grenadines, 32 smaller islands and cays. Saint Vincent is hilly with rich volcanic soils, and its volcano, Soufrière, last erupted in 1979—the year of independence from Britain. Two hydroelectric plants help power Saint Vincent's diversifying economy, dependent in part on exports of bananas and arrowroot, valuable as a starch in carbonless copy paper. Tourism is of growing importance.

ECONOMY

Industry: Food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Agriculture: Bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; cattle; fish
Exports: Bananas, eddoes, dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets

—Text From National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition

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