Topic: Photos of Haiti

Topic: Introduction
Background: The native Taino - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when Christopher COLUMBUS first landed on it in 1492 - were virtually wiped out by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but relied heavily on the forced labor of enslaved Africans and environmentally degrading practices. In the late 18th century, Toussaint L'OUVERTURE led a revolution of Haiti's nearly half a million slaves that ended France's rule on the island. After a prolonged struggle, and under the leadership of Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, Haiti became the first country in the world led by former slaves after declaring its independence in 1804, but it was forced to pay an indemnity of 100 million francs (equivalent to $21 billion USD in March 2022) to France for more than a century and was shunned by other countries for nearly 40 years. On 12 July 1862, the US officially recognized Haiti, but foreign economic influence and internal political instability induced the US to occupy Haiti from 1915-1934. Subsequently, Francois "Papa Doc" DUVALIER and then his son Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" DUVALIER led repressive and corrupt regimes that ruled Haiti in 1957-1971 and 1971-1986, respectively. President Jovenel MOISE was assassinated on 7 July 2021, leading the country further into an extra-constitutional governance structure and contributing to the country’s growing fragility. President MOISE's five-year term would have ended on 7 February 2022; his assassination plunged Haiti deeper into a political crisis that was not anticipated in its constitution. Thus, on 20 July 2021, the Government of Haiti installed Ariel HENRY - whom President MOISE had nominated - as prime minister. As of March 2022, Haiti had no president, no parliamentary quorum, and a dysfunctional high court due to a lack of judges. Haiti has long been plagued by natural disasters. In January 2010, a major 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti with an epicenter about 25 km (15 mi) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Estimates are that over 300,000 people were killed and some 1.5 million left homeless. The earthquake was assessed as the worst in this region over the last 200 years. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti’s southern peninsula in August 2021, causing well over 2,000 deaths; an estimated 500,000 required emergency humanitarian aid. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, as well as one of the most unequal in wealth distribution.The native Taino - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when Christopher COLUMBUS first landed on it in 1492 - were virtually wiped out by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but relied heavily on the forced labor of enslaved Africans and environmentally degrading practices. In the late 18th century, Toussaint L'OUVERTURE led a revolution of Haiti's nearly half a million slaves that ended France's rule on the island. After a prolonged struggle, and under the leadership of Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, Haiti became the first country in the world led by former slaves after declaring its independence in 1804, but it was forced to pay an indemnity of 100 million francs (equivalent to $21 billion USD in March 2022) to France for more than a century and was shunned by other countries for nearly 40 years. On 12 July 1862, the US officially recognized Haiti, but foreign economic influence and internal political instability induced the US to occupy Haiti from 1915-1934. Subsequently, Francois "Papa Doc" DUVALIER and then his son Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" DUVALIER led repressive and corrupt regimes that ruled Haiti in 1957-1971 and 1971-1986, respectively. President Jovenel MOISE was assassinated on 7 July 2021, leading the country further into an extra-constitutional governance structure and contributing to the country’s growing fragility. President MOISE's five-year term would have ended on 7 February 2022; his assassination plunged Haiti deeper into a political crisis that was not anticipated in its constitution. Thus, on 20 July 2021, the Government of Haiti installed Ariel HENRY - whom President MOISE had nominated - as prime minister. As of March 2022, Haiti had no president, no parliamentary quorum, and a dysfunctional high court due to a lack of judges. Haiti has long been plagued by natural disasters. In January 2010, a major 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti with an epicenter about 25 km (15 mi) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Estimates are that over 300,000 people were killed and some 1.5 million left homeless. The earthquake was assessed as the worst in this region over the last 200 years. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti’s southern peninsula in August 2021, causing well over 2,000 deaths; an estimated 500,000 required emergency humanitarian aid. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, as well as one of the most unequal in wealth distribution.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 27,750 sq km

land: 27,560 sq km

water: 190 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 376 km

border countries (1): Dominican Republic 376 km
Coastline: 1,771 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous
Elevation: highest point: Pic la Selle 2,674 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 470 m
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 66.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 38.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 10.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 17.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 3.6% (2018 est.)

other: 30% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 970 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts
Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic); it is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean
Map description: Haiti map shows the country’s border with the Dominican Republic and its position in the Caribbean Sea.Haiti map shows the country’s border with the Dominican Republic and its position in the Caribbean Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 11,334,637 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
Nationality: noun: Haitian(s)

adjective: Haitian
Ethnic groups: Black 95%, mixed and White 5%
Languages: French (official), Creole (official)

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Catholic 55%, Protestant 29%, Vodou 2.1%, other 4.6%, none 10% (2018 est.)

note: 50-80% of Haitians incorporate some elements of Vodou culture or practice in addition to another religion, most often Roman Catholicism; Vodou was recognized as an official religion in 2003
Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.21% (male 1,719,961/female 1,734,566)

15-24 years: 20.71% (male 1,145,113/female 1,146,741)

25-54 years: 38.45% (male 2,110,294/female 2,145,209)

55-64 years: 5.3% (male 280,630/female 305,584)

65 years and over: 4.33% (2020 est.) (male 210,451/female 269,228)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 60.4

youth dependency ratio: 52.1

elderly dependency ratio: 8.3

potential support ratio: 13.3 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 24.1 years

male: 23.8 years

female: 24.3 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.2% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 21.12 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 7.23 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: fairly even distribution; largest concentrations located near coastal areas
Urbanization: urban population: 58.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 2.915 million PORT-AU-PRINCE (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 22.4 years (2016/7 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 480 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 40.02 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 45.71 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 34.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.95 years

male: 63.26 years

female: 68.67 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.43 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 34.3% (2016/17)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 91.9% of population

rural: 56.1% of population

total: 76.5% of population

unimproved: urban: 8.1% of population

rural: 43.9% of population

total: 23.5% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 4.7% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density: 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 82.9% of population

rural: 42.6% of population

total: 65.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 17.1% of population

rural: 57.4% of population

total: 34.4% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.9% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 150,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,200 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 22.7% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 7.7% (2020 est.)

male: 12.2% (2020 est.)

female: 3.1% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 9.5% (2016/17)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 2.1%

women married by age 18: 14.9%

men married by age 18: 1.6% (2017 est.)
Education expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2018 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 61.7%

male: 65.3%

female: 58.3% (2016)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; overpopulation leads to inadequate supplies of potable water and and a lack of sanitation; natural disasters
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 14.63 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 2.98 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 6.12 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Land use: agricultural land: 66.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 38.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 10.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 17.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 3.6% (2018 est.)

other: 30% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 58.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 2.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.68% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
Food insecurity: severe localized food insecurity: due to reduced agricultural production and socio-political turmoil - about 4.56 million people are estimated to be facing severe acute food insecurity and in need of urgent food assistance between March and June 2022; the high levels of food insecurity are the result of consecutive reduced cereal harvests between 2018 and 2021, and elevated food prices, exacerbated by sociopolitical turmoil; two natural disasters (a 7.2 magnitude earthquake and a tropical storm) that struck in August 2021, destroyed productive assets and infrastructures, and caused losses of stored food, further aggravating conditions; the lack of income-earning opportunities amid worsening insecurity and difficult macroeconomic conditions is likely to heighten food insecurity (2022)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,309,852 tons (2015 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 190 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 51 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 1.209 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 14.022 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Haiti

conventional short form: Haiti

local long form: Republique d'Haiti (French)/ Repiblik d Ayiti (Haitian Creole)

local short form: Haiti (French)/ Ayiti (Haitian Creole)

etymology: the native Taino name means "Land of High Mountains" and was originally applied to the entire island of Hispaniola
Government type: semi-presidential republic
Capital: name: Port-au-Prince

geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

etymology: according to tradition, in 1706, a Captain de Saint-Andre named the bay and its surrounding area after his ship Le Prince; the name of the town that grew there means, "the Port of The Prince"
Administrative divisions: 10 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution: history: many previous; latest adopted 10 March 1987, with substantial revisions in June 2012; note – the constitution is commonly referred to as the “amended 1987 constitution”

amendments: proposed by the executive branch or by either the Senate or the Chamber of Deputies; consideration of proposed amendments requires support by at least two-thirds majority of both houses; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the membership present and at least two-thirds majority of the votes cast; approved amendments enter into force after installation of the next president of the republic; constitutional articles on the democratic and republican form of government cannot be amended; amended many times, last in 2012
Legal system: civil law system strongly influenced by Napoleonic Code
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Haiti

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President (vacant); note - Prime Minister Ariel HENRY assumed executive responsibilities, including naming Cabinet members, following the assassination President MOISE on 7 July 2021; new elections have not yet been scheduled.

head of government: Prime Minister Ariel HENRY (since 20 July 2021)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president; parliament must ratify the Cabinet and Prime Minister's governing policy

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a single non-consecutive term); last election had been originally scheduled for 9 October 2016 but was postponed until 20 November 2016 due to Hurricane Matthew

election results:
2016: Jovenel MOISE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Jovenel MOISE (PHTK) 55.6%, Jude CELESTIN (LAPEH) 19.6%, Jean-Charles MOISE (PPD) 11%, Maryse NARCISSE (FL) 9%; other 4.8%

2011: Michel MARTELLY elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Michel MARTELLY (Peasant's Response) 68%, Mirlande MANIGAT (RDNP) 32%
Legislative branch: description: bicameral legislature or le Corps legislatif ou le Parlement consists of:
le Sénat de la République or Senate (30 seats; 10 filled as of March 2022); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms (2-term limit) with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years)
la Chambre des députés or Chamber of Deputies (119 seats; 0 filled as of March 2022; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms; no term limits); note - when the 2 chambers meet collectively it is known as L'Assemblée nationale or the National Assembly and is convened for specific purposes spelled out in the constitution

elections:
Senate - last held on 20 November 2016 with runoff on 29 January 2017 (next originally scheduled for 27 October 2019, but postponed until political and civil society actors agree to a consensual process)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 9 August 2015 with runoff on 25 October 2015 and 20 November 2016 (next originally scheduled for 27 October 2019, but postponed until political and civil society actors agree to a consensual process)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 10, women 0, percent of women 0%
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA

note: the Chamber of Deputies is currently defunct, and the Senate is only one-third filled (not enough seats for a quorum)
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour de cassation (consists of a chief judge and other judges); note 1 - the Cour de cassation currently has no chief judge and only 3 sitting members and is not functional; note 2 - Haiti is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice;  Constitutional Court, called for in the 1987 constitution but not yet established; High Court of Justice, for trying high government officials - currently not functional

judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president from candidate lists submitted by the Senate of the National Assembly; note - Article 174 of Haiti's constitution states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for 10 years, whereas Article 177 states that judges of the Supreme Court are appointed for life

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; magistrate's courts; land, labor, and children's courts

note: the Superior Council of the Judiciary or Conseil Superieur du Pouvoir Judiciaire is a 9-member body charged with the administration and oversight of the judicial branch of government
Political parties and leaders: Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Emancipation (Ligue Alternative pour le Progres et l’Emancipation Haitienne) or LAPEH [Jude CELESTIN]
Bridge (Pont) or Pou Nou Tout [Jean Marie CHERESTAL]
Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MCNH [Luc MESADIEU]
Christian National Movement for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Chavannes JEUNE]
Combat of Peasant Workers to Liberate Haiti (Konbit Travaye Peyizan Pou Libere Ayiti) or Kontra Pep La [Jean William JEANTY]
Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]
Cooperative Action to Rebuild Haiti or KONBA [Jean William JEANTY]
December 16 Platform or Platfom 16 Desanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT]
Democratic Alliance Party or ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition includes KID and PPRH)
Democratic Centers' National Council or CONACED [Osner FEVRY]
Democratic and Popular Sector (Secteur Democratique et Populaire) or SDP [Nenel CASSY, Andre MICHEL and Marjorie MICHEL]
Democratic Unity Convention (Konvansyon Inite Demokratik) or KID [Enold JOSEPH]
Dessalinian Patriotic and Popular Movement or MOPOD [Jean Andre VICTOR]
Effort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph JASME]
Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Maryse NARCISSE and former President Jean Bertrand ARISTIDE]
For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]
Forward (En Avant) [Jerry TARDIEU]
Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats (Fusion Des Sociaux-Démocrates Haïtiens) or FHSD [Edmonde Supplice BEAUZILE]
G18 Policy Platform (Plateforme Politique G18) [Joseph WUILSON]
Haiti in Action (Ayiti An Aksyon Haiti's Action) or AAA [Youri LATORTUE]
Haitian Tet Kale Party (Parti Haitien Tet Kale) or PHTK [Line Sainphaar BALTHAZAR]
Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [Luc FLEURINORD]
Lavni Organization or LAVNI [Yves CRISTALIN]
Lod Demokratik [Jean Renel SENATUS]
Love Haiti (Renmen Ayiti) or RA [Jean Henry CEANT]
MTV Ayiti [Reginald BOULOS]
National Consortium of Haitian Political Parties (Consortium National des Partis Politiques Haitiens) or CNPPH [Jeantel JOSEPH]
National Shield Network (Reseau Bouclier National) [Victor PROPHANE and Garry BODEAU]
Organization of the People's Struggle (Oganizasyon Pep Kap Lite) or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]
Patriotic Unity (Inite Patriyotik) or Inite [Sorel YACINTHE and Levaillant Louis JEUNE]
Platform Pitit Desaline (Politik Pitit Dessalines) or PPD [Moise JEAN-CHARLES]
Popular Patriotic Dessalinien Movement (Mouvement Patriotique Populaire Dessalinien) or MOPOD [Jean Andre VICTOR]
Rally of Progressive National Democrats (Rassemblement des Democrates Nationaux Progressistes) or RDNP [Eric JEAN-BAPTISTE]
Respe (Respect) [Charles Henry BAKER]
Women and Families Political Parties (Defile Pati Politik Fanm Ak Fanmi) [Marie Rebecca GUILLAUME]
International organization participation: ACP, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bocchit EDMOND (since 23 December 2020)

chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090

FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215

email address and website:
amb.washington@diplomatie.ht

https://www.haiti.org/

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando (FL), New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Nicole D. THERIOT

embassy: Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre, Port-au-Prince

mailing address: 3400 Port-au-Prince Place, Washington, DC 20521-3400

telephone: [011] (509) 2229-8000

FAX: [011] (509) 2229-8027

email address and website:
acspap@state.gov

https://ht.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength); the colors are taken from the French Tricolor and represent the union of blacks and mulattoes
National symbol(s): Hispaniolan trogon (bird), hibiscus flower; national colors: blue, red
National anthem: name: "La Dessalinienne" (The Dessalines Song)

lyrics/music: Justin LHERISSON/Nicolas GEFFRARD

note: adopted 1904; named for Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, a leader in the Haitian Revolution and first ruler of an independent Haiti
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Haiti is a free market economy with low labor costs and tariff-free access to the US for many of its exports. Two-fifths of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, which remains vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters. Poverty, corruption, vulnerability to natural disasters, and low levels of education for much of the population represent some of the most serious impediments to Haiti’s economic growth. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equivalent to more than a quarter of GDP, and nearly double the combined value of Haitian exports and foreign direct investment.   Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with close to 60% of the population living under the national poverty line, Haiti’s GDP growth rose to 5.5% in 2011 as the Haitian economy began recovering from the devastating January 2010 earthquake that destroyed much of its capital city, Port-au-Prince, and neighboring areas. However, growth slowed to below 2% in 2015 and 2016 as political uncertainty, drought conditions, decreasing foreign aid, and the depreciation of the national currency took a toll on investment and economic growth. Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, made landfall in Haiti on 4 October 2016, with 140 mile-per-hour winds, creating a new humanitarian emergency. An estimated 2.1 million people were affected by the category 4 storm, which caused extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure across Haiti’s southern peninsula.   US economic engagement under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the 2008 Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II) have contributed to an increase in apparel exports and investment by providing duty-free access to the US. The Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act of 2010 extended the CBTPA and HOPE II until 2020, while the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 extended trade benefits provided to Haiti in the HOPE and HELP Acts through September 2025. Apparel sector exports in 2016 reached approximately $850 million and account for over 90% of Haitian exports and more than 10% of the GDP.   Investment in Haiti is hampered by the difficulty of doing business and weak infrastructure, including access to electricity. Haiti's outstanding external debt was cancelled by donor countries following the 2010 earthquake, but has since risen to $2.6 billion as of December 2017, the majority of which is owed to Venezuela under the PetroCaribe program. Although the government has increased its revenue collection, it continues to rely on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability, with over 20% of its annual budget coming from foreign aid or direct budget support.Haiti is a free market economy with low labor costs and tariff-free access to the US for many of its exports. Two-fifths of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, which remains vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters. Poverty, corruption, vulnerability to natural disasters, and low levels of education for much of the population represent some of the most serious impediments to Haiti’s economic growth. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equivalent to more than a quarter of GDP, and nearly double the combined value of Haitian exports and foreign direct investment. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with close to 60% of the population living under the national poverty line, Haiti’s GDP growth rose to 5.5% in 2011 as the Haitian economy began recovering from the devastating January 2010 earthquake that destroyed much of its capital city, Port-au-Prince, and neighboring areas. However, growth slowed to below 2% in 2015 and 2016 as political uncertainty, drought conditions, decreasing foreign aid, and the depreciation of the national currency took a toll on investment and economic growth. Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, made landfall in Haiti on 4 October 2016, with 140 mile-per-hour winds, creating a new humanitarian emergency. An estimated 2.1 million people were affected by the category 4 storm, which caused extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure across Haiti’s southern peninsula. US economic engagement under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the 2008 Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II) have contributed to an increase in apparel exports and investment by providing duty-free access to the US. The Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act of 2010 extended the CBTPA and HOPE II until 2020, while the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 extended trade benefits provided to Haiti in the HOPE and HELP Acts through September 2025. Apparel sector exports in 2016 reached approximately $850 million and account for over 90% of Haitian exports and more than 10% of the GDP. Investment in Haiti is hampered by the difficulty of doing business and weak infrastructure, including access to electricity. Haiti's outstanding external debt was cancelled by donor countries following the 2010 earthquake, but has since risen to $2.6 billion as of December 2017, the majority of which is owed to Venezuela under the PetroCaribe program. Although the government has increased its revenue collection, it continues to rely on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability, with over 20% of its annual budget coming from foreign aid or direct budget support.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $31.62 billion (2020 est.)

$32.72 billion (2019 est.)

$33.28 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 1.2% (2017 est.)

1.5% (2016 est.)

1.2% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $2,800 (2020 est.)

$2,900 (2019 est.)

$3,000 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $8.608 billion (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.7% (2017 est.)

13.4% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 22.1% (2017 est.)

industry: 20.3% (2017 est.)

services: 57.6% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 99.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 10% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 32.6% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories: -1.4% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 20% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -60.3% (2017 est.)

note: figure for household consumption also includes government consumption
Agricultural products: sugar cane, cassava, mangoes/guavas, plantains, bananas, yams, avocados, maize, rice, vegetables
Industries: textiles, sugar refining, flour milling, cement, light assembly using imported parts
Industrial production growth rate: 0.9% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 4.594 million (2014 est.)

note: shortage of skilled labor; unskilled labor abundant
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 38.1%

industry: 11.5%

services: 50.4% (2010)
Unemployment rate: 40.6% (2010 est.)

note: widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs
Population below poverty line: 58.5% (2012 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 41.1 (2012 est.)

59.2 (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7%

highest 10%: 47.7% (2001)
Budget: revenues: 1.567 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 1.65 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 31.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

33.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 18.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Current account balance: -$348 million (2017 est.)

-$83 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $1.73 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.78 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: United States 81%, Canada 7% (2019)
Exports - commodities: clothing and apparel, eels, essential oils, perfumes, mangoes, cocoa beans (2019)
Imports: $5.21 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$5.67 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: United States 39%, China 22%, Turkey 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, rice, clothing and apparel, palm oil, poultry meats (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.361 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.11 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $2.762 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.17 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: gourdes (HTG) per US dollar -

65.21 (2017 est.)

63.34 (2016 est.)

63.34 (2015 est.)

50.71 (2014 est.)

45.22 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 39% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 60% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 12% (2019)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 3.453 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 339 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 643 million kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 85.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 13.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 21,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 20,030 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 3.341 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 3.341 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.139 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 3.137 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 2,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 3.97 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 6,000 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 7.319 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 64 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Haiti is in desperate need of maintaining effective communication services to enable it to keep going through the countless natural disasters, the country’s telecoms sector is really only surviving on the back of international goodwill to repair and replace the systems destroyed in the latest upheaval; Haiti’s fixed-line infrastructure is now practically non-existent, having been torn apart by Hurricane Matthew in 2016; what aid and additional investment has been forthcoming has been directed towards mobile solutions; over half of the country can afford a mobile handset or the cost of a monthly subscription; and mobile broadband subscriptions is half of that again – an estimated 28% in 2022; international aid continues to flow in to try and help the country’s telecoms sector recover – the World Bank has released a further $120 million to go on top of the $60 million grant provided after the last major 7.2 earthquake in August 2021. (2022)

domestic: fixed-line is less than 1 per 100; mobile-cellular telephone services have expanded greatly in the last decade due to low-cost GSM (Global Systems for Mobile) phones and pay-as-you-go plans; mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 61 per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 509; landing points for the BDSNi and Fibralink submarine cables to 14 points in the Bahamas and Dominican Republic; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: per 2019 data released by Haitian telecommunications regulator CONATEL (Conseil National des Télécommunications), there are 398 legal sound broadcasting stations on the territory, including about 60 community radio stations, and 7 radio stations on the AM band; the FM band in Haiti is oversaturated by 158 percent; most radio stations broadcast 17 to 19 hours a day; there are 105 television stations operating in Haiti, including 36 TV stations in Port- au- Prince, 41 others in the provinces, and more than 40 radio-television stations; a large number of broadcasting stations operate irregularly and some stations operate with technical parameters that do not comply with established standards, thus causing harmful interference to existing telecommunications systems; VOA Creole Service broadcasts daily on 30 affiliate stations (2019)per 2019 data released by Haitian telecommunications regulator CONATEL (Conseil National des Télécommunications), there are 398 legal sound broadcasting stations on the territory, including about 60 community radio stations, and 7 radio stations on the AM band; the FM band in Haiti is oversaturated by 158 percent; most radio stations broadcast 17 to 19 hours a day; there are 105 television stations operating in Haiti, including 36 TV stations in Port- au- Prince, 41 others in the provinces, and more than 40 radio-television stations; a large number of broadcasting stations operate irregularly and some stations operate with technical parameters that do not comply with established standards, thus causing harmful interference to existing telecommunications systems; VOA Creole Service broadcasts daily on 30 affiliate stations
Internet country code: .ht
Internet users: total: 3,990,887 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 35% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 31,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.3 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HH
Airports: total: 14 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 8 (2021)
Roadways: total: 4,102 km (2011)

paved: 600 km (2011)

unpaved: 3,502 km (2011)
Merchant marine: total: 4

by type: general cargo 3, other 1 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Port-au-Prince

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: the Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH), disbanded in 1995, began to be reconstituted in 2017 to assist with natural disaster relief, border security, and combating transnational crime; it established an Army command in 2018 (2022)

note: the Haitian National Police (under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security) has a number of specialized units, including a coast guard, a presidential guard, and a paramilitary rapid-response Motorized Intervention Unit or BIM
Military expenditures: not available
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 1,200 active military troops (the force is planned to eventually have around 5,000 personnel); approximately 16,000 National Police (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: not available
Military service age and obligation: not available
Military - note: according to the Haitian Government, the mission of the reconstituted armed forces will focus on patrolling the border with the Dominican Republic, combating smuggling, and executing recovery efforts after natural disasters

the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) operated in Haiti from 2004 until 2017; its mission was to help restore stability after President Bertrand ARISTIDE fled the country, including assisting with the political process, strengthening government institutions, and promoting and protecting human rights; following the completion of MINUSTAH’s mandate in 2017, a smaller peacekeeping mission, the UN Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH), operated until 2019; its mission was to assist with the further development and strengthening of the national police, as well as Haiti’s justice and prison systems, and to promote and protect human rights; in 2019, the UN established the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) with the political mission of advising the Haiti Government in elections, governance, and security; BINUH's current mandate last until July 2023 according to the Haitian Government, the mission of the reconstituted armed forces will focus on patrolling the border with the Dominican Republic, combating smuggling, and executing recovery efforts after natural disasters

the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) operated in Haiti from 2004 until 2017; its mission was to help restore stability after President Bertrand ARISTIDE fled the country, including assisting with the political process, strengthening government institutions, and promoting and protecting human rights; following the completion of MINUSTAH’s mandate in 2017, a smaller peacekeeping mission, the UN Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH), operated until 2019; its mission was to assist with the further development and strengthening of the national police, as well as Haiti’s justice and prison systems, and to promote and protect human rights; in 2019, the UN established the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) with the political mission of advising the Haiti Government in elections, governance, and security; BINUH's current mandate last until July 2023
Maritime threats: the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Haiti are a risk for armed robbery against ships; in 2021, four attacks against commercial vessels were reported, a slight decrease from the five attacks reported in 2020; most of these occurred in the main port of Port-au-Prince while ships were berthed or at anchor

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: since 2004, peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti have assisted in maintaining civil order in Haiti; the mission currently includes 6,685 military, 2,607 police, and 443 civilian personnel; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Islandsince 2004, peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti have assisted in maintaining civil order in Haiti; the mission currently includes 6,685 military, 2,607 police, and 443 civilian personnel; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 17,000 (violence among armed gangs in the metropolitan area os Port-au-Prince) (2021)

stateless persons: 2,992 (2018); note - individuals without a nationality who were born in the Dominican Republic prior to January 2010
Illicit drugs: a transit point for cocaine from South America and marijuana from Jamaica en route to the United States; not a producer or large consumer of illicit drugs; some cultivation of cannabis for local consumptiona transit point for cocaine from South America and marijuana from Jamaica en route to the United States; not a producer or large consumer of illicit drugs; some cultivation of cannabis for local consumption


Topic: Photos of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Topic: Introduction
Background: Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on Saint Vincent until 1719. Disputed by France and the UK for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. The British prized Saint Vincent due to its fertile soil, which allowed for thriving slave-run plantations of sugar, coffee, indigo, tobacco, cotton, and cocoa. In 1834, the British abolished slavery. Immigration of indentured servants eased the ensuing labor shortage, as did subsequent Portuguese immigrants from Madeira and East Indian laborers. Conditions remained harsh for both former slaves and immigrant agricultural workers, however, as depressed world sugar prices kept the economy stagnant until the early 1900s. The economy then went into a period of decline with many landowners abandoning their estates and leaving the land to be cultivated by liberated slaves. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979. In April 2021, the explosive eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in the north of Saint Vincent destroyed much of Saint Vincent’s most productive agricultural lands. Unlike most of its tourism-dependent neighbors, the Vincentian economy is primarily agricultural. The US provided $4.7 million in humanitarian support after the eruption.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)

land: 389 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 84 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain: volcanic, mountainous
Elevation: highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources: hydropower, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 25.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 12.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 7.7% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 5.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 68.7% (2018 est.)

other: 5.7% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown
Natural hazards: hurricanes; La Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threatvolcanism: La Soufriere (1,234 m) on the island of Saint Vincent last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the southhurricanes; La Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threatvolcanism: La Soufriere (1,234 m) on the island of Saint Vincent last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Geography - note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays
Map description: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines map showing the islands that comprise this archipelagic country in the Caribbean Sea.Saint Vincent and the Grenadines map showing the islands that comprise this archipelagic country in the Caribbean Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 100,969 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)

adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Ethnic groups: African descent 71.2%, mixed 23%, Indigenous 3%, East Indian/Indian 1.1%, European 1.5%, other 0.2% (2012 est.)
Languages: English, Vincentian Creole English, French patois
Religions: Protestant 75% (Pentecostal 27.6%, Anglican 13.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.6%,  Baptist 8.9%, Methodist 8.7%, Evangelical 3.8%, Salvation Army 0.3%, Presbyterian/Congregational 0.3%), Roman Catholic 6.3%,  Rastafarian 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, other 4.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 4.7% (2012 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.15% (male 10,309/female 10,121)

15-24 years: 14.83% (male 7,582/female 7,451)

25-54 years: 42.63% (male 22,395/female 20,824)

55-64 years: 11.68% (male 6,136/female 5,703)

65 years and over: 10.72% (2020 est.) (male 5,167/female 5,702)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 46.7

youth dependency ratio: 32.1

elderly dependency ratio: 14.5

potential support ratio: 6.9 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 35.3 years

male: 35.4 years

female: 35.1 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.17% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 12.27 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown
Urbanization: urban population: 53.9% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 27,000 KINGSTOWN (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 98 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 12.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 14.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.68 years

male: 74.63 years

female: 78.79 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: total: 95.1% of population

unimproved: total: 4.9% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 4.8% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.66 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
Hospital bed density: 4.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 90.2% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 9.8% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.5% (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,200 (2018)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2018) <100
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 23.7% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: 5.7% of GDP (2018 est.)
Literacy: total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2015)

Topic: Environment
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; poor land use planning; deforestation; watershed management and squatter settlement control
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 21.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.22 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 0.09 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Land use: agricultural land: 25.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 12.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 7.7% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 5.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 68.7% (2018 est.)

other: 5.7% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 53.9% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.94% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 31,561 tons (2015 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 8.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 2,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 100 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

etymology: Saint Vincent was named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS after Saint VINCENT of Saragossa because the 22 January 1498 day of discovery was the saint's feast day
Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital: name: Kingstown

geographic coordinates: 13 08 N, 61 13 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: an earlier French settlement was renamed Kingstown by the British in 1763 when they assumed control of the island; the king referred to in the name is George III (r. 1760-1820)
Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
Independence: 27 October 1979 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979)
Constitution: history: previous 1969, 1975; latest drafted 26 July 1979, effective 27 October 1979 (The Saint Vincent Constitution Order 1979)

amendments: proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections on fundamental rights and freedoms, citizen protections, various government functions and authorities, and constitutional amendment procedures requires approval by the Assembly membership, approval in a referendum of at least two thirds of the votes cast, and assent of the governor general
Legal system: English common law
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Susan DOUGAN (since 1 August 2019)

head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Legislative branch: description: unicameral House of Assembly (23 seats; 15 representatives directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 6 senators appointed by the governor general, and 2 ex officio members - the speaker of the house and the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 5 November 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 49.58%, NDP 50.34%, other 0.8%; seats by party - ULP 9, NDP 6
Judicial branch: highest courts: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 assigned to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; note - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice

judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62

subordinate courts: magistrates' courts
Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party or NDP [Dr. Godwin L. FRIDAY]
Unity Labor Party or ULP [Dr. Ralph GONSALVES] (formed in 1994 by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)
SVG Green Party or SVGP [Ivan O'NEAL]
International organization participation: ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lou-Anne Gaylene GILCHRIST (since 18 January 2017)

chancery: 1627 K Street, NW, Suite 1202, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730

FAX: [1] (202) 364-6730

email address and website:
mail@embsvg.com

http://wa.embassy.gov.vc/washington/

consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
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, which stands for Vincent; the diamonds recall the islands as "the Gems of the Antilles" and are set slightly lowered in the gold band to reflect the nation's position in the Antilles; blue conveys the colors of a tropical sky and crystal waters, yellow signifies the golden Grenadine sands, and green represents lush vegetation
National symbol(s): Saint Vincent parrot; national colors: blue, gold, green
National anthem: name: "St. Vincent! Land So Beautiful!"

lyrics/music: Phyllis Joyce MCCLEAN PUNNETT/Joel Bertram MIGUEL

note: adopted 1967

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity, as well as remittances. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is home to a small offshore banking sector and continues to fully adopt international regulatory standards.   This lower-middle-income country remains vulnerable to natural and external shocks. The economy has shown some signs of recovery due to increased tourist arrivals, falling oil prices and renewed growth in the construction sector. The much anticipated international airport opened in early 2017 with hopes for increased airlift and tourism activity. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high public debt burden, which was 67% of GDP at the end of 2013.Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity, as well as remittances. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is home to a small offshore banking sector and continues to fully adopt international regulatory standards. This lower-middle-income country remains vulnerable to natural and external shocks. The economy has shown some signs of recovery due to increased tourist arrivals, falling oil prices and renewed growth in the construction sector. The much anticipated international airport opened in early 2017 with hopes for increased airlift and tourism activity. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high public debt burden, which was 67% of GDP at the end of 2013.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.34 billion (2020 est.)

$1.38 billion (2019 est.)

$1.37 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 0.7% (2017 est.)

0.8% (2016 est.)

0.8% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $12,100 (2020 est.)

$12,500 (2019 est.)

$12,500 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $785 million (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2017 est.)

-0.2% (2016 est.)
Credit ratings: Moody's rating: B3 (2014)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 7.1% (2017 est.)

industry: 17.4% (2017 est.)

services: 75.5% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 87.3% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 16.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 10.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 37.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -51.7% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: bananas, sugar cane, roots/tubers, plantains, vegetables, fruit, coconuts, sweet potatoes, yams, mangoes/guavas
Industries: tourism; food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 57,520 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 26%

industry: 17%

services: 57% (1980 est.)
Unemployment rate: 18.8% (2008 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
Budget: revenues: 225.2 million (2017 est.)

expenditures: 230 million (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 73.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

82.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 28.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$116 million (2017 est.)

-$122 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $320 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$47.3 million (2016 est.)
Exports - partners: Jordan 39%, Singapore 14% (2019)
Exports - commodities: natural gas, drilling platforms and ships, recreational boats, collector's items, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch (2019)
Imports: $450 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$294.6 million (2016 est.)
Imports - partners: United States 30%, Trinidad and Tobago 12%, China 8%, United Kingdom 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, ships, poultry meats, tug boats, recreational boats (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $182.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$192.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $362.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$330.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

2.7 (2017 est.)

2.7 (2016 est.)

2.7 (2015 est.)

2.7 (2014 est.)

2.7 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 49,000 kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 133.917 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 11.083 million kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 73.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 25.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 1,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 1,621 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 202,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 202,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 27.821 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 12,483 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 97,059 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 87 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: adequate island-wide, fully automatic telephone system; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) markets; LTE launches; regulatory development; telecom sector contributes greatly to the overall GDP; telecom sector is a growth area (2020)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity exceeds 11 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 87 per 100 persons (2020)

international: country code - 1-784; landing points for the ECFS, CARCIP and Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cables providing connectivity to US and Caribbean Islands; connectivity also provided by VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: St. Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation operates 1 TV station and 5 repeater stations that provide near total coverage to the multi-island state; multi-channel cable TV service available; a partially government-funded national radio service broadcasts on 1 station and has 2 repeater stations; about a dozen privately owned radio stations and repeater stations
Internet country code: .vc
Internet users: total: 24,408 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 22% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 24,733 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: J8
Airports: total: 6 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Merchant marine: total: 792

by type: bulk carrier 27, container ship 17, general cargo 155, oil tanker 16, other 577 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Kingstown

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF; includes the Coast Guard and a paramilitary Special Services Unit) (2022)
Military - note: the country has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts, and Saint Lucia) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-Venezuela: joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean SeaSaint Vincent and the Grenadines-Venezuela: joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs: a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbeana transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean