Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ( Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) is a country in Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines geographic coordinates 13 15 N, 61 12 W; area 389 sq km; area comparative twice the size of Washington, DC; land boundaries 0 km; coastline 84 km; maritime claims 20; climate tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November); terrain volcanic, mountainous; elevation extremes Soufriere 1,234 m; natural resources hydropower, cropland; land use 64.1% (2001); irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.); natural hazards hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat; 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; environment international agreements none of the selected agreements; 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;

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Disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979. government type parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth; capital Kingstown; administrative divisions 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick; independence 27 October 1979 (from UK); national holiday Independence Day, 27 October (1979); constitution 27 October 1979; legal system based on English common law; suffrage 18 years of age; universal;

people

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines population 117,534 (July 2005 est.); age structure 6.4% (male 3,280/female 4,255) (2005 est.); median age 26.53 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 0.27% (2005 est.); birth rate 16.34 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 6 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate -7.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 16.09 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 75.51 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate NA; hiv people with aids NA; hiv deaths NA; nationality Saint Vincentian or Vincen; ethnic groups black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%; religions Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant; languages English, French patois; literacy 96% (1970 est.);

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