Page last updated on February 08, 2019

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)
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 389 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 205

Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
84 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain:
volcanic, mountainous

Elevation:
0 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea
1234 highest point: La Soufriere

Natural resources:
hydropower, arable land

Land use:
agricultural land: 25.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 12.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 7.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 5.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 68.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 5.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

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 threat

volcanism: 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

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: 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