The economy depends on agriculture and is highly
vulnerable to climatic conditions, notably tropical storms.
Agriculture, primarily bananas, accounts for 21% of GDP and employs
40% of the labor force. Development of the tourist industry remains
difficult because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the
lack of an international airport. Hurricane Luis devastated the
country's banana crop in September 1995; tropical storms had wiped out
one-quarter of the crop in 1994 as well. The economy's recovery
continued in 1998, fueled by increases in construction, soap
production, and tourist arrivals. The government is attempting to
develop an offshore financial industry in order to diversify the
island's production base.

purchasing power parity - $225 million (1998 est.)

2% (1998 est.)

purchasing power parity - $3,400 (1998 est.)

agriculture: 21%
industry: 16%
services: 63% (1999 est.)

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

1.1% (1998)

25,000

agriculture 40%, industry and commerce
32%, services 28%

20% (1999 est.)

revenues: $72 million
expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5
million (FY97/98)

soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement
blocks, shoes

-10% (1997 est.)

40 million kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 50%
hydro: 50%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

37 million kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops,
coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

$60.8 million (1998)

bananas 50%, soap, bay oil, vegetables,
grapefruit, oranges

Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)

$120.4 million (1998)

manufactured goods, machinery and equipment,
food, chemicals

US 41%, Caricom countries 25%, UK 13%,
Netherlands, Canada (1996 est.)

$90 million (1998 est.)

$24.4 million (1995)

1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (fixed
rate since 1976)

1 July - 30 June