Country Profile: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

This Country Profile provides a basic overview of the legal history and institutional structures of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, based on research produced by the Library of Congress. Under Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' Constitution, Islamic law (sharīʿa or fiqh) has no legal status. 

Country Background

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country located between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago. The capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is Kingstown. The official language is English, though French patois is spoken as well. The country's population in 2017 was approximately 102,089 people. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a predominantly Christian country, with about 88% of the population Christian. 

Constitution & Legal Structure

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is referred to as a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy (within the realm of the Commonwealth), in which the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. After becoming an associated state in 1969, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines declared its independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. Its current Constitution was adopted in 1979 as well. The system of government is based on principles of separation and checks and balances and has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legal system of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a common law system, influenced by the English model. 

Constitutional Status of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no constitutional status in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 

Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 

Dominant School of Islamic Law

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has no official school of Islamic law. 

Sources of Law for Legal Research

Official Publications

Unofficial Databases

References:

For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide. The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].