St. Andrew

St. Andrew Parish occupies Saint Vincent's northernmost tip, including the slopes of La Soufrière volcano (1,234m) that last erupted catastrophically in April 2021, forcing 20,000 evacuations and blanketing the parish in ash. This volcanic geography creates both agricultural fertility and existential risk: the same soils that grow bananas and arrowroot periodically get buried. The 2021 eruption damaged agriculture across the north during the pandemic, compounding with Hurricane Beryl (July 2024, $230M national damage) to create cascading disturbances. St. Andrew's economy historically depended on banana cultivation that collapsed from 80,000 tons nationally (1990s) to under 31,000 tons after losing preferential EU access. The parish's isolation from Kingstown (30km of winding mountain roads) limits integration with the tourism sector that drives 28.6% of national GDP. Young residents emigrate to the capital or Grenadines resorts, creating demographic decline in agricultural communities. With national GDP per capita at $11,500 and 4.1% growth in 2024, St. Andrew represents the rural periphery of a small island economy. By 2026, the parish's future depends on volcanic monitoring, climate-resilient crops, and whether eco-tourism around La Soufrière can generate local employment.