Map of Saint Lucia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: The island with its fine natural harbor at Castries was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Self government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 158 km

Maritime claims
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Terrain: volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Elevation

Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Land use: 8% arable land; 20% permanent crops; 5% meadows and pastures; 13% forest and woodland; 54% other; includes 2% irrigated

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: located 700 km southeast of Puerto Rico


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Population: 149,577 (July 1989), growth rate 2.5% (1989)

Nationality: noun--St. Lucian(s; adjective--St. Lucian

Ethnic groups: 90.3% African descent, 5.5% mixed, 3.2% East Indian, 0.8% Caucasian

Languages: English (official), French patois

Religions: 90% Roman Catholic, 7% Protestant, 3% Anglican

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 34 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: subject to hurricanes and volcanic activity; deforestation; soil erosion

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 73 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 3.9 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 78%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: none

Government type: independent state within Commonwealth, recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State

Capital: Castries

Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Dependent areas

Independence: 22 February 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution: 22 February 1979

Legal system: based on English common law; highest judicial body is Court of Appeal of Leeward and Windward Islands

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: John G. M. COMPTON, Prime Minister (since May 1982; Stanislaus Anthony JAMES, Governor General (since October 1988)

Legislative branch: Royal St. Lucia Police Force

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: CARICOM, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, NAM, OAS, OECS, PAHO, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS; Chancery at Suite 309, 2,100 M Street NW, Washington DC 30,037; telephone (202) 463-7,378 or 7,379; there is a St. Lucian Consulate General in New York; US--none

Flag description: blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Since 1983 the economy has shown an impressive average annual growth rate of almost 5% because of strong agricultural and tourist industry sectors. There is also an expanding industrial base supported by foreign investment in manufacturing and other activities, such as in data processing. The economy, however, remains vulnerable because the important agricultural sector is dominated by banana production. St. Lucia is subject to periodic droughts and/or tropical storms, and its protected market agreement with the UK for bananas may end in 1992.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: bananas, coconuts, sugar, cocoa, spices

Industries: clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (1987)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 18.6% (1986)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $71.7 million; expenditures $79.3 million, including capital expenditures of $19.6 million (1987)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $76.8 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: --bananas 67%, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil, clothing
Partners: --UK 55%, CARICOM 21%, US 18%, other 6%

Imports: $178.1 million (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: --manufactured goods 22%, machinery and transportation equipment 21%, food and live animals 20%, mineral fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fertilizers, petroleum products
Partners: --US 33%, UK 16%, CARICOM 14.8%, Japan 6.5%, other 29.7%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $39.5 million (December 1987)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)


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Electricity
Capacity: 20,000 kW capacity; 80 million kWh produced, 590 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: NA

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs