Statistical information Saint Lucia 1992
Saint Lucia in the World
Saint Lucia - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: 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.
Saint Lucia - Geography 1992
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 620 km²
Land: 610 km²
Comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 158 km
Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: none
Climate:
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from
January to April, rainy season from May to August
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
Land use: arable land: 8%; permanent crops: 20%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 13%; other 54%; includes irrigated 2%
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards
Geography
Saint Lucia - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 151,774 (July 1992), growth rate 1.7% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Saint Lucian(s; adjective - Saint Lucian
Ethnic groups:
African descent 90.3%, mixed 5.5%, East Indian 3.2%,
Caucasian 0.8%
Caucasian 0.8%
Languages: English (official), French patois
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate: 26 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: -4 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: subject to hurricanes and volcanic activity; deforestation; soil erosion
Current issues note: located 700 km southeast of Puerto Rico
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 75 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1992)
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: 67% (male 65%, female 69%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1980)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Saint Lucia - Government 1992
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: none
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Castries
Administrative divisions:
11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul,
Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere,
Vieux-Fort
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
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage: universal at age 18
House of Assembly: last held 6 April 1987 (next to be held by 27 April 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) UWP 10, SLP 7
Executive branch:
British monarch, governor general, prime minister,
Cabinet
Cabinet
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or
Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation:
ACCT (associate), ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM, OAS,
OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM, OAS,
OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: 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 Saint Lucian Consulate General in New York
US: no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)
Diplomatic representation
Flag description
: blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white borderNational symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Saint Lucia - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy overview:
Since 1983 the economy has shown an impressive average annual growth rate of almost 5% because of strong agricultural and tourist sectors.
Saint Lucia also possesses 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. Saint Lucia is subject to periodic droughts and/or tropical storms, and its protected market agreement with the UK for bananas may end in 1992.
Saint Lucia also possesses 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. Saint Lucia is subject to periodic droughts and/or tropical storms, and its protected market agreement with the UK for bananas may end in 1992.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $295 million, per capita $1,930; real growth rate 4.0% (1990 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: accounts for 16% of GDP and 43% of labor force; crops - bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus fruit, root crops, cocoa; imports food for the tourist industry
Industries: clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate:
growth rate 3.5% (1990 est.); accounts for 7% of
GDP
GDP
Labor force: 43,800; agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)
Organized labor: 20% of labor force
Labor force
Unemployment rate: 16.0% (1988)
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget: revenues $131 million; expenditures $149 million, including capital expenditures of $71 million (FY90 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year
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: $127 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: bananas 54%, clothing 17%, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil
Partners: UK 51%, CARICOM 20%, US 19%, other 10%
Imports: $270 million (c.i.f., 1990)
Commodoties: manufactured goods 23%, machinery and transportation equipment 27%, food and live animals 18%, chemicals 10%, fuels 6%
Partners: US 35%, CARICOM 16%, UK 15%, Japan 7%, Canada 4%, other 23%
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Saint Lucia - Energy 1992
top of pageElectricity
Production: 32,500 kW capacity; 112 million kWh produced, 732 kWh per capita (1991)
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Saint Lucia - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Saint Lucia - Military 1992
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Saint Lucia - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports:
2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1
with runways 1,220-2,439
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1
with runways 1,220-2,439
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Roadways
Waterways
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals
Saint Lucia - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs