Map of Saint Lucia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | 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: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total area total: 620 km²
Land: 610 km²
Comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 158 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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
Arable land: 8%
Permanent crops: 20%
Meadows and pastures: 5%
Forest and woodland: 13%
Other: 54%

Irrigated land: 10 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 156,050 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 1.17% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Saint Lucian(s)
Adjective: Saint Lucian

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

Languages: English (official), French patois

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 35% (female 26,710; male 27,255)
15-64 years: 60% (female 47,584; male 46,326)
65 years and over: 5% (female 5,040; male 3,135) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.17% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 22.48 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6.1 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.67 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region
Current issues natural hazards: hurricanes and volcanic activity
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 20.5 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69.88 years
Male: 66.33 years
Female: 73.67 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.37 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1980)
Total population: 67%
Male: 65%
Female: 69%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Saint Lucia

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

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: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Stanislaus Anthony JAMES (since 10 October 1988)
Head of government: Prime Minister John George Melvin COMPTON (since 3 May 1982)
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: consists of an 11-member body, 6 appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 2 after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups
House of Assembly: elections last held 27 April 1992 (next to be held by April 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) UWP 11, SLP 6

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (subscriber), NAM, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS
In the us chancery: 3,216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,016
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 364-6,792 through 6,795
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 364-6,728
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us: no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

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: Though foreign investment in manufacturing and information processing in recent years has increased Saint Lucia's industrial base, the economy remains vulnerable due to its heavy dependence on banana production, which is subject to periodic droughts and tropical storms. Indeed, the destructive effect of Tropical Storm Debbie in mid-1994 caused the loss of 60% of the year's banana crop. Increased competition from Latin American bananas will probably further reduce market prices, exacerbating Saint Lucia's need to diversify its economy in coming years, e.g., by expanding tourism, manufacturing, and construction

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $4,200 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 14% 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 cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (1990 est.), accounts for 12% of GDP

Labor force: 43,800
By occupation agriculture: 43.4%
By occupation services: 38.9%
By occupation industry and commerce: 17.7% (1983est.)

Unemployment rate: 25% (1993 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $121 million
Expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1992 est.)

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: $122.8 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodoties: bananas 60%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil
Partners: UK 56%, US 22%, CARICOM 19% (1991)

Imports: $276 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodoties: manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 21%, food and live animals, chemicals, fuels
Partners: US 34%, CARICOM 17%, UK 14%, Japan 7%, Canada 4% (1991)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $96.4 million (1992 est.)

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
Production: 112 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 693 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 9,500 telephones
Local: low density (6 telephones/100 persons) but the system is automatically switched
Intercity: no intercity traffic
International: direct microwave link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; interisland troposcatter link to Barbados

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

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: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transit country for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe