Statistical information Saint Lucia 1998

Saint Lucia in the World
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.
top of pageLocation: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 13 53 N, 60 68 W
Map reference:
Central America and the CaribbeanAreaTotal: 620 km²
Land: 610 km²
Water: 10 km²
Comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 158 km
Maritime claims: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m
Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Land useArable land: 8%
Permanent crops: 21%
Permanent pastures: 5%
Forests and woodland: 13%
Other: 53% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: hurricanes and volcanic activity
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 152,335 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 1.11% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Saint Lucian(s)
Adjective: Saint Lucian
Ethnic groups: black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%
Languages: English (official), French patois
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 34% (male 26,261; female 25,747)
15-64 years: 60% (male 45,182; female 46,956)
65 years and over: 6% (male 3,095; female 5,094) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.11% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 22.48 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.64 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.7 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 16.95 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 71.58 years
Male: 67.94 years
Female: 75.48 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.35 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Total population: 67%
Male: 65%
Female: 69% (1980 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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 areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997): ead of
Government: Prime Minister Kenneth ANTHONY (since NA)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body, six appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
Elections: House of Assembly_last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)
Election results: House of Assembly_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party - SLP 16, UWP 1
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mrs. Juliet Elaine MALLET PHILLIP
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: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the Ambassador to Saint Lucia 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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 Iris in mid-1995 caused the loss of 20% 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 further expanding tourism, manufacturing, and construction.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 0.8% (1996 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $3,800 (1996 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 10.7%
Industry: 32.3%
Services: 57% (1996 est.)
Agriculture products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa
Industries: clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (1996 est.)
Labor forceTotal: 43,800
By occupation agriculture: 43.4%
By occupation services: 38.9%
By occupation industry and commerce: 17.7% (1983est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1996 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $155 million
Expenditures: $169 million, including capital expenditures of $48 million (FY96/97 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 April_31 March
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value:$79.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodoties: bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil
Partners: UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995)
Imports: total value:$270.6 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodoties: food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels
Partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Canada 4% (1995)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $131 million (1996)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1_2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 22,000 kW (1995)
Production: 110 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 705 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 26,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: system is automatically switched
International: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $5 million (1991; note_for police force
Percent of gdp: 2% (1991)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 2 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: none
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe