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.

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
Extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 8%
Permanent crops: 20%
Permanent pastures: 5%
Forests and woodland: 13%
Other: 54%

Irrigated land: 10 km² (1989 est.)

Population:
Growth rate:

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

Ethnic groups:

Languages: English (official), French patois

Religions:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.09 (1996 est.), 69.88 years (1995 est.)
Male: 66.52 years (1996 est.), 66.33 years (1995 est.)
Female: 73.91 years (1996 est.), 73.67 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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

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

Independence: 22 February 1979 (from U.K.)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution: 22 February 1979

Legal system: Based on English common law

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, 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

International 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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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

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 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 expanding tourism, manufacturing, and construction.

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

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:

Industrial production growth rate: 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% (1983 est.)

Unemployment rate: 25% (1993 est.)

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

Fiscal year: 1 April_31 March

Exports: total value. $122.8 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$276 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external:

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1_2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Electricity
Capacity: 20,000 kW
Production: 112 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 693 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 26,000 telephones (1992 est.)
Domestic: system is automatically switched
International: direct microwave link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; interisland troposcatter link to Barbados

Airports: 3
2438 to 3047 m: 1
15-24 to 2437 m: 1
Under 914 m: 1

Merchant marine: None

Illicit drugs: Transit country for South American drugs destined for the U.S. and Europe