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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.

[edit] Geography

Location 

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates 

13 53 N, 60 68 W

Map references 

Central America and the Caribbean

Area 

total: 616 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 606 sq km

Area - comparative 

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries 

0 km

Coastline 

158 km

Maritime claims 

contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

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
highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources 

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

Land use 

arable land: 4.92%
permanent crops: 22.95%
other: 72.13% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards 

hurricanes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues 

deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements 

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note 

the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean

[edit] People

Population 

160,145 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 31.6% (male 25,879; female 24,695)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 49,667; female 51,482)
65 years and over: 5.3% (male 3,134; female 5,288) (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

21.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

-3.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 72.82 years
female: 76.64 years (2002 est.)
male: 69.26 years

Total fertility rate 

2.34 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

NA

Nationality 

noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic groups 

black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Religions 

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

Languages 

English (official), French patois

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 67%
male: 65%
female: 69% (1980 est.)

[edit] Government

Country name 

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Government type 

Westminster-style 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 UK)

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 Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24 May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)

Legislative branch 

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members 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)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3
elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006)

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 leaders 

National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Political pressure groups and leaders 

NA

International organization participation 

ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6728
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US 

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Flag description 

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

[edit] Economy

Economy - overview 

The recent changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry. Despite negative growth in 2001, economic fundamentals remain solid, and GDP growth should recover in 2002.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $700 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

-2.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $4,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 8%
industry: 20%
services: 73% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

3% (2001 est.)

Labor force 

43,800

Labor force - by occupation 

agriculture 43%, services 39%, industry and commerce 18% (1981 est.)

Unemployment rate 

15% (1996 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $141.2 million
expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million

Industries 

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

Industrial production growth rate 

-8.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production 

115 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

106.95 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Exports 

$68.3 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities 

bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners 

UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995)

Imports 

$319.4 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities 

food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners 

US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Canada 4% (1995)

Debt - external 

$214 million (2000) (2000)

Economic aid - recipient 

$51.8 million (1995) (1995)

Currency 

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code 

XCD

Exchange rates 

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year 

1 April - 31 March

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

37,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

1,600 (1997)

Telephone system 

general assessment: adequate system
domestic: 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

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 2, FM 7 (plus 3 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios 

111,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997)

Televisions 

32,000 (1997)

Internet country code 

.lc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

15 (2000)

Internet users 

3,000 (2000)

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

0 km

Highways 

total: 1,210 km
paved: 63 km
unpaved: 1,147 km (1996)

Waterways 

none

Ports and harbors 

Castries, Vieux Fort

Merchant marine 

none (2002 est.)

Airports 

2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military branches 

Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit and Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

$NA

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

none

Illicit drugs 

transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe