1984 Edition

Agriculture

main crops — sugar on St. Christopher, cotton on Nevis

main crops — bananas, coconuts, sugar, cocoa, spices

Aid

economic — bilateral commitments, including Ex-Im, from Western (non-US) countries (1970-81), $15 million; no military aid

economic — bilateral commitments, ODA and OOF, Western (non-US) countries, (1970-81), $34 million; no military aid

Airfields

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanentsurface runways; 1 with runways 2,4403,659 m

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanentsurface runways, 1 with runways 2,4403,659 m, 1 with runways 1,220-2,439

Area

619 km2; 50% arable, 23% wasteland and built on; 19% forest; 5% unused but potentially productive; 3% pasture Water

Branches

legislative, 10-member popularly elected House of Assembly; executive, Cabinet headed by Prime Minister; separate Nevis Island Legislature and Nevis Island Assembly headed by Premier

Royal St. Christopher-Nevis Police Force

bicameral legislative (Senate, House of Assembly); executive, Cabinet headed by Prime Minister

Royal St. Lucia Police Force Caribbean Sta

Budget

(1982) revenues, $23 million; expenditures, $23 million

(1982 proj.) revenues, $47 million; expenditures, $56 million

Capital

Basseterre

Castries

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

2 major transport aircraft

Coastline

158 km People

Communists

none known

Elections

at least every five years; most recent 18 February 1980; next election must be called before May 1985 Political parties and leaders: St. Christopher-Nevis Labor Party (SKNLP), Lee Moore, Fitzroy Bryant; People's Action Movement (PAM), Kennedy Simmonds; Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Simeon Daniel

every five years; last election held May 1982 Political parties and leaders: United Workers' Party (UWP), John Compton; St. Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Peter Josie; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), George Odium

Electric power

13,500 kW capacity (1983); 30 million kWh produced (1983), 670 kWh per capita

15,000 kW capacity (1983); 55 million kWh produced (1983), 460 kWh per capita

Ethnic divisions

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

Exports

$30.6 million (1983); sugar

$41. 6 million (f.o.b., 1982); bananas,

GDP

$121.5 million (1982 proj.), $980 per capita; 3.1% real GDP growth (1982)

GNP

$41.6 million (1982), $920 per capita; -3.9% real growth in 1982

Government leaders

Dr. Kennedy Alphonse SIMMONDS, Prime Minister; Clement Athelston ARRINDELL, Governor; Simeon DANIEL, Premier of Nevis

John G. M. COMPTON, Prime Minister; Sir Allen LEWIS, Governor General

Highways

300 km total; 125 km paved, 125 km otherwise improved, 50 km unimproved earth

760 km total; 500 km paved; 260 km otherwise improved

Imports

$47.3 million (1983); foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel

$117 million (c.i.f., 1982); foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fertilizers, petroleum products

Labor force

45,000(1979); 43.4% agriculture, 38.9% services, 17.7% industry and commerce; 13% unemployment (1979)

Language

English (official), French patois

Legal system

based on English common law; constitution of 1960; highest judicial organ is Court of Appeal of Leeward and Windward Islands

based on English common law; constitution of 1960; highest judicial body is Court of Appeal of Leeward and Windward Islands

Limits of territorial waters (claimed)

3 nm (fishing 12 nm)

Literacy

78% •

Major industries

sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra

garments, electronic components, beverages, corrugated boxes, tourism, lime processing, tropical agriculture

Major trade partners

exports — 50% US, 35% UK; imports— 21% UK, 17% Japan, 11% US (1973)

exports — 49% UK, 9% Barbados; imports— 36% US, 19% UK, 10% Trinidad and Tobago (1979)

Member of

CARICOM, Commonwealth, ISO, OAS, UN Economy

CARICOM, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, NAM, OAS, PAHO, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO Economy

Monetary conversion rate

2.70 East Caribbean dollars=US$l (February 1984) Communications

2.70 East Caribbean dollars=US$l (February 1984) Communications

Nationality

noun — St. Lucian(s); adjective — St. Lucian

Official name

St. Lucia St. Vincent and The Grenadines

Organized labor

20% of labor force Government

Political subdivisions

10 districts

16 parishes

Population

120, 000 (July 1984), average annual growth rate 1.1%

Ports

1 major — Basseterre, St. Christopher, and 1 minor — Charlestown, Nevis

1 major (Castries), 1 minor

Railroads

58 km,0.760-meter narrow gauge on St. Christopher for sugarcane

none

Religion

90% Roman Catholic, 7% Protestant, 3% Church of England

Shortages

food, machinery, capital goods

Suffrage

universal adult suffrage

universal adult over age 18

Telecommunications

good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radio connections and international link via Antigua and St. Martin; about 2,400 telephones (5.0 per 100 popl.); 2 AM and 5 TV stations Defense Forces

fully automatic telephone system with 8,100 telephones (7.9 per 1 00 popl. ); direct radio-relay link with Martinique and St. Vincent; interisland troposcatter link to Barbados; 3 AM stations, 1 TV station Defense Forces

Type

independent state within Commonwealth, recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State

Voting strength

(February 1980 election) House of Assembly— SKLP, 4 seats; PAM, 3 seats; NRP, 2 seats

(1982 election) House of Assembly—UWP, 14 seats; SLP, 2 seats; PLP, 1 seat Communists; negligible