1985 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 2,440-3,659 m, 1 with runways 1,220-2,439

Branches

legislative, 11-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. ChristopherNevis Police Force North Atlantic Ocean Caribbean Sea Sec regional nup HI Land 619 km2; about one-fifth the size of Rhode Island; 50% arable, 23% wasteland and built on, 19% forest, 5% unused but potentially productive, 3% pasture Water

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

Royal St. Lucia Police Force KINGSTOWN Bequia f "JGeorget ( JSai \tjvinc <nt Vincent North Atlantic Ocean Caribbean Sea $Mustique •JfCa See refional map 111 Land 389 km2 (including northern Grenadines); about twice the size of Washington, D.C.; 50% arable, 44% forest, 3% pasture, 3% waste and built on Water

Budget

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

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

Capital

Basseterre, St. Christopher; Charlestown, Nevis

Castries

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

2 major transport aircraft

Coastline

158 km People

84 km People

Communists

none known

negligible

Elections

at least every five years; last election held June 1984 Political parties and leaders: St. Christopher-Nevis Labor Party (SKNLP), Lee Moore; 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), Julian Hunte; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), George Odium V0ij'ngsireng</i: (1982 election) House of Assembly— UWP, 14 seats; SLP, 2 seats; PLP, 1 seat

Electric power

13,500 kW capacity (1984); 30 million kWh produced (1984), 682 kWh per capita

18,500 kW capacity (1984); 56 million kWh produced (1984), 467 kWh per capita

Ethnic divisions

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

mainly of African Negro descent; remainder mixed, with some white, East Indian, Carib Indian

Exports

$30.6 million (1983); sugar

$42.07 million (f.o.b., 1982); bananas, cocoa

GDP

$141.4 million (1983), $1,190 per capita; 3.1% real GDP growth (1982)

GNP

$41.6 million (1982), $950 per capita; 3.9% real growth in 1982

Government leaders

Dr. Kennedy Alphonse SIMMONDS, Prime Minister (since 1980); Clement Athelston ARRINDELL, Governor General (since 1981)

John G. M. COMPTON, Prime Minister (since February 1975); Sir Allen LEWIS, Governor General (since December 1982)

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

$1 19 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

English, some 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)

3 nm (fishing 12 nm)

Literacy

78%

82% Lafcor/ora?:61,000(1979est.); about 20% unemployed (1978)

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, IBRD, ISO, OAS, UN Economy

CARICOM, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, 1C AO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, NAM, OAS, PAHO, UN, UNE SCO, 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

noun — St. Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s); adjectives — St. Vincentian or Vincentian

Official name

St. Lucia

Organized labor

20% of labor force

10% of labor force

Political subdivisions

1 1 districts

16 parishes

Population

122, 000 (July 1985), average annual growth rate 1.1%

102,000 (July 1985), average annual growth rate 1.4%

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

Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic

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, 5 TV stations Defense Forces

fully automatic telephone system with 9,500 telephones (8.0 per 100 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

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

Voting strength

(June 1984 election) House of Assembly— PAM, 6 seats; SKNLP, 2 seats; NRP, 3 seats