1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 620 km2 land area: 610 km2 comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August
Coastline
158 km
Environment
subject to hurricanes and volcanic activity; deforestation; soil erosion
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
10 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 8% permanent crops: 20% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 13% other: 54%
Location
in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about two-thirds of the way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Terrain
volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
People and Society
Birth rate
23.97 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
5.91 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
African descent 90.3%, mixed 5.5%, East Indian 3.2%, Caucasian 0.8%
Infant mortality rate
18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
43,800 by occupation: agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)
Languages
English (official), French patois
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 69.26 years male: 66.98 years female: 71.69 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over having ever attended school (1980) total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69%
Nationality
noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian
Net migration rate
-12.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
144,337 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
0.52% (1993 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%
Total fertility rate
2.62 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
11 quarters; Anse La Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort
Capital
Castries
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Acting Governor General Sir Stanislaus Anthony JAMES (since 10 October 1988)
Constitution
22 February 1979
Digraph
ST
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS chancery: Suite 309, 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 30037 telephone: (202) 463-7378 or 7379 consulate general: New York
Executive branch
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, Cabinet
Flag
blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border
Head of Government
Prime Minister John George Melvin COMPTON (since 3 May 1982)
House of Assembly
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
Independence
22 February 1979 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Member of
ACCT (associate), ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia
National holiday
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Political parties and leaders
United Workers' Party (UWP), John COMPTON; Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Julian HUNTE; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), George ODLUM
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
parliamentary democracy
US diplomatic representation
no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 12% of GDP and 43% of labor force; crops - bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus fruit, root crops, cocoa; imports food for the tourist industry
Budget
revenues $131 million; expenditures $149 million, including capital expenditures of $71 million (FY90 est.)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $120 million
Electricity
32,500 kW capacity; 112 million kWh produced, 740 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$105 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: bananas 58%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil partners: UK 56%, US 22%,CARICOM 19%
External debt
$65.7 million (1991 est.)
Imports
$267 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 21%, food and live animals, chemicals, fuels partners: US 34%, CARICOM 17%, UK 14%, Japan 7%, Canada 4%
Industrial production
growth rate 3.5% (1990 est.); accounts for 12% of GDP
Industries
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.1% (1991)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $250 million (1991 est.)
National product per capita
$1,650 (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate
2.5% (1991 est.)
Overview
Since 1983 the economy has shown an impressive average annual growth rate of almost 5% because of strong agricultural and tourist sectors. Saint Lucia also possesses an expanding industrial base supported by foreign investment in manufacturing and other activities, such as in data processing. The economy, however, remains vulnerable because the important agricultural sector is dominated by banana production, which is subject to periodic droughts and/or tropical storms.
Unemployment rate
16% (1988)
Communications
Airports
total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439: 1
Highways
760 km total; 500 km paved; 260 km otherwise improved
Ports
Castries, Vieux Fort
Telecommunications
fully automatic telephone system; 9,500 telephones; direct microwave link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; interisland troposcatter link to Barbados; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV (cable)
Military and Security
Branches
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
NA