1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 620 sq km land area: 610 sq km 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
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region 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
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
10 sq km (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
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin 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
Age structure
0-14 years: 35% (female 26,710; male 27,255) 15-64 years: 60% (female 47,584; male 46,326) 65 years and over: 5% (female 5,040; male 3,135) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
22.48 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
6.1 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
African descent 90.3%, mixed 5.5%, East Indian 3.2%, Caucasian 0.8%
Infant mortality rate
20.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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: 69.88 years male: 66.33 years female: 73.67 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1980) total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69%
Nationality
noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian
Net migration rate
-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
156,050 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
1.17% (1995 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%
Total fertility rate
2.37 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
11 quarters; Anse La Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort
Capital
Castries
Constitution
22 February 1979
Digraph
ST
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
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
FAX
[1] (202) 364-6728 consulate(s) general: New York
Flag
blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border
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
Independence
22 February 1979 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament
Member of
ACCT (associate), ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, 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, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, 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), Jon ODLUM
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
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 14% of GDP and 43% of labor force; crops - bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus fruit, root crops, cocoa; imports food for the tourist industry
Budget
revenues: $121 million expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1992 est.)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $120 million
Electricity
capacity: 20,000 kW production: 112 million kWh consumption per capita: 693 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$122.8 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: bananas 60%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil partners: UK 56%, US 22%, CARICOM 19% (1991)
External debt
$96.4 million (1992 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Illicit drugs
transit country for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe
Imports
$276 million (f.o.b., 1992) 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% (1991)
Industrial production
growth rate 3.5% (1990 est.); accounts for 12% of GDP
Industries
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
0.8% (1993)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $610 million (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$4,200 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
2% (1994 est.)
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 Debbie in mid-1994 caused the loss of 60% 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
Unemployment rate
25% (1993 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
9,500 telephones local: low density (6 telephones/100 persons) but the system is automatically switched intercity: no intercity traffic international: direct microwave link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; interisland troposcatter link to Barbados
Television
broadcast stations: 1 cable televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1
Highways
total: 760 km paved: 500 km unpaved: otherwise improved 260 km
Merchant marine
none
Ports
Castries, Vieux Fort
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON (territorial collectivity of France)