1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

13 53 N, 60 68 W -- Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago Flag ----

Area

comparative area

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

land area

610 sq km

total area

620 sq km

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

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

natural hazards

hurricanes and volcanic activity

Geographic coordinates

13 53 N, 60 68 W

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

10 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

8%

forest and woodland

13%

meadows and pastures

5%

other

54%

permanent crops

20%

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

highest point

Mount Gimie 950 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 34% (male 27,068; female 26,491) 15-64 years: 61% (male 47,470; female 48,612) 65 years and over: 5% (male 3,136; female 5,085) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

22.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

6.02 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

20 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.91 years (1996 est.)

male

66.52 years

total population

70.09 years

Literacy

age 15 and over has ever attended school (1980 est.)

female

69%

male

65%

total population

67%

Nationality

adjective

Saint Lucian

noun

Saint Lucian(s)

Net migration rate

-4.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

157,862 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.14% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.31 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Data code

ST

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

chief of mission

Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS

telephone

[1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a hereditary monarch, is 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) was appointed by the governor general

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)

International organization participation

ACCT (associate), ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, 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, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament

Name of country

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Saint Lucia

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Political parties and leaders

United Workers' Party (UWP), Vaughn LEWIS; Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Julian HUNTE; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), Jon ODLUM; Citizen's Democratic Party (CDP) Calixte GEORGE

Senate

consists of an 11-member body, six 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

parliamentary democracy

US diplomatic representation

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the Ambassador to Saint Lucia resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$127 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1992 est.)

revenues

$121 million

Currency

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic 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 Iris in mid-1995 caused the loss of 20% 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.

Electricity

capacity

20,000 kW

consumption per capita

693 kWh (1993)

production

112 million kWh

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000 (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 countries19% (1991)

External debt

$222.7 million (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $640 million (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

13.8%

industry

17.4%

services

68.8% (1992 est.)

GDP per capita

$4,080 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2% (1995 est.)

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 countries 17%, UK 14%, Japan 7%, Canada 4% (1991)

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (1990 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.8% (1993)

Labor force

43,800

by occupation

agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

Unemployment rate

25% (1993 est.)

Branches

Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $5.0 million, 2.0% of GDP (1991); note - for police forces

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

NA

males fit for military service

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

104,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone 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

Telephones

26,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 cable

Televisions

26,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

3

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

500 km

total

760 km

unpaved

260 km

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Castries, Vieux Fort

Railways

0 km