2005 Edition

Administrative divisions

11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.3% (male 25,937/female 24,391) 15-64 years: 64.6% (male 52,813/female 54,544) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,172/female 5,455) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) Military Saint Lucia

Area

land

606 sq km

total

616 sq km

water

10 sq km

Area - comparative

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Background

The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979. Geography Saint Lucia

Birth rate

20.05 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (2000 est.)

revenues

$141.2 million

Capital

Castries

Climate

tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Coastline

158 km

Constitution

22 February 1979

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Saint Lucia

Currency (code)

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code

XCD

Death rate

5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$214 million (2000)

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

chief of mission

Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY

consulate(s) general

Miami and New York

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6723

telephone

[1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795

Disputes - international

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Economic aid - recipient

$51.8 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though unemployment needs to be cut.

Electricity - consumption

251.3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

270.3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Gimie 950 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since September 1997)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

head of government

Prime Minister Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24 May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)

Exports

$66 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners

UK 41.4%, US 16.5%, Brazil 11.6%, Barbados 5.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.6%, Dominica 4.5% (2004)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Saint Lucia

Flag description

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

7%

industry

20%

services

73% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$866 million (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

13 53 N, 60 68 W

Geography - note

the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean People Saint Lucia

Government type

Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Highways

paved

63 km

total

1,210 km

unpaved

1,147 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Illicit drugs

transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$267 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners

US 27.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 20.4%, UK 8%, Venezuela 7.6%, Finland 7% (2004)

Independence

22 February 1979 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-8.9% (1997 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

14.66 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.53 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (2001 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.lc

Internet hosts

41 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

15 (2000)

Internet users

13,000 (2002) Transportation Saint Lucia

Irrigated land

30 sq km (1998 est.)

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)

Labor force

43,800 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 21.7%, industry, commerce, and manufacturing 24.7%, services 53.6% (2002 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

6.56%

other

70.49% (2001)

permanent crops

22.95%

Languages

English (official), French patois

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members 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) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)

election results

House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3

elections

House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be held in December 2006)

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.42 years (2005 est.)

male

70.05 years

total population

73.61 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

90.6% (2001 est.) Government Saint Lucia

male

89.5%

total population

90.1%

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

25.66 years (2005 est.)

male

24.03 years

total

24.81 years

Military branches

Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA Transnational Issues Saint Lucia

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Nationality

adjective

Saint Lucian

noun

Saint Lucian(s)

Natural hazards

hurricanes and volcanic activity

Natural resources

forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Net migration rate

-2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

166,312 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Population growth rate

1.28% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios

111,000 (1997)

Religions

Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, Rastafarian 2.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 census)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

system is automatically switched

general assessment

adequate system

international

country code - 1-758; 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 - main lines in use

51,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

14,300 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

2 (of which one is a commercial broadcast station and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (2004)

Televisions

32,000 (1997)

Terrain

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Total fertility rate

2.21 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

20% (2003 est.)