2007 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: 29.8% (male 25,941/female 24,319) 15-64 years: 65% (male 53,916/female 55,582) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,186/female 5,514) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

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. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979. Geography Saint Lucia

Birth rate

19.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$141.2 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

14 01 N, 61 00 W

name

Castries

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

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

5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$257 million (2004)

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

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 eastern Caribbean Sea

Economic aid - recipient

$-21.5 million (2004)

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. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange, with more than 700,000 arrivals in 2005. 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

269.7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

290 million kWh (2004)

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, Wetlands, 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 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)

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 Sir John COMPTON (since 15 December 2006) and Deputy Prime Minister Leonard MONTOUTE (since 15 December 2006)

Exports

$82 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

France 31.4%, US 18.7%, China 18.2%, UK 14% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6723

consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

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

5%

industry

15%

services

80% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.1% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$825 million (2005)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$866 million (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

13 53 N, 60 58 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

parliamentary democracy

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

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Illicit drugs

transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$410 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 22.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, Netherlands 13.6%, Argentina 6.6%, Venezuela 5.2%, UK 5.2%, France 4.5% (2005)

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

11.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

14.29 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.17 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.lc

Internet hosts

21 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

15 (2000)

Internet users

55,000 (2005) Transportation Saint Lucia

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2003)

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

24.7%

services

53.6% (2002 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

6.45%

other

70.97% (2005)

permanent crops

22.58%

Languages

English (official), French patois

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; 6 members 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) 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 - UWP 50%, SLP 46.9%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6

elections

House of Assembly - last held 11 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.65 years (2006 est.)

male

70.29 years

total population

73.84 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

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

42,742 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

33,539 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

1,651 (2005 est.)

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

26.1 years (2006 est.)

male

24.4 years

total

25.2 years

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard) (2006)

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 gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

hurricanes and volcanic activity

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 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 [Sir John COMPTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

168,458 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

1.29% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort Military Saint Lucia

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)

Roadways

paved

48 km

total

910 km

unpaved

862 km (2000)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

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

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

93,000 (2004)

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

2.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

20% (2003 est.)