2011 Edition

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.

Area

616 sq km 606 sq km 10 sq km

total

616 sq km

water

10 sq km

Area - comparative

three and a half times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

158 km

Elevation extremes

Caribbean Sea 0 m Mount Gimie 950 m

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

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 none of the selected 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

0.01 81 cu m/yr (1997)

per capita

81 cu m/yr (1997)

total

0.01

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

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2008)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

6.45% 22.58% 70.97% (2005)

arable land

6.45%

other

70.97% (2005)

permanent crops

22.58%

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

12 nm 24 nm 200 nm 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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

Natural hazards

hurricanes; volcanic activity

Natural resources

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

Terrain

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Age structure

22.8% (male 18,925/female 17,945) 67.5% (male 52,859/female 56,173) 9.7% (male 7,074/female 8,581) (2011 est.)

0-14 years

22.8% (male 18,925/female 17,945)

15-64 years

67.5% (male 52,859/female 56,173)

65 years and over

9.7% (male 7,074/female 8,581) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

14.63 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Death rate

7 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 98% of population rural: 98% of population total: 98% of population urban: 2% of population rural: 2% of population total: 2% of population (2008)

rural

2% of population

total

2% of population (2008)

urban

2% of population

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2009)

Ethnic groups

black 82.5%, mixed 11.9%, East Indian 2.4%, other or unspecified 3.1% (2001 census)

Health expenditures

8.1% of GDP (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

12.72 deaths/1,000 live births 11.92 deaths/1,000 live births 13.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

female

13.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

total

12.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

76.84 years 74.15 years 79.68 years (2011 est.)

female

79.68 years (2011 est.)

total population

76.84 years

Literacy

age 15 and over has ever attended school 90.1% 89.5% 90.6% (2001 est.)

definition

age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

90.6% (2001 est.)

male

89.5%

total population

90.1%

Major cities - population

CASTRIES (capital) 15,000 (2009)

Median age

31 years 29.9 years 32.1 years (2011 est.)

female

32.1 years (2011 est.)

male

29.9 years

total

31 years

Nationality

Saint Lucian(s) Saint Lucian

adjective

Saint Lucian

noun

Saint Lucian(s)

Net migration rate

-3.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Physicians density

0.473 physicians/1,000 population (2002)

Population

161,557 (July 2011 est.)

Population growth rate

0.389% (2011 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 67.5%, Protestant 18.2% (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)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 89% of population rural: 89% of population total: 89% of population urban: 11% of population rural: 11% of population total: 11% of population (2000)

rural

11% of population

total

11% of population (2000)

urban

11% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

13 years 13 years 14 years (2009)

female

14 years (2009)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

1.055 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 0.94 male(s)/female 0.82 male(s)/female 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

15-64 years

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female

at birth

1.055 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.81 children born/woman (2011 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

40.8% 37.1% 45.5% (2004)

female

45.5% (2004)

total

40.8%

Urbanization

28% of total population (2010) 1.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

1.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

28% of total population (2010)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Castries 14 01 N, 61 00 W UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

14 01 N, 61 00 W

name

Castries

time difference

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

Constitution

22 February 1979

Country name

none Saint Lucia

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Saint Lucia

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

Ambassador Michael LOUIS 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 [1] (202) 364-6723 Miami, New York

chancery

3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael LOUIS

consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6723

telephone

[1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795

Executive branch

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since September 1997) Prime Minister Kenny ANTHONY (since 30 November 2011) Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister the monarchy is hereditary; the governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

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

the monarchy is hereditary; the governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

head of government

Prime Minister Kenny ANTHONY (since 30 November 2011)

Flag description

blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border; the blue color represents the sky and sea, gold stands for sunshine and prosperity, and white and black the racial composition of the island (with the latter being dominant); the two major triangles invoke the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), cone-shaped volcanic plugs that are a symbol of the island

Government type

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

22 February 1979 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consists of a High Court and a Court of Appeals; based on Saint Lucia; three judges of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Lucia); member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

Legal system

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 elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) House of Assembly - last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be held in 2016) House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 51%, UWP 47%; seats by party - SLP 11, UWP 6

election results

House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 51%, UWP 47%; seats by party - SLP 11, UWP 6

elections

House of Assembly - last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be held in 2016)

National anthem

"Sons and Daughters of St. Lucia" Charles JESSE/Leton Felix THOMAS adopted 1967

lyrics/music

Charles JESSE/Leton Felix THOMAS

name

"Sons and Daughters of St. Lucia"

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

National symbol(s)

twin pitons (volcanic peaks); Saint Lucia parrot

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 [Stephenson KING]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

$320.9 million $222.2 million (2010 est.)

expenditures

$222.2 million (2010 est.)

revenues

$320.9 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

10% of GDP (2010 est.)

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2010 est.) 6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.625% (31 December 2010 est.) 10.6% (31 December 2009 est.)

Current account balance

-$327.3 million (2010 est.) -$133.4 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$366 million (31 December 2010 est.) $416.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Economy - overview

The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries, with a surge in foreign direct investment in 2006, attributed to the construction of several tourism projects. Although crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, tourism provides Saint Lucia's main source of income and the industry is the island's biggest employer. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange, although tourism sector revenues declined with the global economic downturn as US and European travel dropped in 2009. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry, although recent hurricanes have caused exports to contract. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. The public debt-to-GDP ratio is about 77% and high debt servicing obligations constrain the KING administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks. Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though unemployment needs to be reduced.

Electricity - consumption

308 million kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

341.2 million kWh (2009 est.)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2010) 2.7 (2009) 2.7 (2005) 2.7 (2004) 2.7 (2003)

Exports

$130 million (2010 est.) $191.3 million (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

UK 19.4%, US 17.2%, Peru 8.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.6%, Dominica 8.3%, Barbados 7.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 7%, Grenada 5.7% (2010)

GDP - composition by sector

4.9% 18.3% 76.7% (2010 est.)

agriculture

4.9%

industry

18.3%

services

76.7% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$11,200 (2010 est.) $11,100 (2009 est.) $11,600 (2008 est.) data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

0.8% (2010 est.) -3.6% (2009 est.) 0.7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$985 million (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.798 billion (2010 est.) $1.783 billion (2009 est.) $1.849 billion (2008 est.) data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

NA% NA%

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$550 million (2010 est.) $451.5 million (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Brazil 77.8%, US 11.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8% (2010)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.8% (2010 est.) 1% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

79,700 (2007)

Labor force - by occupation

21.7% 24.7% 53.6% (2002 est.)

agriculture

21.7%

industry

24.7%

services

53.6% (2002 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

Oil - consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - imports

2,692 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$206.3 million (31 December 2010 est.) $174.8 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.349 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.261 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.676 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.563 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$263.2 million (31 December 2010 est.) $232.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

32.6% of GDP (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate

20% (2003 est.)

Broadcast media

3 privately-owned television stations; 1 public television station operating on a cable network; multi-channel cable TV service is obtainable; a mix of state-owned and privately-owned broadcasters operate nearly 25 radio stations including repeater transmission stations (2007)

Internet country code

.lc

Internet hosts

106 (2010)

Internet users

142,900 (2009)

Telephone system

an adequate system that is automatically switched fixed-line teledensity is 25 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 110 per 100 persons country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables, along with Intelsat from Martinique, carry calls internationally; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is 25 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 110 per 100 persons

general assessment

an adequate system that is automatically switched

international

country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables, along with Intelsat from Martinique, carry calls internationally; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados

Telephones - main lines in use

41,100 (2010)

Telephones - mobile cellular

179,300 (2010)

Airports

2 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2010)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2010)

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

total

2

Ports and terminals

Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Roadways

1,210 km (2002)

total

1,210 km (2002)

Manpower available for military service

41,414 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

41,414 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

32,688 36,289 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

36,289 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

32,688

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

1,574 1,502 (2010 est.)

female

1,502 (2010 est.)

male

1,574

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit and Coast Guard) (2010)

Military expenditures

NA

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

Illicit drugs

transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe