Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia

Introduction

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

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

13 53 N, 60 58 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total: 616 sq km
country comparison to the world: 193 land:606 sq km
water:10 sq km

Area – comparative

three and a half times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

158 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone:24 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm
continental shelf:200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds

dry season January to April, rainy season May to August

Terrain

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land: 6.45%
permanent crops:22.58%
other:70.97% (2005)

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2008)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.01
per capita:81cu m/yr (1997)

Natural hazards

hurricanes

volcanic activity

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

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 and Society

Nationality

noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective:Saint Lucian

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

English (official), French patois

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)

Population

161,557 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186

Age structure

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.)

Median age

total: 31 years
male:29.9 years
female:32.1 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

0.389% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158

Birth rate

14.63 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137

Death rate

7 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133

Net migration rate

-3.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185

Urbanization

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

Major cities – population

CASTRIES (capital) 15,000 (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.055 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.82 male(s)/female
total population:0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.72 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 130 male:11.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female:13.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.84 years
country comparison to the world: 69 male:74.15 years
female:79.68 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.81 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151

Health expenditures

8.1% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 57

Physicians density

0.473 physicians/1,000 population (2002)
country comparison to the world: 127

Hospital bed density

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 124

Drinking water source

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

Sanitation facility access

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

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS – deaths

NA

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 85

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population:90.1%
male:89.5%
female:90.6% (2001 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years
male:13 years
female:14 years (2009)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 40.8%
country comparison to the world: 8 male:37.1%
female:45.5% (2004)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form:Saint Lucia

Government type

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital

name: Castries
geographic coordinates:14 01 N, 61 00 W
time difference:UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

11 quarters

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

Independence

22 February 1979 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution

22 February 1979

Legal system

English common law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since September 1997)
head of government:Prime Minister Stephenson KING (since 9 September 2007)

note – Sir John COMPTON died in office 7 September 2007
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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

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)
elections:House of Assembly – last held on 11 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)
election results:House of Assembly – percent of vote by party – UWP 50%, SLP 46.9%, other 3.1%

seats by party – UWP 11, SLP 6

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)

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael LOUIS
chancery:3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone:[1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
FAX:[1] (202) 364-6723
consulate(s) general:Miami, New York

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

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

National symbol(s)

twin pitons (volcanic peaks)

Saint Lucia parrot

National anthem

name: “Sons and Daughters of St. Lucia”
lyrics/music:Charles JESSE/Leton Felix THOMAS
note:adopted 1967

Economy

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.798 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188 $1.783 billion (2009 est.)
$1.849 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$985 million (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

0.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175 -3.6% (2009 est.)
0.7% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$11,200 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99 $11,100 (2009 est.)
$11,600 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 4.9%
industry:18.3%
services:76.7% (2010 est.)

Labor force

79,700 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 183

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 21.7%
industry:24.7%
services:53.6% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate

20% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Population below poverty line

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:NA%

Investment (gross fixed)

21.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100

Budget

revenues: $320.9 million
expenditures:$222.2 million (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

32.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

10% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57 1% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54 6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.625% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101 10.6% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$263.2 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171 $232.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.349 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154 $1.261 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.676 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136 $1.563 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Agriculture – products

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

Industries

clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism

lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Electricity – production

341.2 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Electricity – consumption

308 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132

Oil – consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209

Oil – imports

2,692 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192

Current account balance

-$327.3 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96 -$133.4 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$130 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185 $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)

Imports

$550 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187 $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)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$206.3 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163 $174.8 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$366 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169 $416.4 million (31 December 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)

Transportation

Airports

2 (2010)
country comparison to the world:205

Airports – with paved runways

total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m:1
1,524 to 2,437 m:1 (2010)

Roadways

total: 1,210 km (2002)
country comparison to the world: 180

Ports and terminals

Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Military

Military branches

no regular military forces

Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit and Coast Guard) (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 41,414 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 32,688
females age 16-49:36,289 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 1,574
female:1,502 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

NA

Transnational Issues

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