World Facts Index
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 of Saint Lucia
|
Location:
|
Caribbean, island between
the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago |
|
Coordinates:
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13 53 N, 60 68 W |
|
Area:
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total: 616 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 606 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
3.5 times the size of
Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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158 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental
margin |
|
Climate:
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tropical, moderated by
northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season
from May to August |
|
Terrain:
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volcanic and mountainous
with some broad, fertile valleys |
|
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m |
|
Natural resources:
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forests, sandy beaches,
minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential |
|
Natural hazards:
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hurricanes and volcanic
activity |
|
Environment current issues:
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deforestation; soil
erosion, particularly in the northern region |
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Geography - note:
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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
|
Population of Saint Lucia
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Population:
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159,585 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
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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) |
|
Median age:
|
25.2 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
1.29% |
|
Infant mortality:
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13.17 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 73.84 years
male: 70.29 years
female: 77.65 years |
|
Fertility rate:
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2.18 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white
1% |
|
Religions:
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Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 3%, other
Protestant 7% |
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Languages:
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English (official), French patois |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended
school
total population: 90.1%
male: 89.5%
female: 90.6%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional short form: Saint Lucia |
|
Government type:
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Westminster-style parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Castries |
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Administrative divisions:
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11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries,
Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort |
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Independence:
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22 February 1979 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 22 February (1979) |
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Constitution:
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22 February 1979 |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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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; note - Sir John COMPTON died
in office Friday, 7 September 2007
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime
minister
elections: 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. |
|
Legislative branch:
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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) |
|
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) |
Economy
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. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange, with almost
900,000 arrivals in 2007. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the
Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana
industry. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks including
declines in European Union banana preferences, volatile tourism receipts,
natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. 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:
|
$1.794 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
3.3% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$5,400 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 7%
industry: 20%
services: 73% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
3% |
|
Labor force:
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43,800 |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 21.7%, services 53.6%,
industry, commerce, and manufacturing 24.7% |
|
Unemployment:
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16.5% |
|
Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100% |
|
Industries:
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clothing, assembly of electronic
components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut
processing |
|
Agriculture:
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bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root
crops, cocoa |
|
Exports:
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bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables,
fruits, coconut oil |
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Export partners:
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France 25%, US 18.3%, China 17.8%, UK 14.5%, Brazil 6.8% |
|
Imports:
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food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery
and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels |
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Import partners:
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US 23.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 16%, Netherlands 11.1%,
Venezuela 6.3%, Finland 6.2%, UK 5.7%, France 4.7% |
|
Currency:
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East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |