Central America and Caribbean :: Saint Lucia

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## Introduction ::Saint Lucia

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

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: 4.84% permanent crops: 11.29% other: 83.87% (2011)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2007)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (NA) per capita: 98.22 cu m/yr (2005)
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 ::Saint Lucia

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:
162,781 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.6% (male 18,101/female 17,098) 15-24 years: 16.9% (male 13,872/female 13,602) 25-54 years: 42.9% (male 33,528/female 36,230) 55-64 years: 8.4% (male 6,371/female 7,372) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 7,510/female 9,097) (2013 est.) population pyramid:
Median age:
total: 32.2 years male: 31.1 years female: 33.3 years (2013 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.36% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Birth rate:
14.19 births/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Death rate:
7.21 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Net migration rate:
-3.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Urbanization:
urban population: 28% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
CASTRIES (capital) 15,000 (2009)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
35 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 118
Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.07 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 130 male: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.22 years country comparison to the world: 69 male: 74.52 years female: 80.08 years (2013 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Health expenditures:
8.7% of GDP (2010) country comparison to the world: 49
Physicians density:
0.47 physicians/1,000 population (2002)
Hospital bed density:
1.5 beds/1,000 population (2009)
Drinking water source:
improved: urban: 98% of population rural: 95% of population total: 96% of population unimproved: urban: 2% of population rural: 5% of population total: 4% of population (2010 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved: urban: 71% of population rural: 63% of population total: 65% of population unimproved: urban: 29% of population rural: 37% of population total: 35% of population (2010 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
21.4% (2008) country comparison to the world: 87
Education expenditures:
4.4% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 96
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: 13 years (2011)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 40.8% country comparison to the world: 11 male: 37.1% female: 45.5% (2004)

## Government ::Saint Lucia

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 00 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 Kenny Davis ANTHONY (since 30 November 2011) 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 28 November 2011 (next to be held in 2016) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 49.68%, UWP 45.83%; seats by party - SLP 11, UWP 6
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - with its headquarters on St. Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and is comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the member states; 3 High Court judges reside on Saint Lucia note - Saint Lucia is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice judge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: magistrate's court
Political parties and leaders:
Lucian People's Movement or LPM [Therold PRUDENT] Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenny ANTHONY] United Workers Party or UWP [Stephenson KING]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723 consulate(s) general: Coral Gables (FL), 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 ::Saint Lucia

Economy - overview:
The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism is Saint Lucia's main source of jobs and income - accounting for 65% of GDP - and the island's main source of foreign exchange earnings. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area. Crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, but St. Lucia''s once solid banana industry has been devastated by strong competition and by Hurricane Tomas in 2010. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks, including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. Furthermore, high public debt - 77% of GDP in 2012 - and high debt servicing obligations constrain the ANTHONY administration''s ability to respond to adverse external shocks. St. Lucia has experienced anemic growth since the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008, largely because of a slowdown in tourism. As airlines cut back on their routes to St. Lucia in 2012, tourism growth slowed. Also, St. Lucia introduced a value added tax in 2012 of 15%, becoming the last country in the Eastern Caribbean to do so.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.233 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 $2.243 billion (2011 est.) $2.212 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.22 billion (2012 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-0.4% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 1.4% (2011 est.) 0.2% (2010 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,300 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $13,500 (2011 est.) $13,400 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 3.1% industry: 16.3% services: 80.7% (2012 est.)
Labor force:
79,700 (2012) 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: 160
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $185.2 million expenditures: $222.2 million (2011 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
15.2% of GDP (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-3% of GDP (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Public debt:
77% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 77% of GDP (2010 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 2.8% (2011 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.4% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 10% (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$253.9 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 172 $250 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of broad money:
$1.149 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 $1.113 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.469 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 $1.442 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa
Industries:
tourism; clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Current account balance:
-$178.3 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 -$220.4 million (2011 est.)
Exports:
$203.3 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $179.8 million (2011 est.)
Exports - commodities:
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, avacados, mangoes, coconut oil
Exports - partners:
US 13.1%, Peru 10.1%, UK 9.7%, Antigua and Barbuda 9.7%, Dominica 9.4%, France 8.5%, Barbados 8.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.9%, Grenada 6.4% (2012)
Imports:
$552.3 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 $616 million (2011 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners:
Brazil 55%, US 18.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 9.5% (2012)
Debt - external:
$438.8 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 176 $447.8 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2012 est.) 2.7 (2011 est.) 2.7 (2010 est.) 2.7 (2009)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

## Energy ::Saint Lucia

Electricity - production:
358 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Electricity - consumption:
317.3 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
76,000 kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
2,922 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Refined petroleum products - imports:
2,980 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
430,800 Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

## Communications ::Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use:
35,900 (2011) country comparison to the world: 171
Telephones - mobile cellular:
216,500 (2011) country comparison to the world: 179
Telephone system:
general assessment: an adequate system that is automatically switched domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 25 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 130 per 100 persons 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 (2010)
Broadcast media:
3 privately owned TV stations; 1 public TV station operating on a cable network; multi-channel cable TV service available; 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:
100 (2012) country comparison to the world: 210
Internet users:
142,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 149

## Transportation ::Saint Lucia

Airports:
2 (2012) 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 (2012)
Roadways:
total: 1,210 km (2002) country comparison to the world: 180
Ports and terminals:
Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

## Military ::Saint Lucia

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Marine Unit) (2012)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary security service; no national army (2012)
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 ::Saint Lucia

Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its Economic Exclusion Zone/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

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