Saint Lucia

Internet country code

.lc

Internet hosts

41 (2003)

Internet users

13,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate system domestic: system is automatically switched 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

14,300 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

2 (of which one is a commercial broadcast station and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (2004)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $141.2 million expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code)

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Debt - external

$214 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$51.8 million (1995)

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. 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

251.3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

270.3 million kWh (2002)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Exports

$66 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

UK 41.4%, US 16.5%, Brazil 11.6%, Barbados 5.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.6%, Dominica 4.5% (2004)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$866 million (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 7% industry: 20% services: 73% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$267 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 27.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 20.4%, UK 8%, Venezuela 7.6%, Finland 7% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate

-8.9% (1997 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (2001 est.)

Labor force

43,800 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 21.7%, industry, commerce, and manufacturing 24.7%, services 53.6% (2002 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

20% (2003 est.)

Area

total: 616 sq km land: 606 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

158 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 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, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

13 53 N, 60 68 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 (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 6.56% permanent crops: 22.95% other: 70.49% (2001)

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

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

Natural hazards

hurricanes and volcanic activity

Natural resources

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

Terrain

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Castries

Constitution

22 February 1979

Country name

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

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: Miami and New York

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 Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24 May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister 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

Flag description

blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Government type

Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Independence

22 February 1979 (from UK)

International organization participation

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

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)

Legal system

based on 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 are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be held in December 2006) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

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 [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.3% (male 25,937/female 24,391) 15-64 years: 64.6% (male 52,813/female 54,544) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,172/female 5,455) (2005 est.)

Birth rate

20.05 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate

5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 13.53 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.61 years male: 70.05 years female: 77.42 years (2005 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 24.81 years male: 24.03 years female: 25.66 years (2005 est.)

Nationality

noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Net migration rate

-2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population

166,312 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate

1.28% (2005 est.)

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)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.21 children born/woman (2005 est.)

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 Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs

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

Airports

2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort