Saint Lucia

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 33,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2020 est.)

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 (2019)

Internet country code

.lc

Internet users

total: 140,400 (2021 est.) percent of population: 78% (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: an adequate system that is automatically switched; good interisland and international connections; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) and LTE markets; regulatory development; telecom sector contributes to the overall GDP; telecom sector is a growth area (2020) domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 8 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 96 per 100 persons (2021) international: country code - 1-758; landing points for the ECFS and Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cables providing connectivity to numerous Caribbean islands; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 14,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 172,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products

coconuts, bananas, tropical fruits, fruits, plantains, root vegetables, chicken, vegetables, cassava, pork (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

revenues: $414.77 million (2017 est.) expenditures: $351.956 million (2017 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

-$45.381 million (2023 est.) -$67.064 million (2022 est.) -$221.371 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$687.824 million (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

upper middle-income, tourism-based Caribbean island economy; environmentally fragile; energy import-dependent; major banana producer; well-educated labor force; key infrastructure, IT, and communications investments

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2023 est.) 2.7 (2022 est.) 2.7 (2021 est.) 2.7 (2020 est.) 2.7 (2019 est.)

Exports

$1.415 billion (2023 est.) $1.296 billion (2022 est.) $710.754 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

beer, gravel and crushed stone, paper containers, refined petroleum, liquor (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

US 17%, Guyana 16%, Trinidad and Tobago 14%, Barbados 9%, Suriname 7% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.52 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 66.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 11.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 62.7% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -56.9% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.9% (2023 est.) industry: 8.6% (2023 est.) services: 74.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

51.2 (2016 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.1% (2015 est.) highest 10%: 34.1% (2015 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$1.274 billion (2023 est.) $1.194 billion (2022 est.) $891.761 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, plastic products, poultry, flavored water (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

US 76%, Trinidad and Tobago 4%, China 3%, UK 2%, Barbados 2% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.07% (2023 est.) 6.38% (2022 est.) 2.41% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

101,000 (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

25% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

70.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.083 billion (2023 est.) $3.957 billion (2022 est.) $3.351 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

3.19% (2023 est.) 18.08% (2022 est.) 12.23% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$22,700 (2023 est.) $22,000 (2022 est.) $18,700 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.64% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.45% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$424.324 million (2023 est.) $389.083 million (2022 est.) $433.117 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

18.23% (of GDP) (2017 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

11.09% (2023 est.) 15.93% (2022 est.) 20.51% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 28.2% (2023 est.) male: 29.5% (2023 est.) female: 26.5% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Carbon dioxide emissions

617,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 617,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 92,000 kW (2022 est.) consumption: 360.34 million kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 31.038 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 99.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

48.251 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 8.98 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 0.41 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 0.27 megatons (2020 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land: 17.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 11.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 1% (2018 est.) forest: 77% (2018 est.) other: 5.6% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

300 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 77,616 tons (2015 est.)

Area

total : 616 sq km land: 606 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

highest point: Mount Gimie 948 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

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 (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 17.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 11.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 1% (2018 est.) forest: 77% (2018 est.) other: 5.6% (2018 est.)

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 volcanism: Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava dome remnants associated with the Soufriere volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries

Terrain

volcanic and mountainous with broad, fertile valleys

Administrative divisions

10 districts; Anse-la-Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Capital

name: Castries geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 61 00 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: in 1785, the village of Carenage was renamed Castries, after Charles Eugene Gabriel de La Croix de CASTRIES (1727-1801), who was then the French Minister of the Navy and Colonies

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Lucia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Constitution

history: previous 1958, 1960 (preindependence); latest presented 20 December 1978, effective 22 February 1979 amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the House of Assembly membership in the final reading and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to various constitutional sections, such as those on fundamental rights and freedoms, government finances, the judiciary, and procedures for amending the constitution, require at least three-quarters majority vote by the House and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments approved by the House but rejected by the Senate require a majority of votes cast in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2008

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia etymology: named after Saint LUCY of Syracuse by French sailors who were shipwrecked on the island on 13 December 1502, the saint's feast day; Saint Lucia is the only country named specifically after a woman note: pronounced saynt-looshuh

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: 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 Elizabeth DARIUS-CLARKE (since 7 June 2022) chancery: 1629 K Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723 email address and website: embassydc@gosl.gov.lc https://www.embassyofstlucia.org/ consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Acting Governor General Errol CHARLES (since 11 November 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Philip J. PIERRE (since 28 July 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by governor general

Flag description

cerulean 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 under a constitutional monarchy; 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, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, 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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states with 4 on Saint Lucia; Saint Lucia is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; 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

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Houses of Parliament consists of: Senate (11 seats; all members appointed by the governor general; 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 2 upon consultation with religious, economic, and social groups; members serve 5-year terms) House of Assembly (18 seats; 17 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and the speaker, designated from outside the Parliament; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last appointments on 17 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026) House of Assembly - last held on 26 July 2021 (next to be held in 2026) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 6, women 5, percentage women 45.5% House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 50.1%, UWP 42.9%, other 0.3%, independent 6.6%; seats by party - SLP 13, UWP 2, independent 2; composition - men 16, women 2, percentage women 11.1%; note - total Parliament percentage women 24.1%

National anthem

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

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Pitons Management Area

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

National symbol(s)

twin pitons (volcanic peaks), Saint Lucia parrot; national colors: cerulean blue, gold, black, white

Political parties

Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP United Workers Party or UWP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

England and France contested Saint Lucia -- with its fine natural harbor at Castries and burgeoning sugar industry -- throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries, with possession changing 14 times; it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814 and became part of the British Windward Islands colony. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. In the mid-20th century, Saint Lucia joined the West Indies Federation (1958 1962) and in 1967 became one of the six members of the West Indies Associated States, with internal self-government. In 1979, Saint Lucia gained full independence.

Military - note

Saint Lucia has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2024)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) (2024) note: the RSLPF has responsibility for law enforcement and maintenance of order within the country; it is under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Justice, and National Security and includes a Special Service Unit and a Marine Unit (coast guard)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.9% (male 15,505/female 14,607) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 54,260/female 57,747) 65 years and over: 15.4% (2024 est.) (male 11,752/female 14,167)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 9.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 5.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

11.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

55.5% (2011/12)

Current health expenditure

6.7% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 37.7 youth dependency ratio: 25.2 elderly dependency ratio: 12.5 potential support ratio: 8 (2021 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 99.4% of population rural: 98.5% of population total: 98.7% of population unimproved: urban: 0.6% of population rural: 1.5% of population total: 1.3% of population (2020 est.)

Education expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.83 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

total: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), Saint Lucian Creole

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.4 years (2024 est.) male: 76.7 years female: 82.3 years

Literacy

total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Major urban areas - population

22,000 CASTRIES (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

73 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

total: 39.7 years (2024 est.) male: 38.4 years female: 40.9 years

Nationality

noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Net migration rate

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.7% (2016)

Physician density

0.64 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

total: 168,038 male: 81,517 female: 86,521 (2024 est.)

Population distribution

most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries

Population growth rate

0.26% (2024 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 61.5%, Protestant 25.5% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 10.4%, Pentecostal 8.9%, Baptist 2.2%, Anglican 1.6%, Church of God 1.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), other Christian 3.4% (includes Evangelical 2.3% and Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), Rastafarian 1.9%, other 0.4%, none 5.9%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 97.6% of population rural: 92.9% of population total: 93.8% of population unimproved: urban: 2.4% of population rural: 7.1% of population total: 6.2% of population (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2020)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.71 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Illicit drugs

a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean; some local demand for cocaine and some use of synthetic drugs

Airports

2 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

J6

Ports

total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Castries, Grand Cul de Sac Bay, Vieux Fort

Roadways

total: 1,210 km paved: 847 km unpaved: 363 km (2011)