Central America :: Saint Lucia
  • 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.
    SAINT LUCIA SUMMARY: PDF
  • 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
    land: 606 sq km
    water: 10 sq km
    country comparison to the world: 193
    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
    exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
    contiguous zone: 24 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 broad, fertile valleys
    Elevation:
    0 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea
    948 highest point: Mount Gimie
    Natural resources:
    forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
    Land use:
    agricultural land: 17.4% (2011 est.)
    arable land: 4.9% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 11.5% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 1% (2011 est.)
    forest: 77% (2011 est.)
    other: 5.6% (2011 est.)
    Irrigated land:
    30 sq km (2012)
    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
    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

    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
  • Population:
    165,510 (July 2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 187
    Nationality:
    noun: Saint Lucian(s)
    adjective: Saint Lucian
    Ethnic groups:
    black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)
    Languages:
    English (official), French patois
    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.)
    Age structure:
    0-14 years: 19.77% (male 16,840 /female 15,874)
    15-24 years: 14.79% (male 12,419 /female 12,060)
    25-54 years: 42.93% (male 34,228 /female 36,818)
    55-64 years: 10.41% (male 7,944 /female 9,284)
    65 years and over: 12.11% (male 9,086 /female 10,957) (2018 est.)
    population pyramid: population pyramid
    Dependency ratios:
    total dependency ratio: 41.1 (2015 est.)
    youth dependency ratio: 27.9 (2015 est.)
    elderly dependency ratio: 13.3 (2015 est.)
    potential support ratio: 7.5 (2015 est.)
    Median age:
    total: 35.5 years
    male: 34.3 years
    female: 36.6 years (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 80
    Population growth rate:
    0.31% (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 168
    Birth rate:
    13.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 146
    Death rate:
    7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 98
    Net migration rate:
    -2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 170
    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
    Urbanization:
    urban population: 18.7% of total population (2018)
    rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
    Major urban areas - population:
    22,000 CASTRIES (capital) (2018)
    Sex ratio:
    at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
    0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
    15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
    25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
    55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
    65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
    total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
    Maternal mortality rate:
    48 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 97
    Infant mortality rate:
    total: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
    male: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
    female: 11 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 129
    Life expectancy at birth:
    total population: 78.1 years (2018 est.)
    male: 75.4 years (2018 est.)
    female: 81 years (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 64
    Total fertility rate:
    1.74 children born/woman (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 164
    Contraceptive prevalence rate:
    55.5% (2011/12)
    Health expenditures:
    6.7% of GDP (2014)
    country comparison to the world: 89
    Physicians density:
    0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
    Hospital bed density:
    1.3 beds/1,000 population (2013)
    Drinking water source:
    improved: urban: 99.5% of population
    rural: 95.6% of population
    total: 96.3% of population
    unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population
    rural: 4.4% of population
    total: 3.7% of population (2015 est.)
    Sanitation facility access:
    improved: urban: 84.7% of population (2015 est.)
    rural: 91.9% of population (2015 est.)
    total: 90.5% of population (2015 est.)
    unimproved: urban: 15.3% of population (2015 est.)
    rural: 8.1% of population (2015 est.)
    total: 9.5% of population (2015 est.)
    HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
    NA
    HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
    NA
    HIV/AIDS - deaths:
    NA
    Major infectious diseases:

    note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

    Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
    19.7% (2016)
    country comparison to the world: 111
    Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
    2.8% (2012)
    country comparison to the world: 104
    Education expenditures:
    5.7% of GDP (2016)
    country comparison to the world: 45
    Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
    total: 46.2% (2016 est.)
    male: 42.6% (2016 est.)
    female: 51% (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 9
  • Government :: Saint Lucia
  • 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

    note: pronounced saynt-looshya

    Government type:
    parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; 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:
    10 districts; Anse-la-Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort
    Independence:
    22 February 1979 (from the UK)
    National holiday:
    Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
    Constitution:
    history: previous 1958, 1960 (preindependence); latest presented 20 December 1978, effective 22 February 1979 (2018)
    amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority by the House of Assembly membership in the final reading and assent to by 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 to by the governor general; passage of amendments approved by the House but rejected by the Senate require a majority of votes cast in a referendum (2018)
    International law organization participation:
    has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
    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
    Suffrage:
    18 years of age; universal
    Judicial branch:
    highest courts: 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
    Executive branch:
    chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Neville CENAC (since 12 January 2018)
    head of government: Prime Minister Allen CHASTANET (since 7 June 2016)
    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
    Legislative branch:
    description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
    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 upon consultation with religious, economic, and social groups; members serve 5-year terms)
    House of Assembly (17 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
    elections:
    House of Assembly - last held on 6 June 2016 (next to be held in 2021)
    election results:
    House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP 54.8%, SLP 44.1%, other 1.1%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6
    Political parties and leaders:
    Lucian People's Movement or LPM [Therold PRUDENT]
    Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Philip J. PIERRE]
    United Workers Party or UWP [Allen CHASTANET]
    International organization participation:
    ACP, 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
    Diplomatic representation in the US:
    chief of mission: Ambassador Anton Edsel EDMUNDS (since 8 September 2017)
    chancery: 1628 K Street, NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006
    telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
    FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723
    consulate(s) general: 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:
    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
    National symbol(s):
    twin pitons (volcanic peaks), Saint Lucia parrot; national colors: cerulean blue, gold, black, white
    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.

    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 CHASTANET 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 - airlines cut back on their routes to St. Lucia in 2012. Also, St. Lucia introduced a value added tax in 2012 of 15%, becoming the last country in the Eastern Caribbean to do so. In 2013, the government introduced a National Competitiveness and Productivity Council to address St. Lucia's high public wages and lack of productivity.

    GDP (purchasing power parity):
    $2.542 billion (2017 est.)
    $2.469 billion (2016 est.)
    $2.388 billion (2015 est.)

    note: data are in 2017 dollars

    country comparison to the world: 191
    GDP (official exchange rate):
    $1.686 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
    GDP - real growth rate:
    3% (2017 est.)
    3.4% (2016 est.)
    -0.9% (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 115
    GDP - per capita (PPP):
    $14,400 (2017 est.)
    $14,200 (2016 est.)
    $13,800 (2015 est.)

    note: data are in 2017 dollars

    country comparison to the world: 117
    Gross national saving:
    19.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
    15.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
    24.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 102
    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: 2.9% (2017 est.)
    industry: 14.2% (2017 est.)
    services: 82.8% (2017 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:
    6% (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 42
    Labor force:
    79,700 (2012 est.)
    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: 186
    Population below poverty line:
    NA
    Household income or consumption by percentage share:
    lowest 10%: NA
    highest 10%: NA
    Budget:
    revenues: 398.2 million (2017 est.)
    expenditures: 392.8 million (2017 est.)
    Taxes and other revenues:
    23.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 125
    Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
    0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 41
    Public debt:
    70.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
    69.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 49
    Fiscal year:
    1 April - 31 March
    Inflation rate (consumer prices):
    0.1% (2017 est.)
    -3.1% (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 15
    Central bank discount rate:
    6.5% (31 December 2010)
    6.5% (31 December 2009)
    country comparison to the world: 63
    Commercial bank prime lending rate:
    8.34% (31 December 2017 est.)
    8.47% (31 December 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 100
    Stock of narrow money:
    $334.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)
    $318.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 180
    Stock of broad money:
    $334.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)
    $318.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 183
    Stock of domestic credit:
    $1.267 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
    $1.297 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 164
    Current account balance:
    $21 million (2017 est.)
    -$31 million (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 61
    Exports:
    $185.1 million (2017 est.)
    $188.2 million (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 191
    Exports - partners:
    US 67.6%, UK 5.9%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.5% (2017)
    Exports - commodities:
    bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, avocados, mangoes, coconut oil (2010 est.)
    Imports:
    $600 million (2017 est.)
    $575.9 million (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 195
    Imports - commodities:
    food, manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, fuels
    Imports - partners:
    US 53.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.8% (2017)
    Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
    $321.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
    $320.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 166
    Debt - external:
    $570.6 million (31 December 2017 est.)
    $529 million (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 176
    Exchange rates:
    East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
    2.7 (2017 est.)
    2.7 (2016 est.)
    2.7 (2015 est.)
    2.7 (2014 est.)
    2.7 (2013 est.)
  • Energy :: Saint Lucia
  • Electricity access:
    population without electricity: 16,446 (2012)
    electrification - total population: 91% (2012)
    electrification - urban areas: 100% (2012)
    electrification - rural areas: 80% (2012)
    Electricity - production:
    369 million kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 174
    Electricity - consumption:
    343.2 million kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 181
    Electricity - exports:
    0 kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 189
    Electricity - imports:
    0 kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 191
    Electricity - installed generating capacity:
    89,000 kW (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 180
    Electricity - from fossil fuels:
    99% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 25
    Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
    0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 173
    Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
    0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 196
    Electricity - from other renewable sources:
    1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 165
    Crude oil - production:
    0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 191
    Crude oil - exports:
    0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 185
    Crude oil - imports:
    0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 187
    Crude oil - proved reserves:
    0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 187
    Refined petroleum products - production:
    0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 194
    Refined petroleum products - consumption:
    3,100 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 187
    Refined petroleum products - exports:
    0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 195
    Refined petroleum products - imports:
    3,113 bbl/day (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 184
    Natural gas - production:
    0 cu m (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 189
    Natural gas - consumption:
    0 cu m (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 191
    Natural gas - exports:
    0 cu m (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 174
    Natural gas - imports:
    0 cu m (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 180
    Natural gas - proved reserves:
    0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 186
    Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
    437,900 Mt (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 186
  • Communications :: Saint Lucia
  • Telephones - fixed lines:
    total subscriptions: 35,014 (2017 est.)
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 166
    Telephones - mobile cellular:
    total subscriptions: 176,694 (2017 est.)
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 184
    Telephone system:
    general assessment: an adequate system that is automatically switched (2016)
    domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 20 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 105 per 100 persons (2016)
    international: country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber System and Southern Caribbean Fiber 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 (2016)
    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 users:
    total: 86,000 (July 2016 est.)
    percent of population: 52.4% (July 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 178
    Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
    total: 31,781 (2017 est.)
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 139
  • Transportation :: Saint Lucia
  • Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
    J6 (2016)
    Airports:
    2 (2013)
    country comparison to the world: 205
    Airports - with paved runways:
    total: 2 (2017)
    2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2017)
    1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)
    Roadways:
    total: 1,210 km (2011)
    paved: 847 km (2011)
    unpaved: 363 km (2011)
    country comparison to the world: 181
    Ports and terminals:
    major seaport(s): Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort
  • Military and Security :: 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)
  • Transnational Issues :: Saint Lucia
  • Disputes - international:
    joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 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