Saint Lucia

parliamentary democracyIndependence 22 February 1979 (from UK)

Saint Lucia as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 64 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalCastries

Area620 km2

Populationas each edition published it

153,075 people July 1991 · 153,196 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.52% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 24.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 69.26 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.5 children per woman 1991 · 3.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

18 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 18 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,650 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.5% in 1993

Geography

10 fields

Total area

620km2

land area: 610 km2Comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

158 km Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

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

Terrain

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land 8%;
permanent crops 20%;
meadows and pastures 5%;
forest and woodland 13%;
other 54%;
includes irrigated 2%

Environment

subject to hurricanes and volcanic activity;
deforestation;
soil erosion

People

14 fields

Population

153,075

(July 1991), growth rate 2.2% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

31Death

Ethnic divisions

African descent 90.3%mixed 5.5%East Indian 3.2%Caucasian 0.8%

Religion

Roman Catholic 90%Protestant 7%Anglican 3%

Literacy

67%

(male 65%, female 69%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1980)

Nationality

noun--Saint Lucian(s); adjective--Saint Lucian

Labor force

43,800; agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

Government

Parliamentary democracy

16 fields

House of Assembly, 17 seats, elected 6 April 1987one dot, one seat

UWP 10SLP 7

Administrative divisions

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

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Acting Governor General Sir Stanislaus Anthony JAMES (since 10 October 1988);
Head of Government--Prime Minister John George Melvin COMPTON (since 3 May 1982) United Workers' Party (UWP), John COMPTON;
Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Julian HUNTE;
Progressive Labor Party (PLP), George ODLUM

Suffrage

universal at age 18 House of Assembly--last held 6 April 1987 (next to be held by April 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(17 total) UWP 10, SLP 7

Member of

ACCT (associate), ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS;
Chancery at Suite 309, 2100 M Street NW, Washington DC 30037;
telephone (202) 463-7378 or 7379;
there is a Saint Lucian Consulate General in New York;
US--none

Flag

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

Economy

Since 1983 the economy has shown an impressive average annual growth rate of almost 5% because of strong agricultural and tourist sectors.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$273million

per capita $1,830; real growth rate 4.0% (1989)

Inflation, consumer prices

4.4%

(1989)

Unemployment rate

16.0%

(1988)

External debt

$54.5million

(1989)

Exports $111.9 million (f.o.b., 1989)commodities, where a share is given

bananas

54%clothing

17%

also cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil; partners--UK 51%, CARICOM 20%, US 19%, other 10%

Imports $265.9 million (c.i.f., 1989)

manufactured goods

23%machinery and transportation equipment

27%food and live animals

18%chemicals

10%fuels

; partners--US 35%, CARICOM 16%, UK 15%, Japan 7%, Canada 4%, other 23%

Budget

Revenues

$131 millionExpenditures

$149 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $71 million (FY90 est.)

Since 1983 the economy has shown an impressive average annual growth rate of almost 5% because of strong agricultural and tourist sectors. Saint Lucia also possesses an expanding industrial base supported by foreign investment in manufacturing and other activities, such as in data processing.

The economy, however, remains vulnerable because the important agricultural sector is dominated by banana production. Saint Lucia is subject to periodic droughts and/or tropical storms, and its protected market agreement with the UK for bananas may end in 1992.

accounts for 16% of GDP and 43% of labor force;
crops--bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus fruit, root crops, cocoa;
imports food for the tourist industry

Fiscal Year

1 April-31 March

Communications

5 fields

Airports, 2 total, 2 usable

permanent-surface runways

2runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

1runways 1,220-2,439

Highways

760 km total;
500 km paved;
260 km otherwise improved

fully automatic telephone system;
9,500 telephones;
direct radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
interisland troposcatter link to Barbados;
stations--4 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV (cable)

Defense Forces

Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard

3 fields

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