Saint Lucia
none conventional short form: Saint Lucia
Westminster-style parliamentary democracyIndependence 22 February 1979 (from UK)
Saint Lucia as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
17 fieldsLocation
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Climate
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August
Land use
arable land: 8% permanent crops: 21% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 13% other: 53% (1993 est.)
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 32.13% (male 25,951; female 24,874) 15-64 years: 62.59% (male 48,568; female 50,430) 65 years and over: 5.28% (male 3,120; female 5,235) (2001 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.57 years male: 69 years female: 76.39 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69% (1980 est.)
Government
Westminster-style parliamentary democracy
19 fieldsLegislature, 17 seatsone dot, one seat
Administrative divisions
11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth 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 leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister 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 are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SLP 16, UWP 1
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)
Political parties and leaders
- National Freedom Party or NFP [Martinus FRANCOIS];
- Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY];
- United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]
International organization participation
ACCT (associate), ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
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
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador in 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
Economy
The recent changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia.
32 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
The recent changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. Improvement in the construction sector and growth of the tourism industry helped expand GDP in 1998-99.
The agriculture sector registered its fifth year of decline in 1997 primarily because of a severe decline in banana production. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean, and the government is beginning to develop regulations for the small offshore financial sector.
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)
Budget
revenues: $141.2 million expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (FY97/98 est.)
Industries
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing
Imports - commodities
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- adequate system domestic: system is automatically switched international: 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
Television broadcast stations
3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997)
Transportation
7 fieldsMilitary
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard
3 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Saint Lucia.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/saint-lucia/2001.