Saint Lucia

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

revenues: $155 million expenditures: $169 million, including capital expenditures of $48 million (FY96/97 est.)

Currency

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$131 million (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy-overview

Though foreign investment in manufacturing and information processing in recent years has increased Saint Lucia's industrial base, the economy remains vulnerable due to its heavy dependence on banana production, which is subject to periodic droughts and tropical storms. Indeed, the destructive effect of Tropical Storm Iris in mid-1995 caused the loss of 20% of the year's banana crop. Increased competition from Latin American bananas will probably further reduce market prices, exacerbating Saint Lucia's need to diversify its economy in coming years, e.g., by further expanding tourism, manufacturing, and construction.

Electricity-capacity

22,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

705 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

110 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports

total value: $79.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil partners: UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$600 million (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 10.7% industry: 32.3% services: 57% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$3,800 (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

0.8% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $270.6 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Canada 4% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

-2.3% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total: 43,800 by occupation: agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

104,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone 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

Telephones

26,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

3 (two commercial stations and one cable)

Televisions

26,000 (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

15% (1996 est.)

Area

total: 620 sq km land: 610 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

13 53 N, 60 68 W

Irrigated land

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 8% permanent crops: 21% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 13% other: 53% (1993 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

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Constitution

22 February 1979

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Data code

ST

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the Ambassador to Saint Lucia resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mrs. Juliet Elaine MALLET PHILLIP chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth ANTHONY (since NA) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary 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

FAX

[1] (202) 364-6728 consulate(s) general: New York

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

22 February 1979 (from UK)

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), NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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 (an 11-member body, six 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

National capital

Castries

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Political parties and leaders

United Workers' Party (UWP); Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Kenneth ANTHONY; National Freedom Party (NFP), Martinus FRANCOIS

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$5 million (1991); note-for police force

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

2% (1991)

Age structure

0-14 years: 34% (male 26,261; female 25,747) 15-64 years: 60% (male 45,182; female 46,956) 65 years and over: 6% (male 3,095; female 5,094) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

22.48 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

5.64 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

16.95 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.58 years male: 67.94 years female: 75.48 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69% (1980 est.)

Nationality

noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Net migration rate

-5.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

152,335 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.11% (1998 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.35 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none

Illicit drugs

transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON (territorial collectivity of France)

Airports

2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Castries, Vieux Fort

Railways

0 km