Saint Lucia (2001) | Baker Island (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | 11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort | - |
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.) |
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Agriculture - products | bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa | - |
Airports | 2 (2000 est.) | 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
620 sq km land: 610 sq km water: 10 sq km |
total: 1.4 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979. | The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast. |
Birth rate | 21.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues:
$141.2 million expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (FY97/98 est.) |
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Capital | Castries | - |
Climate | tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August | equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun |
Coastline | 158 km | 4.8 km |
Constitution | 22 February 1979 | - |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Saint Lucia |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Baker Island |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | - |
Death rate | 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $131.6 million (1998) | - |
Dependency status | - | unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system |
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 | - |
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 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6728 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York |
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Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $51.8 million (1995) | - |
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. | no economic activity |
Electricity - consumption | 102.3 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 110 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 8 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region | no natural fresh water resources |
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 |
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Ethnic groups | black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1% | - |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | - |
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 |
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Exports | $68.3 million (2000 est.) | - |
Exports - commodities | bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil | - |
Exports - partners | UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | - |
Flag description | blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border | the flag of the US is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $700 million (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
10.7% industry: 32.3% services: 57% (1996 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.5% (2000 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 13 53 N, 60 68 W | 0 13 N, 176 31 W |
Geography - note | - | treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife |
Highways | total:
1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1996) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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Illicit drugs | transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe | - |
Imports | $319.4 million (2000 est.) | - |
Imports - commodities | food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels | - |
Imports - partners | US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Canada 4% (1995) | - |
Independence | 22 February 1979 (from UK) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | -8.9% (1997 est.) | - |
Industries | clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing | - |
Infant mortality rate | 15.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2000 est.) | - |
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 | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 15 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 10 sq km (1993 est.) | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
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) | - |
Labor force | 43,800 | - |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
8% permanent crops: 21% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 13% other: 53% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), French patois | - |
Legal system | based on English common law | the laws of the US, where applicable, apply |
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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population:
72.57 years male: 69 years female: 76.39 years (2001 est.) |
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Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69% (1980 est.) |
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Location | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago | Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Oceania |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard |
Military branches | Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $5 million (FY91/92) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2% (FY91/92) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 22 February (1979) | - |
Nationality | noun:
Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian |
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Natural hazards | hurricanes and volcanic activity | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential | guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife |
Net migration rate | -4.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
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] | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 158,178 (July 2001 est.) | uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 1.23% (2001 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Castries, Vieux Fort | none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 7 (plus 3 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) | - |
Radios | 111,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3% | - |
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.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone 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 |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 37,000 (1997) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,600 (1997) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997) | - |
Terrain | volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys | low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef |
Total fertility rate | 2.38 children born/woman (2001 est.) | - |
Transportation - note | - | there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast |
Unemployment rate | 15% (1996 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | none |