Airports [time series]

total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 3 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 760 km paved: 500 km unpaved: otherwise improved 260 km

Ports [time series]

Castries, Vieux Fort

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Affiliation [time series]

(territorial collectivity of France)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 14% of GDP and 43% of labor force; crops - bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus fruit, root crops, cocoa; imports food for the tourist industry

Budget [time series]

revenues: $121 million expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1992 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $120 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 32,500 kW production: 112 million kWh consumption per capita: 740 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports [time series]

$122.8 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: bananas 60%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil partners: UK 56%, US 22%, CARICOM 19% (1991)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$96.4 million (1992 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

transit country for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Imports [time series]

$276 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 21%, food and live animals, chemicals, fuels partners: US 34%, CARICOM 17%, UK 14%, Japan 7%, Canada 4% (1991)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 3.5% (1990 est.); accounts for 12% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

5.1% (1992)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $433 million (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$3,000 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

6.6% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 data processing. The economy, however, remains vulnerable because the important agricultural sector is dominated by banana production, which is subject to periodic droughts and tropical storms. The economy exhibited relatively strong growth in 1992-93 based on a recovery of the agricultural and manufacturing sectors and continued growth in construction and tourism.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

total area: 620 sq km land area: 610 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

158 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: deforestation; soil erosion natural hazards: subject to hurricanes and volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

10 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 8% permanent crops: 20% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 13% other: 54%

Location [time series]

Caribbean, in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about two-thirds of the way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Castries

Constitution [time series]

22 February 1979

Digraph [time series]

ST

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS chancery: Suite 309, 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 30037 telephone: (202) 463-7378 or 7379

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Stanislaus Anthony JAMES (since 10 October 1988) head of government: Prime Minister John George Melvin COMPTON (since 3 May 1982); Vice President George MALLET (since NA) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

(202) 887-5746 consulate(s) general: New York

Flag [time series]

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

Legislative branch (House of Assembly) [time series]

elections last held 27 April 1992 (next to be held by April 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) UWP 11, SLP 6

Independence [time series]

22 February 1979 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

United Workers' Party (UWP), John COMPTON; Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Julian HUNTE; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), George ODLUM

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

consists of an 11-member body, 6 appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 2 after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Birth rate [time series]

23.12 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.84 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

18.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

English (official), French patois

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 69.36 years male: 67.06 years female: 71.83 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over having ever attended school (1980) total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Net migration rate [time series]

-12.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

145,090 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.52% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.5 children born/woman (1994 est.)