Saint Lucia

More Information

Saint Lucia's Information


Capital	Castries
Languages	English (official), French patois
Ethnic Groups	Black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)
Religion	Roman Catholic 61.5%, Protestant 25.5% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 10.4%, Pentecostal 8.9%, Baptist 2.2%, Anglican 1.6%, Church of God 1.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), other Christian 3.4% (includes Evangelical 2.3% and Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), Rastafarian 1.9%, other 0.4%, none 5.9%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)
Government	Parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Independance	22 February 1979 (from the UK)
Area	616.00 km²
Water Area	10.00 km²
Land Area	606.00 km²
Population	164,464.00 Most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries
Location	Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
GDP(PPP)	$2,083,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$12,000.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are the Dominican Republic, the United States, and Suriname.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are bananas, clothing, cocoa, avocadoes, and mangoes.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Brazil, the United States, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include food, manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, and chemicals.
Climate	Temperature averages 27-29 degrees Celsius all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; hurricane season stretches from July to November
Terrain	Volcanic and mountainous with broad, fertile valleys

Where is Saint Lucia?

Located in the Caribbean, Saint Lucia is an island nation. It has a 158.00 km coastline. Saint Lucia desputes Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation.

The capital city of Saint Lucia is Castries, which is located in the eastern part of the island that is home to a beautiful harbor. Castries has about 70,000 people with 150,000 people living in the greater metropolitan area. Castries has been the capital city of Saint Lucia since 1650 after the French named it “Carenage.” Le Petit Carenage was the first capital city of Castries but was later shifted due to severe hurricanes as a result of the nature of its terrain. Castries has tourist landmarks such as harbors, beaches, gardens, forests among others. The climate of Castries is hot and humid year-round with some cool breezes.

Geography

Saint Lucia has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a temperate climate with low humidity. Its terrain is volcanic and mountainous with broad, fertile valleys.

Population

Saint Lucia has a population of 164,464 making it the 185th largest in the world. The majority of the population lives on the periphery.

English is the official language, while French patois is also spoken. The majority of the population is of Black/African or mixed descent. The majority of the country is Roman Catholic or Protestant.

English is the official language of Saint Lucia. It is used by the media, government, in businesses, and as the language of instruction in schools. However, Patois is the second language that is commonly spoken by 95% of the population, with 20% having little to no knowledge of English. Patois is spoken during informal events and at home. Due to its popularity, radio programs have been created, and books have been written in the language. Some Patois words have been borrowed from English and are often used in conversations. Minority languages in the island include the Cariban and Arawakan languages although a majority of them became extinct decades ago.

Government

Saint Lucia is an independent country. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. Its constitution was last ratified in 1978.

The government of Saint Lucia is a constitutional monarchy with an independent democratic parliament. The governor general is the British monarchy representative on the island. The constitution of the island was adopted in 1978 when the country became independent. The longest-serving prime minister was John Compton who served from May 3, 1982, to April 2, 1996. The official home of the governor general is the Government House which is situated in Castries. The house was built from 1894 to 1895. Elections in the Island are held after every five years and all the citizens who are 18 years and above and have an ID can vote.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Saint Lucia's GDP is $2,083,000,000.00 (USD) with $12,000.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 193rd largest economy and its citizens the 122nd richest in the world. The currency of Saint Lucia is the Dollar (XCD).

Its major export partners are the Dominican Republic, the United States, and Suriname. Its main exports are bananas, clothing, cocoa, avocadoes, and mangoes. Its major import partners are Brazil, the United States, and Trinidad and Tobago. Its major imports include food, manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, and chemicals.

Flag

The flag of Saint Lucia has a cerulean blue field with two triangles at the center. One of the triangles is black and yellow with a wide base and equal sides while the other is yellow and smaller. The colors, design and symbols on the flag bear regional, cultural and political meanings. Dustan St Omer designed the flag of Saint Lucia. It was officially adopted in 1979.