Saint Lucia Capitals

The capital city of Saint Lucia is Castries. It is the biggest city in the eastern part of the island. The French established Castries in 1650 when they named it “Carenage” which means “safe anchor.” French commander Charles Eugene Gabriel de La Croix renamed the city in 1756 during an expedition to Corsica. The original capital of St. Lucia was known as Le Petit Carenage, but after severe hurricanes Castries was relocated to the present site in 1768. The seat of the government and many other foreign businesses have their head offices in the city.

As of 2013, Castries had about 70,000 people living in the whole city, but the greater metropolitan area of the town covers about 105 acres with over 150,000 people. Another 10,000 people live in the suburbs of Castries. The government has reclaimed most of the urban land through a decree

Castries is an exotic city with a lot to offer for tourists. Castries is a hotspot for pristine beaches - it enjoys the Atlantic Ocean on one side, and the Caribbean Sea on the other. Shopping is a popular entertainment in Castries with countless of shops in the harbor. One is likely to come across works of local artisans, specialists in food and drink, as well as souvenirs. Interestingly, there are no taxes on the goods purchased. Besides, a popular beach called the Whigs is famous for its white sand and closeness to the capital city. To the east of Castries, there are seven acres of gardens and forest known as the Lushan Country Life. This piece of land provides informative guides on the different herbs, plants, types of trees, and bird calls.

The city of Castries is close to the equator, so visitors should expect hot and humid weather year-round. However, it does not get to the boiling point because there are mild winds that bring cool breezes in from the water. The average temperature ranges from 70 degrees to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity is between 70 to 90 percent year-round. December through January are the coolest months with the temperatures averaging 70 to 80 in degrees Fahrenheit. June through August are the hottest months where the temperature reaches the mid to upper 90s Fahrenheit. Being near the equator, the city of Castries does not have well-defined seasons.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


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
Learn More	Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia Capitals

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