KEY FACTS Main towns: (capital, pop. 67,700 in 2010, including Bexon, Babonneau, Joined Commonwealth: 1979 Ciceron and La Clery), Dennery (3,700), Population: 182,000 (2013) Laborie (3,500), Monchy (3,100), Vieux Fort GDP p.c. growth: 1.1% p.a. 1990–2013 (3,000), Grande Rivière (2,700), Augier (2,500), Micoud (2,200), Soufrière (1,500) UN HDI 2014: World ranking 97 and Anse La Raye (1,400). Official language: English Transport: There are 1,210 km of roads, Time: GMT minus 4 hrs mainly unpaved. The main cross-island route Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$) runs from Castries in the north to Vieux Fort in the south. Geography The main ports are Castries and Vieux Fort. A fast catamaran service operates between Area: 616 sq km Saint Lucia, and . Several Coastline: 158 km cruise lines call at the island. Capital: Castries Hewanorra International Airport lies 57 km Saint Lucia is part of the Windward Islands south of Castries and George F. L. Charles, 3 Education: Public spending on education group, which form an arc jutting out from km to the north-east. was four per cent of GDP in 2012. There are the Eastern Caribbean into the Atlantic. It lies ten years of compulsory education starting at south of Dominica and north of . Society the age of five. Primary school comprises Topography: Saint Lucia is a pear-shaped KEY FACTS 2013 seven years and secondary five, with cycles of mountainous island of volcanic origin, 43-km Population per sq km: 295 three and two years. Some 92 per cent of long. In the centre of the island, Mount pupils complete primary school (2010). The Life expectancy: 75 years Gimie rises to 950 metres, while Gros Piton school year starts in September. (798 metres) and Petit Piton (750 metres) lie Net primary enrolment: 82% The Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, at to the west, rising sheer out of the sea. Population: 182,000 (2013); 18 per cent of Castries, offers a diverse range of courses – Sulphurous springs, steam and gases bubble people live in urban areas; growth 1.2 per including associate degree, diploma and out of a volcanic crater a few kilometres from cent p.a. 1990–2013; birth rate 15 per 1,000 certificate courses – and 89 per cent of its Petit Piton. The mountains are intersected by people (41 in 1970); life expectancy 75 years students are female (2011). Saint Lucia short rivers, debouching in places into broad (64 in 1970). shares in the regional University of the West fertile valleys. Saint Lucia’s population is mostly of mixed Indies, which has its main campuses in Climate: The hot tropical climate is African and European descent. Barbados, , and Trinidad and moderated all year round by the north-east Tobago. The female–male ratio for gross Language: English is the official language; a trade winds. The dry season is January–April, enrolment in tertiary education is 1.70:1 French-based Creole is widely spoken. the rainy season May–November. (2011). Religion: Mainly Christians (Roman Catholics Environment: The most significant Media: There are no daily newspapers in 62 per cent, Seventh Day Adventists ten per environmental issues are deforestation and soil Saint Lucia. The main newspapers are The cent, Pentecostals nine per cent, Anglicans erosion, particularly in the north of the island. Star and The Voice (both three times weekly); two per cent); Rastafarians two per cent and The Crusader , The Mirror and The Vegetation: With its economy traditionally (2010 census). based on agriculture, about 30 per cent of Vanguard (all weekly). Health: Public spending on health was five the land area is under cultivation. Elsewhere Saint Lucia’s broadcast media are mostly per cent of GDP in 2012. The Victoria there is rainforest with exotic and varied Hospital and the new Tapion Hospital provide privately owned. Only the radio network, plant-life, many with brilliant flowers. Forest a range of medical treatment, and the Radio Saint Lucia, is state-owned. covers 77 per cent of the land area. Golden Hope Hospital caters for psychiatric Some 86 per cent of households have TV sets Wildlife: This small island has rich birdlife cases. There are cottage hospitals at Vieux (2010). including several unique species, for example Fort, Dennery and Soufrière, and more than Communications: Country code 1 758; the Saint Lucia oriole and the Saint Lucia 20 health centres. Nurses are trained in the internet domain ‘.lc’. Phonecard telephone black finch. The Saint Lucia parrot was the nursing department of the Community booths, internet cafes and post offices are subject of a successful conservation College. Some 94 per cent of the population located throughout the island. programme established in 1978 which raised uses an improved drinking water source and the population from some 150 birds to over 65 per cent have access to adequate For every 1,000 people there are 184 400. Native reptiles include the Saint Lucia sanitation facilities (2012). Infant mortality landlines, 1,163 mobile phone subscriptions tree lizard and the pygmy lizard. was 13 per 1,000 live births in 2013. and 352 internet users (2013).

The CommonweaLTh Yearbook 2015 Saint Lucia

Public holidays: New Year (two days), Real growth in GDP 1814, with the flag of Saint Lucia changing Independence Day (22 February), Labour Day 14 times in that period. % (1 May), Carnival (two days in July), 1.5 After unsuccessful early attempts by the Emancipation Day (early August), 1.0 Spanish to take control, possession of the Thanksgiving Day (early October), Saint Lucia 0.5 island was disputed, often bloodily, by the Day (13 December), Christmas Day and French and British. A small English group Boxing Day. 0.0 made a failed attempt to settle in 1605; g Religious and other festivals whose dates vary -0.5 another English colony, started in 1638, was from year to year include Good Friday, Easter annihilated b y the Caribs three years later. -1.0 Monday, Whit Monday and Corpus Christi. The Caribs resisted French settlement with -1.5 equal vigour, until a peace treaty (1660) with -2.0 them permitted settlement, and ensured the Economy 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 KEY FACTS 2013 safety of some French settlers from Martinique who had arrived during the GNI: US$1.3bn Inflation preceding decade. The British made further GNI p.c.: US$7,090 % 5 attempts to gain control, and the island GDP growth: -0.2% p.a. 2009–13 4 changed hands again and again, and was a focus for Anglo-French hostilities during the Inflation: 2.0% p.a. 2009–13 3 Napoleonic Wars. The British ultimately took Although Saint Lucia’s per capita income is 2 possession under the Treaty of Paris in 1814, relatively high among developing countries, it and Saint Lucia became a Crown colony. 1 has been disadvantaged by its economic A prosperous plantation economy developed; dependence on bananas and by its small size, 0 it was based on sugar, and worked by small population, limited physical and human -1 enslaved Africans until Britain abolished resources, and the frequency of hurricanes. -2 slavery in 1834. It has nevertheless successfully exploited 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 The island was a member of the Windward opportunities in tourism and small-scale Islands Federation until 1959. In 1959, Saint industry, benefiting from trade preferences GDP by sector (2013) Lucia joined the West Indies Federation, from the EU and USA, and creating a more under which it was proposed that the British diverse economy, with well developed Agriculture Caribbean countries should proceed to manufacturing, and has substantially reduced 3.0% independence as a federation. Disagreements its dependence on bananas, the production among the larger members led to dissolution and export prices of which have declined Industry 14.1% of the federation in 1962, and the larger sharply. It has also encouraged development members proceeded alone to independence. of an offshore financial services sector and a Services framework of sound regulation has been 82.9% In 1967, Saint Lucia received a new established. constitution, giving full internal self- government under universal franchise, as one After steady growth in the late 1990s, the economy to stall in 2009 and then to of the states of the Federated States of the economy stalled in 2000, and was in contract during 2009–14. Antilles. In February 1979, it became recession during 2000–02, shrinking by more independent, as a constitutional monarchy than four per cent in 2001, due to the History and member of the Commonwealth, with downturn in the USA and consequent fall in of the United Workers Party tourism and weakening of international Saint Lucia, named after St Lucy, has been (UWP) as its first Prime Minister. markets for manufactures and bananas. In much fought over. The Caribs ousted earlier 2003 tourism recovered strongly, with more Arawak settlers by around 800 CE, with the The (SLP) won the air services to the island and construction of a first Europeans arriving in the 16th century, election in 1979 and adopted a policy of new resort. Tourism income was then hit in but historical sources vary as to which close collaboration with , which had 2007 by the impact of Hurricane Dean in explorers landed on the island first. What is recently undergone a revolution led by August – GDP growth moderating that year more certain is that European powers Maurice Bishop, and was aligned with to 1.5 per cent – and again in 2008–09 by wrestled with the Caribs, and one another, and North Korea. Allegations of corruption the world economic downturn, causing the for control of the island between 1660 and resulted in an early general election in 1982, when the UWP was returned with a large Saint Lucia on the international stage majority. It was re-elected in 1987 and 1992 (with an 11:6 majority). Prime Minister The country has more Nobel laureates per capita than any other country: poet and Compton adopted IMF adjustment measures playwright Derek Walcott, born in Castries in 1930, was awarded the Nobel Prize in and returned the country to operation of a Literature in 1992; and Sir Arthur Lewis was Nobel economics laureate in 1979. market economy. He also pursued the integration of the Eastern Caribbean Actor Joseph Marcell, who played the butler Geoffrey in the long-running US television countries through the OECS. comedy series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , was born in Saint Lucia in 1948. On the sporting front, Levern Spencer, born in Castries in 1984, took the bronze medal in In March 1996, at a UWP convention, the Women’s in both the 2010 and 2014 . Compton lost the leadership, after 30 years, and was replaced as Prime Minister by Dr

The CommonweaLTh Yearbook 2015 Saint Lucia

Vaughan Lewis. An early general election in his SLP won 14 House of Assembly seats and Caribbean States, Organization of American May 1997 resulted in victory for the SLP, the United Workers Party (UWP) three. States, United Nations and World Trade winning 16 of the 17 seats, with 61 per cent Organization. Anthony stood for a third term in the of the votes, and SLP leader Dr Kenny December 2006 general election which was Saint Lucia hosts the headquarters of the Anthony became Prime Minister. Lewis won by the opposition UWP with 11 seats Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. resigned as leader of the UWP, having lost while the SLP took six. UWP leader Sir John his seat. Compton, who had since 1964 served as Traveller information head of government for a total of 29 years, Constitution became Prime Minister. Immigration and customs: Passports must be valid at least six months from the date of Status: Monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II Following the death of Sir John Compton at arrival. Visas are required by most Legislature: Parliament of Saint Lucia the age of 82 in September 2007, Commonwealth nationals. Independence: 22 February 1979 , who had been acting for Compton during his illness, was sworn in as Travel within the country: Traffic drives on Saint Lucia is a constitutional monarchy with Prime Minister. the left. Visitors wishing to drive will need to Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, purchase a driving permit, at car hire firms or In the November 2011 election Kenny represented by a Governor-General. The police stations, on presentation of a foreign Anthony and the SLP ousted the UWP legislature is bicameral, with the House of driving licence. Some of the mountainous government, winning 11 seats (49.7 per cent Assembly of 17 directly elected members roads can be extremely steep with hairpin of the vote) to the UWP’s six (45.8 per cent), (plus the Speaker) and a Senate of 11 bends. appointed members, six by the Prime Minister and Anthony began a third term as Prime (the leader of the largest party in the House Minister. There are regular minibus services that of Assembly), three by the Leader of the connect rural areas with the capital. Taxis can Opposition and two by the Governor- International relations be hailed in towns and have fixed fares for General. Parliament is elected for five years standard journeys. Saint Lucia is a member of the African, by universal adult suffrage. Travel health: Prevalent diseases where Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, appropriate precautionary measures are Association of Caribbean States, Caribbean recommended include dengue fever, hepatitis Politics Community, Non-Aligned Movement, B and typhoid. Last elections: 28 November 2011 Organisation internationale de la Next elections: 2016 Francophonie, Organisation of Eastern There were 319,000 tourist arrivals in 2013. Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor-General, Dame Further information (1997–) Government of Saint Lucia: www.govt.lc / Head of government: Prime Minister Dr Electoral Department: www.electoral.gov.lc Central Statistics Office: www.stats.gov.lc Ruling party: Saint Lucia Labour Party Eastern Caribbean Central Bank: www.eccb-centralbank.org Saint Lucia Tourist Board: www.stlucia.org Women MPs: 17% Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States: www.oecs.org In September 1997 the country’s first woman Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org Governor-General, Dr Pearlette Louisy, was : www.commonwealthofnations.org/ appointed, following the resignation of Sir country/Saint_Lucia . Media The Star : stluciastar.com Dr Kenny Anthony and the Saint Lucia Labour The Voice : www.thevoiceslu.com Party (SLP) were returned to government in Radio Saint Lucia: www.rslonline.com the December 2001 general election, when

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The CommonweaLTh Yearbook 2015