OFFICIAL NAME:
Saint LuciaGeography
Area: 619 sq. km. (238 sq. mi.).
Cities: Capital--Castries (pop. est. 67,000); Micoud; Gros-Islet; Vieux
Fort; Soufriere.
Terrain: Mountainous.
Climate: Tropical.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--St. Lucian(s).
Population (2005): 165,500.
Annual growth rate (2005): 1.5%.
Ethnic groups: African descent 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, European 1%.
Religions: Roman Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, various Protestant
denominations.
Languages: English (official); a French patois is common throughout the country.
Education (2004): Adult literacy--94.8%.
Health (2005): Infant mortality rate--12/1,000. Life expectancy--men
70.3 years; women 77.7 years.
Unemployment (2006): 15.7%.
Government
Type: Westminster-style parliamentary democracy.
Independence: February 22, 1979.
Constitution: 1979.
Branches: Executive--governor general (representing Queen Elizabeth II,
head of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet. Legislative--bicameral
parliament. Judicial--district courts, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
(High Court and Court of Appeals), final appeal to Privy Council in London.
Administrative subdivisions: 11 parishes.
Political parties: United Workers Party (incumbent); St. Lucia Labour Party.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Economy
GDP (2005): $825.2 million.
GDP growth rate (2005): 5.1%.
Per capita GDP (2005): $4,986.
Inflation (2005): 5.2%.
Natural resources: Forests, minerals (pumice), mineral springs.
Agriculture: Bananas, cocoa, coconut, citrus fruits, and livestock.
Manufacturing: Garments, electronic components, beverages, corrugated boxes.
Services: Tourism and offshore banking.
Trade (2005): Exports--$64 million (merchandise) and $389 million
(commercial services). Major markets--European Union (28.2%), Trinidad
and Tobago (22.5%), United States (14.0%), Barbados (10.1%), and Grenada (5.2%).
Imports--$475 million (merchandise) and $159 million (commercial
services). Major suppliers--United States (43.9%), Trinidad and Tobago
(14.2%), European Union (14.2%), Japan (4.6%), and Barbados (3.0%).
Official exchange rate: EC$2.70 = U.S. $1.
PEOPLE
St. Lucia's population is predominantly of African and mixed African-European
descent, with small East Indian and European minorities. English is the official
language, although many St. Lucians speak a French patois. Ninety percent of the
population is Roman Catholic, a further reflection of early French influence on
the island. The population of just over 165,000 is evenly divided between urban
and rural areas, although the capital, Castries, contains more than one-third of
the population.
HISTORY
St. Lucia's first known inhabitants were the Arawaks, believed to have come from
northern South America in 200-400 A.D. Numerous archaeological sites on the
island have produced specimens of the Arawaks' well-developed pottery. Caribs
gradually replaced Arawaks during the period from 800-1000 A.D.
Europeans first landed on the island in either 1492 or 1502 during Spain's
early exploration of the Caribbean. The Dutch, English, and French all tried to
establish trading outposts on St. Lucia in the 17th century but faced opposition
from the Caribs.
The English, with their headquarters in Barbados, and the French, based in
Martinique, found St. Lucia attractive after the sugar industry developed in the
18th century. Britain eventually triumphed, with France permanently ceding St.
Lucia in 1815. In 1838, St. Lucia was incorporated into the British Windward
Islands administration, headquartered in Barbados. This lasted until 1885, when
the capital was moved to Grenada.
Increasing self-governance has marked St. Lucia's 20th-century history. A
1924 constitution gave the island its first form of representative government,
with a minority of elected members in the previously all-nominated legislative
council. Universal adult suffrage was introduced in 1951, and elected members
became a majority of the council. Ministerial government was introduced in 1956,
and in 1958 St. Lucia joined the short-lived West Indies Federation, a
semi-autonomous dependency of the United Kingdom. When the federation collapsed
in 1962, following Jamaica's withdrawal, a smaller federation was briefly
attempted. After the second failure, the United Kingdom and the six windward and
leeward islands--Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla,
and St. Lucia--developed a novel form of cooperation called associated
statehood.
As an associated state of the United Kingdom from 1967 to 1979, St. Lucia had
full responsibility for internal self-government but left its external affairs
and defense responsibilities to the United Kingdom. This interim arrangement
ended on February 22, 1979, when St. Lucia achieved full independence. St. Lucia
continues to recognize Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of state and is an
active member of the Commonwealth. The island continues to cooperate with its
neighbors through the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), the
CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the East Caribbean Common Market (ECCM),
the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the Regional Security
System (RSS).
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
St. Lucia is a parliamentary democracy modeled on the Westminster system. The
head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor general,
appointed by the Queen as her representative. The governor general exercises
ceremonial functions, but residual powers, under the constitution, can be used
at the governor general's discretion. The actual power in St. Lucia lies with
the prime minister and the cabinet, usually representing the majority party in
parliament.
The bicameral parliament consists of a 17-member House of Assembly whose
members are elected by universal adult suffrage for 5-year terms and an
11-member senate appointed by the governor general. The parliament may be
dissolved by the governor general at any point during its 5-year term, either at
the request of the prime minister--in order to take the nation into early
elections--or at the governor general's own discretion, if the house passes a
vote of no-confidence in the government.
St. Lucia has an independent judiciary composed of district courts and a high
court. Cases may be appealed to the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeals and,
ultimately, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. The island
is divided into 10 administrative divisions, including the capital, Castries.
Popularly elected local governments in most towns and villages perform such
tasks as regulation of sanitation and markets and maintenance of cemeteries and
secondary roads. St. Lucia has no army but maintains a coast guard and a
paramilitary Special Services Unit within its police force.
The United Workers Party (UWP) was once the dominant force in the politics of
St. Lucia. Until 1997, the UWP governed the country for all but three years
since independence. John Compton was premier of St. Lucia from 1964 until
independence in February 1979 and remained prime minister until elections later
that year.
The St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) won the first post-independence elections in
July 1979, taking 12 of 17 seats in parliament. A period of turbulence ensued,
in which squabbling within the party led to several changes of prime minister.
Pressure from the private sector and the unions forced the government to resign
in 1982. New elections were then called and were won resoundingly by Compton's
UWP, which took 14 of 17 seats.
The UWP was re-elected on April 16, 1987, but with only nine of 17 seats.
Seeking to increase his slim margin, Prime Minister Compton suspended parliament
and called new elections on April 30. This unprecedented snap election, however,
gave Compton the same results as before--the UWP retained nine seats and the SLP
eight. In April 1992, Prime Minister Compton's government again defeated the SLP.
In this election, however, the government increased its majority in parliament
to 11 seats.
In 1996, Compton announced his resignation as prime minister in favor of his
chosen successor Dr. Vaughan Lewis, former director-general of the Organization
of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Dr. Lewis became Prime Minister and Minister
of Finance, Planning and Development on April 2, 1996. The SLP also had a change
of leadership with former CARICOM official Dr. Kenny Anthony succeeding
businessman Julian Hunte.
In elections held May 23, 1997, the St. Lucia Labour Party won all but one of
the 17 seats in parliament, and Dr. Kenny Anthony became Prime Minister and
Minister of Finance, Planning and Development on May 24, 1997.
In elections of December 3, 2001, the SLP won 14 of the 17 available seats.
The leader of the UWP, Dr. Morella Joseph, failed to win a seat. Marcus Nicholas
served as leader of the parliamentary opposition. Former Prime Minister Sir John
Compton came out of retirement to become leader of the opposition UWP in 2005.
The United Workers Party won an upset victory in elections held December 11,
2006, taking 11 seats against 6 won by the St. Lucia Labour Party. Sir John
Compton once again returned to the position of Prime Minister, as well as
Minister of Finance.
Principal Government Officials
Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General--Dr. Pearlette Louisy
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance--Sir John Compton
Minister for External Affairs, International Financial Services, Information and
Broadcasting--Rufus Bousquet
Ambassador to the UN--Chargé Olaf Fontenelle
Ambassador to the United States and the OAS--Sonia Merlyn Johnny
St. Lucia maintains an embassy at 3216 New Mexico Ave., NW, Washington, DC
20016 (tel. 202-364-6792). St. Lucia also maintains consulates general in New
York and Miami.
ECONOMY
St. Lucia's economy depends primarily on revenue from tourism and banana
production, with some contribution from small-scale manufacturing. All sectors
of the economy have benefited from infrastructure improvements in roads,
communications, water supply, sewerage, and port facilities. These improvements,
combined with a stable political environment and educated work force, have
attracted foreign investors in several different sectors. Although St. Lucia
enjoys a steady flow of investment in tourism, the single most significant
foreign investment is Hess Oil's large petroleum storage and transshipment
terminal. In addition, the Caribbean Development Bank funded an extensive
airport expansion project.
Although banana revenues have helped fund the country's development since the
1960s, the industry is now in a terminal decline, due to competition from
lower-cost Latin American banana producers and soon-to-be reduced European Union
trade preferences. The country is encouraging farmers to plant crops such as
cocoa, mangos, and avocados to diversify its agricultural production and provide
jobs for displaced banana workers.
Tourism recovered in 2004, following the post-September 11, 2001 recession,
and continued to grow in 2005, making up more than 48% of St. Lucia's GDP. The
hotel and restaurant industry grew by 6.3% during 2005. Stay-over arrivals
increased by 6.5%, and the United States remained the most important market,
accounting for 35.4% of these arrivals. Yacht passengers rose by 21.9%.
Redeployment of cruise ships, remedial berth construction, and high fuel costs
prevented higher growth rates. However, several investors have planned new
tourism projects for the island, including a large hotel and resort in the
southern part of the island.
St. Lucia's currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$), a regional
currency shared among members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU).
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) issues the EC$, manages monetary
policy, and regulates and supervises commercial banking activities in its member
countries. The ECCB has kept the EC$ pegged at EC$2.7=U.S. $1.
St. Lucia is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative and is a
member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM). The country hosts
the headquarters of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Historically, the major thrust of foreign affairs for St. Lucia has been
economic development. The government is seeking balanced international relations
with emphasis on mutual economic cooperation and trade and investment. It seeks
to conduct its foreign policy chiefly through its membership in the OECS. St.
Lucia participated in the 1983 Grenada mission, sending members of its Special
Services Unit into active duty. St. Lucia is a member of the Commonwealth, the
Organization of American States (OAS), and the United Nations. It maintains
friendly relations with the major powers active in the Caribbean, including the
United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and France. St. Lucia has been active
in eastern Caribbean regional affairs through the OECS and CARICOM.
U.S.-ST. LUCIAN RELATIONS
The United States and St. Lucia have a cooperative relationship. The United
States supports the St. Lucian Government's efforts to expand its economic base
and improve the lives of its citizens. The Government of St. Lucia has
cooperated with the United States on security concerns. U.S. assistance is
primarily channeled through multilateral agencies, such as the World Bank, and
the
USAID office in Bridgetown, Barbados. The
Peace Corps, whose Eastern
Caribbean regional headquarters is located in St. Lucia, has 22 volunteers in
St. Lucia, working primarily in business development, education, and health.
U.S. security assistance programs provide limited training to the paramilitary
Special Services Unit and the coast guard. In addition, St. Lucia receives U.S.
counternarcotics assistance and benefits from U.S. military exercises and
humanitarian civic action construction projects.
St. Lucia and the United States share interest in combating international
crime and narcotics trafficking. Because of St. Lucia's geographical location,
it is an appealing transit point for traffickers. In response to this threat,
the Government of St. Lucia has concluded various bilateral treaties with the
United States, including a Maritime Law Enforcement Agreement (subsequently
amended to include overflight and order-to-land provisions), a Mutual Legal
Assistance Treaty, and an Extradition Treaty.
More Americans visit St. Lucia than any other national group. In 2005,
tourist visitors totaled over 700,000, mainly from the United States, the United
Kingdom, and CARICOM. Cruise ship arrivals in 2005 were down by 18% over 2004,
while the number of stay-over visitors increased slightly in the same period.
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Background:
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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. Even after the abolition of
slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an
agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical
commodity crops. Self-government was granted in 1967 and
independence in 1979. |
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Location:
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Caribbean,
island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean,
north of Trinidad and Tobago |
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Geographic coordinates:
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13 53 N, 60
58 W |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
616 sq km
land: 606 sq km
water: 10 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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3.5 times the
size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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158 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the
continental margin |
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Climate:
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tropical,
moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to
April, rainy season May to August |
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Terrain:
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volcanic and
mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m |
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Natural resources:
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forests,
sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs,
geothermal potential |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 6.45%
permanent crops: 22.58%
other: 70.97% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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30 sq km
(2003) |
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Natural hazards:
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hurricanes
and volcanic activity |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern
region |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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the twin
Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped
peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural
highlights of the Caribbean |
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Population:
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170,649 (July
2007 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 29.4% (male 25,869/female 24,248)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 55,115/female 56,641)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 3,200/female 5,576)
(2007 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
25.6 years
male: 24.8 years
female: 26.5 years (2007 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.297% (2007
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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19.28
births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.03
deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.28
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.067 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.973 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.574 male(s)/female
total population: 0.974 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
12.81 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 74.08 years
male: 70.53 years
female: 77.88 years (2007 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.15 children
born/woman (2007 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian |
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Ethnic groups:
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black 82.5%,
mixed 11.9%, East Indian 2.4%, other or unspecified 3.1%
(2001 census) |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal
5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other
Christian 5.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5%
(2001 census) |
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Languages:
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English
(official), French patois |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 90.1%
male: 89.5%
female: 90.6% (2001 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Lucia |
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Government type:
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parliamentary
democracy |
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Capital:
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name:
Castries
geographic coordinates: 14 01 N, 61 00 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
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11 quarters;
Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet,
Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort |
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Independence:
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22 February
1979 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence
Day, 22 February (1979) |
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Constitution:
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22 February
1979 |
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Legal system:
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based on
English common law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of
age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since
September 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir John COMPTON
(since 15 December 2006); note - since 1 May 2007 Stephenson
KING has been acting prime minister while Sir John COMPTON
recovers from a series of strokes
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
the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed
prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime
minister appointed by the governor general |
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Legislative branch:
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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 to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 11 December
2006 (next to be held in December 2011)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote
by party - UWP 50%, SLP 46.9%, other 3.1%; seats by party -
UWP 11, SLP 6 |
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Judicial branch:
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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National
Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party or
SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP
[Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF
[Christopher HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Sir John
COMPTON] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, C,
Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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) 364-6723
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US does
not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador to
Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia |
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Flag description:
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blue, with a
gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper
edges of the arrowhead have a white border |
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Economy - overview:
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Changes in
the EU import preference regime and the increased
competition from Latin American bananas have made economic
diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The
island nation has been able to attract foreign business and
investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism
industries. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange,
with more than 700,000 arrivals in 2005. The manufacturing
sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area,
and the government is trying to revitalize the banana
industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though
unemployment needs to be cut. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$866 million
(2002 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$825 million
(2005) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.1% (2005
est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$4,800 (2005
est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 5%
industry: 15%
services: 80% (2005 est.) |
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Labor force:
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43,800 (2001
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 21.7%
industry: 24.7%
services: 53.6% (2002 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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20% (2003
est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.9% (2005
est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$141.2 million
expenditures: $146.7 million; including capital
expenditures of $25.1 million (2000 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas,
coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa |
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Industries:
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clothing,
assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated
cardboard boxes, tourism; lime processing, coconut
processing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-8.9% (1997
est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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290 million
kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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269.7 million
kWh (2004) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2004)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2004)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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2,800 bbl/day
(2004 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2004
est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2004
est.) |
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Exports:
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$82 million
(2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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bananas 41%,
clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil |
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Exports - partners:
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France 69.1%,
US 10.1%, UK 8.7% (2006) |
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Imports:
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$410 million
(2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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food 23%,
manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation
equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels |
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Imports - partners:
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US 19.9%,
Trinidad and Tobago 14.1%, Italy 11.6%, France 11.1%, UK
6.5%, Argentina 6.4%, Netherlands 5.5%, Venezuela 5.1%
(2006) |
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Debt - external:
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$257 million
(2004) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$21.5 million
(2004) |
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Currency (code):
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East
Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
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Currency code:
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XCD |
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Exchange rates:
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East
Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005),
2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31
March |
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Communications |
Saint Lucia |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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51,100 (2002)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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93,000 (2004)
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: country code - 1-758; 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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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM 7,
shortwave 0 (2003) |
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Radios:
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111,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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2 (1
commercial broadcast station and 1 community antenna
television or CATV channel) (2003) |
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Televisions:
|
32,000 (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.lc |
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Internet hosts:
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21 (2006)
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
15 (2000)
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Internet users:
|
55,000 (2005)
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Transportation |
Saint Lucia |
|
Airports:
|
2 (2006) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
|
Roadways:
|
total:
910 km
paved: 48 km
unpaved: 862 km (2000) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Castries, Cul-de-Sac,
Vieux-Fort |
|
Military branches:
|
no regular
military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes
Special Service Unit, Coast Guard) (2007) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males age
18-49: 42,742 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males age
18-49: 33,539 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males age
18-49: 1,651 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
NA |
|
Transnational Issues |
Saint Lucia |
|
Disputes - international:
|
joins other
Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS,
which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf
over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
transit point
for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe |
Information gathered from the Central Intelligence Agency
|
|
|
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