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Geography


Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago


Geographic coordinates:
13 53 N, 60 58 W


Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean


Area:
total:616 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 193
land:606 sq km
water:10 sq km


Area - comparative:
three and a half times the size of Washington, DC


Land boundaries:
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


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


Terrain:
volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys


Elevation extremes:
lowest point:Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:Mount Gimie 950 m


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


Land use:
arable land:4.84%
permanent crops:11.29%
other:83.87% (2011)


Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2007)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
30 sq km (2007)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes; volcanic activity


Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region


Environment - international agreements:
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


Geography - note:
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


People and Society


Nationality:
noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective:Saint Lucian


Ethnic groups:
black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)


Languages:
English (official), French patois


Religions:
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 .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.)


Population:
163,362 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 187


Age structure:
0-14 years:21.2% (male 17,814/female 16,809)
15-24 years:16.6% (male 13,701/female 13,368)
25-54 years:42.9% (male 33,695/female 36,445)
55-64 years:8.8% (male 6,657/female 7,717)
65 years and over:10.2% (male 7,760/female 9,396) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:48 %
youth dependency ratio:34.9 %
elderly dependency ratio:13.1 %
potential support ratio:7.6 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:32.9 years
male:31.7 years
female:34 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
0.35% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 166


Birth rate:
13.94 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 141


Death rate:
7.32 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 121


Net migration rate:
-3.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 180


Urbanization:
urban population:17.5% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:-3.13% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
CASTRIES (capital) 21,000 (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years:0.93 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.83 male(s)/female
total population:0.95 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Maternal mortality rate:
35 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


    Infant mortality rate:
total:11.75 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 127
male:11.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female:12.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


Life expectancy at birth:
total population:77.41 yearscountry comparison to the world: 67
male:74.69 years
female:80.28 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
1.77 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 161


Health expenditures:
7.2% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
0.47 physicians/1,000 population (2002)


Hospital bed density:
1.6 beds/1,000 population (2011)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 98.6% of population
rural: 92.8% of population
total: 93.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.4% of population
rural: 7.2% of population
total: 6.2% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 70.4% of population
rural: 64.1% of population
total: 65.2% of population
unimproved:
urban: 29.6% of population
rural: 35.9% of population
total: 34.8% of population (2011 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
21.4% (2008)country comparison to the world: 87


Education expenditures:
4.1% of GDP (2012)country comparison to the world: 107

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population:90.1%
male:89.5%
female:90.6% (2001 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:12 years
male:12 years
female:13 years (2012)


Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:40.8%country comparison to the world: 12
male:37.1%
female:45.5% (2004)

Government


Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form:Saint Lucia


Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm


Capital:
name:Castries
geographic coordinates:14 00 N, 61 00 W
time difference:UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)


Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Anse-la-Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort


Independence:
22 February 1979 (from the UK)


National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)


Constitution:
previous 1958, 1960 (preindependence); latest presented 20 December 1978, effective 22 February 1979; note - a constitutional reform report was submitted to the St. Lucian Parliament in April 2013 (2013)


Legal system:
English common law


International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


Executive branch:
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 Kenny Davis ANTHONY (since 30 November 2011)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections:the monarchy is hereditary; the governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general


Legislative branch:
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 elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:House of Assembly - last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be held in 2016)
election results:House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 49.68%, UWP 45.83%; seats by party - SLP 11, UWP 6


    Judicial branch:
highest court(s):the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - with its headquarters on St. Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and is comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the member states; 3 High Court judges reside on Saint Lucia
note - Saint Lucia is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
judge selection and term of office:Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
subordinate courts:magistrate's court


Political parties and leaders:
Lucian People's Movement or LPM [Therold PRUDENT]
Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenny ANTHONY]
United Workers Party or UWP [Stephenson KING]


Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA


International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO


Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY (since 12 September 2012)
chancery:3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone:[1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
FAX:[1] (202) 364-6723
consulate(s) general:Coral Gables (FL), New York


Diplomatic representation from the US:
name:'Sons and Daughters of St. Lucia'
lyrics/music:Charles JESSE/Leton Felix THOMAS
note:adopted 1967

Economy


Economy - overview:
The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism is Saint Lucia's main source of jobs and income - accounting for 65% of GDP - and the island's main source of foreign exchange earnings. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area. Crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, but St. Lucia's once solid banana industry has been devastated by strong competition. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks, including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. Furthermore, high public debt - 77% of GDP in 2012 - and high debt servicing obligations constrain the ANTHONY administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks. St. Lucia has experienced anemic growth since the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008, largely because of a slowdown in tourism - airlines cut back on their routes to St. Lucia in 2012. Also, St. Lucia introduced a value added tax in 2012 of 15%, becoming the last country in the Eastern Caribbean to do so. In 2013, the government introduced a National Competitiveness and Productivity Council to address St. Lucia's high public wages and lack of productivity.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.216 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
$2.211 billion (2012 est.)
$2.23 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.377 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
0.2% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
-0.9% (2012 est.)
1.8% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,100 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
$13,200 (2012 est.)
$13,400 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


Gross national saving:
17.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
18.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
15.3% of GDP (2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:60.6%
government consumption:19%
investment in fixed capital:31.5%
investment in inventories:0%
exports of goods and services:50.3%
imports of goods and services:-61.3%
(2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:3.1%
industry:17.4%
services:79.5% (2013 est.)


Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa


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


Industrial production growth rate:
2.6% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113

Labor force:
79,700 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 184


Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:21.7%
industry:24.7%
services:53.6% (2002 est.)


    Unemployment rate:
20% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161

Population below poverty line:
NA%


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:NA%
highest 10%:NA%


Budget:
revenues:$185.2 million
expenditures:$222.2 million (2011 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
13.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-2.7% of GDP (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114


Public debt:
77% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
77% of GDP (2010 est.)


Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
4.2% (2012 est.)


Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.3% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
9.5% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$270.3 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
$259.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$1.073 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
$1.036 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$1.699 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
$1.598 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Current account balance:
-$210.2 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
-$184.4 million (2012 est.)


Exports:
$206.8 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
$190.1 million (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, avocados, mangoes, coconut oil


Exports - partners:
US 13.9%, UK 10.3%, Peru 9.7%, Antigua and Barbuda 9.3%, Dominica 9.1%, France 9%, Barbados 8.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.6%, Grenada 6.2% (2012)


Imports:
$592.7 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
$579.3 million (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels


Imports - partners:
Brazil 57.4%, US 19%, Trinidad and Tobago 9% (2012)


Debt - external:
$446.4 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
$438.7 million (31 December 2012 est.)


Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2013 est.)
2.7 (2012 est.)
2.7 (2010 est.)
2.7 (2009)

Energy


Electricity - production:
362 million kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167


Electricity - consumption:
332.9 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172


Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197


Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
76,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124


Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185


Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190


Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
2,922 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182


Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132


Refined petroleum products - imports:
2,914 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172


Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192


Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195


Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184


Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130


Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
424,900 Mt (2011 est.)


Communications


Telephones - main lines in use:
36,800 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 172


Telephones - mobile cellular:
227,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 179


Telephone system:
general assessment:an adequate system that is automatically switched
domestic:fixed-line teledensity is 25 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 130 per 100 persons
international:country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables, along with Intelsat from Martinique, carry calls internationally; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados (2010)



    Broadcast media:
3 privately owned TV stations; 1 public TV station operating on a cable network; multi-channel cable TV service available; a mix of state-owned and privately owned broadcasters operate nearly 25 radio stations including repeater transmission stations (2007)


Internet country code:
.lc


Internet hosts:
100 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 209


Internet users:
142,900 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 149


Transportation


Airports
2 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 205


Airports - with paved runways
total:2
2,438 to 3,047 m:1
1,524 to 2,437 m:1 (2013)


Roadways
total:1,210 kmcountry comparison to the world: 181
paved:847 km
unpaved:363 km (2011)


    Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Military


Military branches
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Marine Unit) (2012)


Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary security service; no national army (2012)


Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49:41,414 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49:32,688
females age 16-49:36,289 (2010 est.)


    Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:1,574
female:1,502 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues


Disputes - international
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its Economic Exclusion Zone/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea


    Trafficking in persons



Illicit drugs
transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe
Information provided by CIA - The World Fact Book

Doing Business in St. Lucia 2020


St. Lucia Ease of Doing Business Rank: 93 Overall Score: 63.7
Starting a Business (rank) 69
Score 89.4
Procedures - Men (number) 5
Time - Men (number) 11
Cost - Men (days) 17
Procedures - Women (days) 5
Time - Women (% of income per capita) 11
Cost - Women (% of income per capita) 17
Paid in minimum capital (% of income per capita) 0
Dealing with Construction Permits (rank) 38
Score 76.4
Procedures (number) 14
Time (days) 116
Cost (% of warehouse value) 0.5
Building Quality Control Index(0-15) 10.5
Quality of building regulations index (0-2) 2
Quality control before construction index (0-1) 1
Quality control during construction index (0-3) 2
Quality control after construction index (0-3) 3
Liability and insurance regimes index (0-2) 0.5
Professional certifications index (0-4) 2
Getting Electricity (rank) 56
Score 83
Procedures (number) 6
Time (days) 26
Cost (% of income per capita) 171.1
Reliability of supply and transparency of tariff index (0-8) 7
Total duration and frequency of outages per customer a year (0-3) 3
Mechanisms for monitoring outages (0-1) 1
Mechanisms for restoring service (0-1) 1
Regulatory monitoring (0-1) 1
Financial deterrents aimed at limiting outages (0-1) 0
Communication of tariffs and tariff changes (0-1) 1
System average interruption duration index (SAIDI) 0.2
System average interruption frequency index (SAIFI) 0.3
Minimum outage time (in minutes) 0
Price of electricity (US cents per kWh) 32.1
Registering Property (rank) 107
Score 59.8
Procedures (number) 9
Time (days) 17
Cost (% of property value) 7.2
Quality of land administration index (0-30) 18.5
Reliability of infrastructure index (0-8) 2
Transparency of information index (0-6) 2
Geographic coverage index (0-8) 8
Land dispute resolution index (0-8) 6.5
Equal access to property rights index (-2-0) 0
Getting credit (rank) 165
Score 25
Strength of legal rights index (0-12) 5
Depth of credit information index (0-8) 0
Getting Credit total score 5
Credit registry coverage (% of adults) 0
Credit bureau coverage (% of adults) 0
Protecting Minority Investors (rank) 79
Score 58
Extent of disclosure index (0-10) 4
Extent of director liability index (0-10) 8
Ease of shareholder suits index (0-10) 8
Extent of shareholder rights index (0-6) 3
Extent of ownership and control index (0-7) 4
Extent of corporate transparency index (0-7) 2
Strength of minority investor protection index (0-50) 29
Paying Taxes (rank) 84
Score 75.5
Payments (number per year) 35
Time (hours per year) 110
Total tax and contribution rate (% of profit) 34.7
Profit tax (% of profit) 25.8
Labor tax and contributions (% of profit) 5.6
Other taxes (% of profit) 3.3
Time to comply with VAT refund (hours) 8
Time to obtain VAT refund (weeks) 26
Time to comply with a corporate income tax correction (hours) 5
Time to complete a corporate income tax correction (weeks) 9
Postfiling index (0-100) 76.9
Trading across borders (rank) 93
Score 73.9
Time to export: Documentary compliance (hours) 19
Time to import: Documentary compliance (hours) 14
Time to export: Border compliance (hours) 27
Time to import: Border compliance (hours) 27
Cost to export: Documentary compliance (USD) 63
Cost to import: Documentary compliance 98
Cost to export: Border compliance (USD) 718
Cost to import: Border compliance (USD) 842
Enforcing contract (rank) 79
Score 59.7
Time (days) 645
Filing and service (days) 21
Trial and judgment (days) 444
Enforcement of judgment (days) 180
Cost (% of claim) 37.3
Attorney fees (% of claim) 29.3
Court fees (% of claim) 2
Enforcement fees (% of claim) 6
Quality of the judicial processes index (0-18) 11.5
Court structure and proceedings (0-5) 4.5
Case management (0-6) 3
Court automation (0-4) 1.5
Alternative dispute resolution (0-3) 2.5
Resolving Insolvency (rank) 131
Score 35.9
Outcome (0 as piecemeal sale and 1 as going concern) 0
Time (years) 2
Cost (% of estate) 9
Recovery rate (cents on the dollar) 43.5
Strength of insolvency framework index (0-16) 4
Commencement of proceedings index (0-3) 2
Management of debtor's assets index (0-6) 2
Reorganization proceedings index (0-3) 0
Creditor participation index (0-4) 0
Information provided by The World Bank Group

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