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Data derived from World Economic Outlook Database. To see main macroeconomic indicator in graphs click here
England and France contested Saint Lucia -- with its fine natural harbor at Castries and burgeoning sugar industry -- throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries, with possession changing 14 times; it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814 and became part of the British Windward Islands colony. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. In the mid-20th century, Saint Lucia joined the West Indies Federation (1958–1962) and in 1967 became one of the six members of the West Indies Associated States, with internal self-government. In 1979, Saint Lucia gained full independence.
Area: 616 sq km km2
Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August
Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Groups: Black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)
Languages:
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 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.)
Capital: Castries
Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Acting Governor General Cyril Errol CHARLES (since 11 November 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Philip J. PIERRE (since 28 July 2021)
Description: Houses of Parliament - bicameral
upper middle-income, tourism-based Caribbean island economy; environmentally fragile; energy import-dependent; major banana producer; well-educated labor force; key infrastructure, IT, and communications investments
tourism; clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, lime processing, coconut processing
GDP by sector: Agriculture: 1.1% (2024 est.), Industry: 9.8% (2024 est.), Services: 75.9% (2024 est.)
Export partners: Guyana 20%, Suriname 15%, USA 11%, Barbados 8%, Dominica 7% (2023)
Export commodities: refined petroleum, gravel and crushed stone, beer, liquor, paper containers (2023)
Import partners: USA 59%, Guyana 8%, Brazil 7%, China 5%, UK 3% (2023)
Import commodities: refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, poultry, plastic products (2023)
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Information derived from worldfactbook.io (Lupon Media), open successor to the CIA World Factbook. Data sourced from World Bank, IMF, UN and other international organizations.