Geography ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Location:
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) country comparison to the world: 211 land: 261 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
135 km
Maritime claims:
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, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain:
volcanic with mountainous interiors
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Natural resources:
arable land
Land use:
arable land: 19.44%
permanent crops: 2.78%
other: 77.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
0.02 cu km (2000)
Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to October)
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island
People ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Population:
49,898 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.3% (male 5,397/female 5,138)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 13,231/female 13,196)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,326/female 1,843) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.5 years
male: 31.5 years
female: 31.5 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.838% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Birth rate:
14.23 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 146
Death rate:
7.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 128
Net migration rate:
1.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Urbanization:
urban population: 32% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 153 male: 6.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.37 years country comparison to the world: 96 male: 72.03 years
female: 76.75 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Ethnic groups:
predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
Religions:
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Languages:
English (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97.8%
male: NA
female: NA (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
9.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 6
Government ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Country name:
conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis
former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Basseterre
geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point,Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint JamesWindward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint MaryCayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint PeterBasseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island,Trinity Palmetto Point
Independence:
19 September 1983 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Constitution:
19 September 1983
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; the governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 January 2010 (next to be held by 2015)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SKNLP 6, CCM 2, PAM 2, NRP 1
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consisting of a Court of Appeal and a High Court; based on Saint Lucia; two judges of the Supreme Court reside in Saint Kitts and Nevis); member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
Political parties and leaders:
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis ReformationParty or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM[Lindsay GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr.Denzil DOUGLAS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS,OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, PetroCaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,WHO, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis
Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red; green signifies the island's fertility, red symbolizes the struggles of the people from slavery, yellow denotes year-round sunshine, and black represents the African heritage of the people; the white stars stand for the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, but can also express hope and liberty, or independence and optimism
National anthem:
name: "Oh Land of Beauty!"
lyrics/music: Kenrick Anderson GEORGES
note: adopted 1983
Economy ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Economy - overview:
The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis is heavily dependent upon tourism revenues, which has replaced sugar, the traditional mainstay of the economy until the 1970s. Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry after decades of losses of 3-4% of GDP annually. To compensate for employment losses, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy, such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking. More than 200,000 tourists visited the islands in 2009. Like other tourist destinations in the Caribbean, St. Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to damage from natural disasters and shifts in tourism demand. The current government is constrained by one of the world's highest public debt burdens equivalent to roughly 185% of GDP, largely attributable to public enterprise losses.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$719.5 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 $730.5 million (2009 est.)
$772.7 million (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$562 million (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 202 -5.5% (2009 est.)
4.6% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$14,400 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $14,800 (2009 est.)
$15,700 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 25.8%
services: 70.7% (2001)
Labor force:
18,170 (June 1995) country comparison to the world: 209
Unemployment rate:
4.5% (1997) country comparison to the world: 42
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Public debt:
185% of GDP (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 65 6.5% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.75% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 8.75% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$94.45 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 181 $93.23 million (31 December 2008)
Stock of broad money:
$823.8 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 167 $787.8 million (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$790.8 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 $782.4 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$648 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 102 $595.2 million (31 December 2008)
$439.7 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish
Industries:
tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
130 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Electricity - consumption:
120.9 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 181
Oil - imports:
1,225 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Current account balance:
-$163 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Exports:
$84 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 198
Exports - commodities:
machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners:
US 62.3%, Canada 7.93%, Azerbaijan 6.72% (2009)
Imports:
$383 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 189
Imports - commodities:
machinery, manufactures, food, fuels
Imports - partners:
US 43.37%, Trinidad and Tobago 15.26%, Italy 11.83% (2009)
Debt - external:
$314 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 171
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Telephones - main lines in use:
20,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 193
Telephones - mobile cellular:
83,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 189
Telephone system:
general assessment: good interisland and international connections
domestic: interisland links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in November 2004
international: country code - 1-869; connected internationally by the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables
Broadcast media:
the government operates a national television network that broadcasts on 2 channels; cable subscription services provide access to local and international channels; the government operates a national radio network; a mix of government-owned and privately-owned broadcasters operate roughly 15 radio stations (2007)
Internet country code:
.kn
Internet hosts:
51 (2010) country comparison to the world: 210
Internet users:
17,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 197
Transportation ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Airports:
2 (2010) country comparison to the world: 204
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)
Railways:
total: 50 km country comparison to the world: 131 narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2008)
Roadways:
total: 383 km country comparison to the world: 199 paved: 163 km
unpaved: 220 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 160 country comparison to the world: 40 by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 92, chemical tanker 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 3, liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 94 (Bahrain 1, Belgium 1, China 1, Estonia 3, Italy 1, Japan 3, Kuwait 3, Latvia 2, Malaysia 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 3, Russia 11, Singapore 5, Syria 5, Turkey 22, UAE 17, UK 2, Ukraine 10, US 1, Yemen 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Basseterre, Charlestown
Military ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
Military branches:
Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes Coast Guard),Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force; for national security,Saint Kitts and Nevis relies on the Regional Security System,headquartered in Barbados (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 13,510
females age 16-49: 13,075 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 10,736
females age 16-49: 10,913 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 402
female: 430 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
Transnational Issues ::Saint Kitts and Nevis
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:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity
page last updated on January 11, 2011
======================================================================
@Saint Lucia (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Lucia
Background:
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.
Geography ::Saint Lucia
Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North AtlanticOcean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 616 sq km country comparison to the world: 192 land: 606 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
158 km
Maritime claims:
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: 6.45%
permanent crops: 22.58%
other: 70.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.01
per capita: 81 cu m/yr (1997)
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-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, 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 ::Saint Lucia
Population:
160,922 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 20,035/female 19,021)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 51,593/female 54,843)
65 years and over: 9.2% (male 6,668/female 8,107) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.3 years
male: 29.3 years
female: 31.4 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.398% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Birth rate:
14.81 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Death rate:
6.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Net migration rate:
-3.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Urbanization:
urban population: 28% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.055 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 133 male: 12.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.65 years country comparison to the world: 67 male: 73.97 years
female: 79.48 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.82 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian
Ethnic groups:
black 82.5%, mixed 11.9%, East Indian 2.4%, other or unspecified 3.1% (2001 census)
Religions:
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)
Languages:
English (official), French patois
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: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 32
Government ::Saint Lucia
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 01 N, 61 00 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort
Independence:
22 February 1979 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Constitution:
22 February 1979
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ 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 Stephenson KING (since 9 September 2007); note - Sir John COMPTON died in office 7 September 2007
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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 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
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (consists of a High Court and aCourt of Appeals; based on Saint Lucia; three judges of the SupremeCourt reside in Saint Lucia); member of the Caribbean Court ofJustice (CCJ)
Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party orSFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [KennethANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE];United Workers Party or UWP [Stephenson KING]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC,MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PetroCaribe, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael LOUIS
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia
Flag description:
blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border; the blue color represents the sky and sea, gold stands for sunshine and prosperity, and white and black the racial composition of the island (with the latter being dominant); the two major triangles invoke the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), cone-shaped volcanic plugs that are a symbol of the island
National anthem:
name: "Sons and Daughters of St. Lucia"
lyrics/music: Charles JESSE/Leton Felix THOMAS
note: adopted 1967
Economy ::Saint Lucia
Economy - overview:
The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries, with a surge in foreign direct investment in 2006, attributed to the construction of several tourism projects. Although crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, tourism provides Saint Lucia's main source of income and the industry is the island's biggest employer. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange, although tourism sector revenues declined with the global economic downturn as US and European travel dropped in 2009. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry, although recent hurricanes have caused exports to contract. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. The public debt-to-GDP ratio is about 77% and high debt servicing obligations constrain the KING administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks. Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though unemployment needs to be reduced.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.789 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 $1.769 billion (2009 est.)
$1.866 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 -5.2% (2009 est.)
0.7% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,100 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 $11,000 (2009 est.)
$11,700 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 15%
services: 80% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
79,700 (2007) country comparison to the world: 183
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: 165
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 63 6.5% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.58% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 10.08% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$244.3 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 169 $245 million (31 December 2008)
Stock of broad money:
$1.094 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 160 $1.061 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.378 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $1.217 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa
Industries:
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism; lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
325 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Electricity - consumption:
302.2 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Oil - consumption:
3,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 178
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Oil - imports:
2,747 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 170
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 130
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Current account balance:
-$199 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Exports:
$288 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 175
Exports - commodities:
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil
Exports - partners:
Spain 29.41%, UK 15.28%, South Korea 10.54%, US 9.75%, India 9.52% (2009)
Imports:
$791 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 179
Imports - commodities:
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners:
Brazil 83.44%, US 4.67%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.56% (2009)
Debt - external:
$257 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 172
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications ::Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use:
41,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 166
Telephones - mobile cellular:
176,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 173
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
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
Broadcast media:
3 privately-owned television stations; 1 public television station operating on a cable network; multi-channel cable TV service is obtainable; 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:
106 (2010) country comparison to the world: 201
Internet users:
142,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 149
Transportation ::Saint Lucia
Airports:
2 (2010) country comparison to the world: 198
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 1,210 km (2002) country comparison to the world: 180
Ports and terminals:
Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort
Military ::Saint Lucia
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit and Coast Guard) (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 41,177 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 32,406
females age 16-49: 36,216 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,627
female: 1,521 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
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
page last updated on January 19, 2011
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@Saint Martin (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Martin
Background:
Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished Saint Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. Friction between the two sides caused the border to frequently fluctuate over the next two centuries, with the French eventually holding the greater portion of the island (about 57%). The cultivation of sugar cane introduced slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of Saint Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity.