Saint Lucia Culture and Folklore

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.

Saint Lucia Flag and Description

Saint Lucia flag and description

Flag description: blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Saint Lucia Land, Water and Terrain

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 km 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)

Natural hazards:hurricanes and volcanic activity

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

Environment - international agreements:partyto: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:thetwin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peakssouth of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of theCaribbean

Saint Lucia People and Demographics

Population:172,884 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:0-14 years: 28.9% (male 25,786/female 24,169) 15-64 years: 66% (male 56,346/female 57,725) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 3,212/female 5,646) (2008 est.)

Median age:total: 26 years male: 25.2 years female: 26.9 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:1.305% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:18.89 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:4.99 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

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:RomanCatholic 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.)