Sainte-Lucie | |
Commonwealth realm | |
![]() | |
Motto The Land, The People, The Light | |
Anthem Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia | |
Capital | Castries |
Government | Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy |
Monarch | |
- From 1979 | Elizabeth II |
Governor-General | |
- From 1997 | Dame Pearlette Louisy |
Prime Minister | |
- From 2007 | Stephenson King |
Legislature | Parliament |
- Upper house | Senate |
- Lower house | House of Assembly |
History | |
- February 22, 1979 | Independence from the United Kingdom |
Commonwealth accession | February 22, 1979 |
Area | 616 km² |
Population | |
- 2009 | 173,765 |
Density | 282/km² |
GDP | 2009 (PPP) |
- Total | US$ 1.7 billion |
- Per capita | US$ 10,177 |
Currency | East Caribbean Dollar |
v |
Saint Lucia is a commonwealth realm and a parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean.
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.[1]
Economy
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.[2]
Monarch
- Elizabeth II (₩) (February 22, 1979 - )
Governor-General
- Dame Pearlette Louisy (₩) (September 17, 1997 - )
Prime Minister
- Stephenson King (₩) (May 1, 2007 - )
Nation
Saint Lucian Polities
State of Saint Lucia
Neighbouring Nations
Barbados (Commonwealth realm)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Commonwealth realm)
France (Overseas)
References
- Islands of the Commonwealth Caribbean: a regional study (Library of Congress)
- Islands of the Commonwealth Caribbean: a regional study (archive.org)
- Saint Lucia: Guide to Law Online (Library of Congress)
- Saint Lucia: Location Map 2013 (UN OCHA, PNG)
- The World Factbook (CIA)
- Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments (CIA)
- U.S. Department of State
- Australian Government
- Commonwealth of Nations
- Inter-Parliamentary Union - Senate
- Inter-Parliamentary Union - House of Assembly
- BBC News Country Profile
- BBC News Time Line
- World Statesmen.org
- International Constitutional Law Project
- Psephos Election Archive
- Wikipedia