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Sainte-Lucie
Saint Lucia

Commonwealth realm
Flag Coat of arms
Motto
The Land, The People, The Light
Anthem
Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia
Location 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
Flag of None State of Saint Lucia
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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

  • Flag State of Saint Lucia

Neighbouring Nations

References

  1. The CIA World Factbook: Introduction - Background
  2. The CIA World Factbook: Economy - Overview
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