Saint Lucia - LC - LCA - LCA - Central America and the Caribbean

Last updated: April 30, 2025

Saint Lucia Images

A view of Vieux Fort, the southernmost town on Saint Lucia and the site of the island's airport. The Twin Pitons, on the southwestern shore of Saint Lucia, can be seen in the distance.
A view showing the town of Soufrière, Santa Lucia, and its harbor.
The Twin Pitons are the national symbol of Saint Lucia and appear on the flag. They are mountainous volcanic plugs (created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano). Gros Piton is 798 m (2,619 ft) high and Petit Piton is 743 m (2,438 ft) high; both are located near the town of Soufriere, Saint Lucia. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Anthony R. Picciolo.
Sulfur Springs on Santa Lucia is billed as the world's only drive-in volcano. The two boxes house monitoring devices that keep track of seismic activity.
Pigeon Island is a former islet (180,000 sq m; 44 acres) off the north point of Saint Lucia that was joined to the mainland in 1972 by a man-made causeway.
View from Fort Rodney on Pigeon Island, Santa Lucia, showing Rodney Bay and the causeway from the island to the mainland.
Santa Lucia's Diamond Falls in Diamond Botanical Gardens gets its color from minerals in the water.
A view from the southern tip of Saint Lucia. The Maria Islands Nature reserve is on the right, the town of Vieux Fort is in the left center, and the Twin Pitons can be seen as bumps on the left horizon.
A view of Vieux Fort, the southernmost town on Saint Lucia and the site of the island's airport. The Twin Pitons, on the southwestern shore of Saint Lucia, can be seen in the distance.
A view showing the town of Soufrière, Santa Lucia, and its harbor.

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Saint Lucia Factbook Data

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.9% (male 15,505/female 14,607)

15-64 years: 66.7% (male 54,260/female 57,747)

65 years and over: 15.4% (2024 est.) (male 11,752/female 14,167)

This is the population pyramid for Saint Lucia. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.

For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.

Geographic coordinates

13 53 N, 60 58 W

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Natural hazards

hurricanes

volcanism: Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava dome remnants associated with the Soufriere volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Area - comparative

three and a half times the size of Washington, D.C.

Background

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.

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Population below poverty line

25% (2015 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.1% (2015 est.)

highest 10%: 34.1% (2015 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, gravel and crushed stone, beer, liquor, paper containers (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Guyana 20%, Suriname 15%, USA 11%, Barbados 8%, Dominica 7% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Administrative divisions

10 districts; Anse-la-Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufrière, Vieux-Fort

Agricultural products

coconuts, bananas, tropical fruits, fruits, root vegetables, plantains, vegetables, cassava, chicken, milk (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Ministry of Home Affairs, Justice, and National Security: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) (2024)

Budget

revenues: $414.77 million (2017 est.)

expenditures: $351.956 million (2017 est.)

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Capital

name: Castries

geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 61 00 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: in 1785, the village of Carenage was renamed Castries, after Charles Eugene Gabriel de La Croix de CASTRIES, who was then the French Minister of the Navy and Colonies

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, poultry, plastic products (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Climate

tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August

Coastline

158 km

Constitution

history: previous 1958, 1960 (preindependence); latest presented 20 December 1978, effective 22 February 1979

amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the House of Assembly membership in the final reading and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to various constitutional sections, such as those on fundamental rights and freedoms, government finances, the judiciary, and procedures for amending the constitution, require at least three-quarters majority vote by the House and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments approved by the House but rejected by the Senate require a majority of votes cast in a referendum

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
2.7 (2023 est.)
2.7 (2022 est.)
2.7 (2021 est.)
2.7 (2020 est.)
2.7 (2019 est.)

Executive branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Acting Governor General Errol CHARLES (since 11 November 2021)

head of government: Prime Minister Philip J. PIERRE (since 28 July 2021)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by governor general

Flag description

cerulean 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

Illicit drugs

a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean; some local demand for cocaine and some use of synthetic drugs

Independence

22 February 1979 (from the UK)

Industries

tourism; clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, lime processing, coconut processing

Judicial branch

highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; Saint Lucia is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice

judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62

subordinate courts: magistrate's court

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 16.3% (2022 est.)

arable land: 4.4% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 11.3% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 0.6% (2022 est.)

forest: 34% (2022 est.)

other: 49.7% (2022 est.)

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

legislature name: Houses of Parliament

legislative structure: bicameral

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

International organization participation

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Nationality

noun: Saint Lucian(s)

adjective: Saint Lucian

Natural resources

forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

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

Economic overview

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

Political parties

Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP
United Workers Party or UWP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: an adequate system that is automatically switched; good interisland and international connections; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) and LTE markets; regulatory development; telecom sector contributes to the overall GDP; telecom sector is a growth area (2020)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 8 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 96 per 100 persons (2021)

international: country code - 1-758; landing points for the ECFS and Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cables providing connectivity to numerous Caribbean islands; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados (2019)

Terrain

volcanic and mountainous with broad, fertile valleys

Government type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Country name

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Saint Lucia

etymology: believed to be named after Saint LUCY (Sainte ALOUSIE) of Syracuse by French sailors who were shipwrecked on the island on 13 December 1502, the saint's feast day

note: pronounced saynt-LOO-shuh

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2012)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth DARIUS-CLARKE (since 7 June 2022)

chancery: 1629 K Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792

FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723

email address and website:
embassydc@gosl.gov.lc

https://www.embassyofstlucia.org/

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Internet users

percent of population: 74% (2022 est.)

Internet country code

.lc

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.43 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Urbanization

urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Broadcast media

3 privately owned TV stations; 1 public TV station operating on a cable network; multi-channel cable TV service available; a mix of state-owned and privately owned broadcasters operate nearly 25 radio stations including repeater transmission stations (2019)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 99.4% of population

rural: 98.5% of population

total: 98.7% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0.6% of population

rural: 1.5% of population

total: 1.3% of population (2020 est.)

National anthem

name: "Sons and Daughters of St. Lucia"

lyrics/music: Charles JESSE/Leton Felix THOMAS

note: adopted 1967

Major urban areas - population

22,000 CASTRIES (capital) (2018)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Physician density

4.23 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

National symbol(s)

twin pitons (volcanic peaks), Saint Lucia parrot; national colors: cerulean blue, gold, black, white

Contraceptive prevalence rate

55.5% (2011/12)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 66.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 11.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 62.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -56.9% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 50 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 26.9 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 23.1 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 4.3 (2024 est.)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Lucia

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Population distribution

most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 97.6% of population

rural: 92.9% of population

total: 93.8% of population

unimproved:

urban: 2.4% of population

rural: 7.1% of population

total: 6.2% of population (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)

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.)

Languages

English (official), Saint Lucian Creole

Imports - partners

USA 59%, Guyana 8%, Brazil 7%, China 5%, UK 3% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2020)

Elevation

highest point: Mount Gimie 948 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Current health expenditure

6.2% of GDP (2021)

Military - note

Saint Lucia has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

Literacy

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

300 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 77,616 tons (2015 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 8.98 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.41 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 0.27 megatons (2020 est.)

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Pitons Management Area

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 98% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.83 (2024 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.6% (2023 est.)

Remittances

2.63% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.65% of GDP (2022 est.)
3.39% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Ports

total ports: 3 (2024)

large: 0

medium: 0

small: 2

very small: 1

ports with oil terminals: 2

key ports: Castries, Grand Cul de Sac Bay, Vieux Fort

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name: House of Assembly

number of seats: 18 (all directly elected)

electoral system: plurality/majority

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 7/26/2021

parties elected and seats per party: Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) (13); United Workers Party (UWP) (2); Independents (2)

percentage of women in chamber: 10.5%

expected date of next election: July 2026

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name: Senate

number of seats: 11 (all appointed)

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 8/17/2021

percentage of women in chamber: 54.5%

expected date of next election: August 2026

Labor force

100,000 (2023 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 28.2% (2023 est.)

male: 29.5% (2023 est.)

female: 26.5% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Net migration rate

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 39.7 years (2024 est.)

male: 38.4 years

female: 40.9 years

Debt - external

$930.267 million (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Maternal mortality ratio

73 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$424.324 million (2023 est.)
$389.083 million (2022 est.)
$433.117 million (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Public debt

70.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.71 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

11.09% (2023 est.)
15.93% (2022 est.)
20.51% (2021 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population

total: 168,038 (2024 est.)

male: 81,517

female: 86,521

Carbon dioxide emissions

605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Area

total : 616 sq km

land: 606 sq km

water: 10 sq km

Taxes and other revenues

18.22% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.196 billion (2023 est.)
$4.105 billion (2022 est.)
$3.41 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Airports

2 (2025)

Infant mortality rate

total: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 176,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96 (2021 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

51.2 (2016 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.07% (2023 est.)
6.38% (2022 est.)
2.41% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Current account balance

-$45.381 million (2023 est.)
-$67.064 million (2022 est.)
-$221.371 million (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Real GDP per capita

$23,400 (2023 est.)
$23,000 (2022 est.)
$19,100 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 24,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.7% (2016)

Energy consumption per capita

47.522 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Birth rate

11.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 93,000 kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 365.178 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 31.038 million kWh (2023 est.)

Imports

$1.274 billion (2023 est.)
$1.194 billion (2022 est.)
$891.761 million (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports

$1.415 billion (2023 est.)
$1.296 billion (2022 est.)
$710.754 million (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 31,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 9.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 5.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.4 years (2024 est.)

male: 76.7 years

female: 82.3 years

Real GDP growth rate

2.21% (2023 est.)
20.39% (2022 est.)
12.23% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Industrial production growth rate

12.4% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1.1% (2023 est.)

industry: 9.7% (2023 est.)

services: 76.3% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Revenue from forest resources

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Education expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

0.26% (2024 est.)

Sources: