Saint Lucia - Economic Indicators

Economic Overview

The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism is Saint Lucia's main source of jobs and income - accounting for 65% of GDP - and the island's main source of foreign exchange earnings. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area. Crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, but St. Lucia's once solid banana industry has been devastated by strong competition. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks, including...

Continue reading View Factbook for Saint Lucia

GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2022 6,231,231,236 4,953,926,089 XCD Annual
Private Consumption 2019 2,894,800,000 3,057,200,000 XCD Annual
Investment 2019 1,223,400,000 1,185,500,000 XCD Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2016 992,825,100 906,690,500 NCU Annual
Government Consumption 2014 552.72 534.41 Mil. XCD Annual
Real Private Consumption 2010 1,038,829,925 2010 USD Annual
Real Government Consumption 2010 173,218,037 2010 USD Annual
Real Investment 2010 348,476,444 2010 USD Annual
Real Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2010 348,476,444 2010 USD Annual
Real Gross Domestic Product 2010 100 95.79 Index 2005=100 Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Dec 2022 122.11 122.34 2010=100, NSA Monthly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 15,210 14,673 # Annual
Labor Force 2016 97,935 96,719 # Annual
Labor Force Employment 2016 Q1 82.95 80.42 Ths. Quarterly
Unemployment 2016 Q1 23.5 20.89 Ths. Quarterly
Unemployment Rate 2016 Q1 22.08 20.62 % Quarterly
Total Employment 2016 Q1 82.95 80.42 Ths. Quarterly
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Imports of Goods 2022 744,625,281 589,835,617 USD Annual
Exports of Goods 2022 135,745,739 86,181,802 USD Annual
Balance of Goods 2022 -608,879,541 -503,653,814 USD Annual
Current Account Balance 2022 -67,063,730 -221,370,917 USD Annual
Imports of Goods and Services 2019 2,513,100,000 2,633,900,000 XCD Annual
Exports of Goods and Services 2019 3,105,300,000 3,039,300,000 XCD Annual
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2010 608,868,703 2010 USD Annual
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2010 787,424,851 2010 USD Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Treasury Bills (over 31 days) Feb 2018 1.98 1.98 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Money Market Rate Jan 2016 6.89 6.89 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Lending Rate Mar 2013 6.5 6.5 % - End of period Monthly
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Change in Inventories 1980 0 NCU Annual
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Population 2020 183,629 182,795 # Annual
Birth Rate 2016 12.11 12.24 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Death Rate 2016 7.51 7.47 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Net Migration 2012 40 # Annual

Factbook

Background

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

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
country comparison to the world: 193
Area - comparative:
three and a half 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 broad, fertile valleys
Elevation:
mean elevation: NA
elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 948 m
Natural resources:
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Land use:
agricultural land: 17.4%
arable land 4.9%; permanent crops 11.5%; permanent pasture 1%
forest: 77%
other: 5.6% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2012)
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
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
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, 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 & Society

Population:
164,994 (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Nationality:
noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian
Ethnic groups:
black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)
Languages:
English (official), French patois
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.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.02% (male 17,006/female 16,027)
15-24 years: 15.37% (male 12,870/female 12,492)
25-54 years: 42.97% (male 34,117/female 36,779)
55-64 years: 9.99% (male 7,608/female 8,881)
65 years and over: 11.65% (male 8,704/female 10,510) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 41.1
youth dependency ratio: 27.9
elderly dependency ratio: 13.3
potential support ratio: 7.5 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.8 years
male: 33.7 years
female: 36 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Population growth rate:
0.32% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Birth rate:
13.3 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Death rate:
7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Net migration rate:
-2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
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
Urbanization:
urban population: 18.6% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 1.01% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
CASTRIES (capital) 22,000 (2014)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
48 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.9 years
male: 75.2 years
female: 80.8 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
Total fertility rate:
1.75 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
55.5% (2011/12)
Health expenditures:
6.7% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 87
Physicians density:
0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
Hospital bed density:
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2013)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 99.5% of population
rural: 95.6% of population
total: 96.3% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.5% of population
rural: 4.4% of population
total: 3.7% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 84.7% of population
rural: 91.9% of population
total: 90.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 15.3% of population
rural: 8.1% of population
total: 9.5% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Major infectious diseases:
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
19.7% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 110
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
2.8% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 116
Education expenditures:
5.7% of GDP (2016)
country comparison to the world: 107
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2007)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 27.5%
male: 21.5%
female: 35.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Lucia
etymology: named after Saint LUCY of Syracuse by French sailors who were shipwrecked on the island on 13 December 1502, the saint's feast day
Government type:
parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Castries
geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 61 00 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Anse-la-Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort
Independence:
22 February 1979 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Constitution:
previous 1958, 1960 (preindependence); latest presented 20 December 1978, effective 22 February 1979; note - in mid-2015, an amendment was proposed to replace the London-based Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice as the country's highest appellate court (2016)
Legal system:
English common law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent: at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Lucia
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Neville CENAC (since 12 January 2018)
head of government: Prime Minister Allen CHASTANET (since 7 June 2016)
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
Legislative branch:
description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; 6 members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 2 upon consultation with religious, economic, and social groups; members serve 5-year terms) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held on 6 June 2016 (next to be held in 2021)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP 54.8%, SLP 44.1%, other 1.1%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - 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 is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hears appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside at the member states with 4 on Saint Lucia; 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 Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; 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
Political parties and leaders:
Lucian People's Movement or LPM [Therold PRUDENT]
Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Philip J. PIERRE]
United Workers Party or UWP [Allen CHASTANET]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, 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
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anton Edsel EDMUNDS (since 8 September 2017)
chancery: 1628 K Street, NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723
consulate(s) general: 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:
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
National symbol(s):
twin pitons (volcanic peaks), Saint Lucia parrot; national colors: cerulean blue, gold, black, white
National anthem:
name: "Sons and Daughters of St. Lucia"
lyrics/music: Charles JESSE/Leton Felix THOMAS
note: adopted 1967

Economy

Economy - overview:
The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism is Saint Lucia's main source of jobs and income - accounting for 65% of GDP - and the island's main source of foreign exchange earnings. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area. Crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, but St. Lucia's once solid banana industry has been devastated by strong competition.
Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks, including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. Furthermore, high public debt - 77% of GDP in 2012 - and high debt servicing obligations constrain the CHASTANET administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks.
St. Lucia has experienced anemic growth since the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008, largely because of a slowdown in tourism - airlines cut back on their routes to St. Lucia in 2012. Also, St. Lucia introduced a value added tax in 2012 of 15%, becoming the last country in the Eastern Caribbean to do so. In 2013, the government introduced a National Competitiveness and Productivity Council to address St. Lucia's high public wages and lack of productivity.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.384 billion (2017 est.)
$2.346 billion (2016 est.)
$2.323 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 193
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.717 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.6% (2017 est.)
1% (2016 est.)
2% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,500 (2017 est.)
$13,500 (2016 est.)
$13,400 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 114
Gross national saving:
17% of GDP (2017 est.)
21.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
29% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 70.9%
government consumption: 14.8%
investment in fixed capital: 18.3%
investment in inventories: 0.1%
exports of goods and services: 41.3%
imports of goods and services: -45.3% (2015 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 14.2%
services: 82.8% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa
Industries:
tourism; clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
Labor force:
79,700 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
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: 184
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $402.3 million
expenditures: $430.7 million (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
23.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-1.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Public debt:
82.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
77.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.2% (2017 est.)
-3.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.3% (31 December 2017 est.)
8.5% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Stock of narrow money:
$321.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$318.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Stock of broad money:
$1.192 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.157 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.363 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.332 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Current account balance:
$-8 million (2017 est.)
$-31 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Exports:
$204.2 million (2017 est.)
$188.2 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Exports - commodities:
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, avocados, mangoes, coconut oil (2010 est.)
Exports - partners:
US 48.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.1%, UK 11.2%, Maldives 4.7% (2016)
Imports:
$430.6 million (2017 est.)
$404.1 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners:
US 39.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 18%, UK 6.7%, Japan 4% (2016)
Debt - external:
$523.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$529 million (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2017 est.)
2.7 (2016 est.)
2.7 (2015 est.)
2.7 (2014 est.)
2.7 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 16,446
electrification - total population: 91%
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 80% (2012)
Electricity - production:
358 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Electricity - consumption:
332.9 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
89,000 kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
98.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
1.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
3,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Refined petroleum products - imports:
3,058 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
400,000 Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 35,545
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 176,648
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Telephone system:
general assessment: an adequate system that is automatically switched
domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 20 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 105 per 100 persons
international: country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber System and Southern Caribbean Fiber 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 (2016)
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 (2007)
Internet country code:
.lc
Internet users:
total: 86,000
percent of population: 52.4% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
J6 (2016)
Airports:
2 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 204
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)
Roadways:
total: 1,210 km
paved: 847 km
unpaved: 363 km (2011)
country comparison to the world: 182
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Military & Security

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Marine Unit) (2012)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary security service; no national army (2012)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 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

Economic Indicators for Saint Lucia including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Saint Lucia economy.