Saint Lucia
Population
168.5K
Area
616 km²
GDP
$2.55B
GDP Per Capita
$24,300
Pop. Density
273/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
ƒNetherlands Antillean guilder(ANG)
Calling Code
+1721
Timezone
UTC-04:00
Languages
English, French, Dutch
Driving Side
right
Demonym
St. Maartener
Background
Geography17
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
land: 606 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative
3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries
Coastline
158 km
Maritime claims
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
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Land use
agricultural land
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
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
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 Soufrière 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
Geography - note
the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufrière, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean
People & Society31
Population
male: 81,678
female: 86,784
Nationality
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), Saint Lucian Creole
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
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)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 26.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 24.3 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.)
Median age
male: 38.4 years
female: 40.9 years
Population growth rate
0.25% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
11.17 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
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
rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
22,000 CASTRIES (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
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.)
Maternal mortality ratio
44 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 76.7 years
female: 82.3 years
Total fertility rate
1.71 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.83 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
4.23 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density
2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
19.7% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
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.)
Tobacco use
male: 24.1% (2025 est.)
female: 2.6% (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% national budget): 12.7% national budget (2025 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 12 years (2023 est.)
female: 13 years (2023 est.)
Government25
Country name
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
Government type
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital
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
Administrative divisions
10 districts; Anse-la-Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufrière, Vieux-Fort
Legal system
English common law
Constitution
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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by governor general
Legislative branch
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
number of seats
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
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
Political parties
United Workers Party or UWP
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
chancery
telephone
FAX
email address and website
embassydc@gosl.gov.lc
https://www.embassyofstlucia.org/
consulate(s) general
Diplomatic representation from the US
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
Independence
22 February 1979 (from the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Flag
meaning: blue stands for the sky and sea, gold for sunshine and prosperity, and white and black for the ethnic composition of the island; the triangles represent Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the cone-shaped volcanic plugs that are a symbol of the island
National symbol(s)
twin pitons (volcanic peaks), Saint Lucia parrot
National color(s)
cerulean blue, gold, black, white
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: unknown
history: in use since 1745
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Pitons Management Area
Economy31
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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $4.196 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $4.105 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 2.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 20.4% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2023: $23,400 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $23,000 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.549 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 4.1% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 6.4% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 9.8% (2024 est.)
services: 75.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
Agricultural products
coconuts, bananas, tropical fruits, fruits, root vegetables, plantains, vegetables, cassava, chicken, milk (2023)
Industries
tourism; clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate
5.6% (2024 est.)
Labor force
102,400 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 16% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 31.4% (2024 est.)
female: 26.3% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
25% (2015 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 34.1% (2015 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2023: 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $351.956 million (2017 est.)
Public debt
Taxes and other revenues
18.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2023: -$38.069 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$83.442 million (2022 est.)
Exports
Exports 2023: $1.419 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.29 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners
Guyana 20%, Suriname 15%, USA 11%, Barbados 8%, Dominica 7% (2023)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, gravel and crushed stone, beer, liquor, paper containers (2023)
Imports
Imports 2023: $1.292 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.2 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners
USA 59%, Guyana 8%, Brazil 7%, China 5%, UK 3% (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, poultry, plastic products (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $424.324 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $389.083 million (2022 est.)
Debt - external
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2024
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Energy5
Electricity access
Electricity
consumption: 365.178 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 31.038 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Petroleum
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media
3 privately owned TV stations; 1 public TV station on a cable network; multi-channel cable TV service available; mix of state-owned and privately owned radio broadcasters with about 25 stations, including repeater transmission stations (2019)
Internet country code
.lc
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.)
Transportation3
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
J6
Airports
2 (2025)
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security2
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Ministry of Home Affairs, Justice, and National Security: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) (2025)
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)