forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal
potential
Land use:
arable land:
8%
permanent crops:
20%
meadows and pastures:
5%
forest and woodland:
13%
other:
54%
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion
natural hazards:
subject to hurricanes and volcanic activity
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Whaling

@Saint Lucia, People

Population:
145,090 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.52% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
23.12 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
5.84 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-12.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
18.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
69.36 years
male:
67.06 years
female:
71.83 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.5 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Saint Lucian(s)
adjective:
Saint Lucian
Ethnic divisions:
African descent 90.3%, mixed 5.5%, East Indian 3.2%, Caucasian 0.8%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%
Languages:
English (official), French patois
Literacy:
age 15 and over having ever attended school (1980)
total population:
67%
male:
65%
female:
69%
Labor force:
43,800
by occupation:
agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983
est.)

@Saint Lucia, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Saint Lucia
Digraph:
ST
Type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Castries
Administrative divisions:
11 quarters; Anse La Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros
Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort
Independence:
22 February 1979 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Constitution:
22 February 1979
Legal system:
based on English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor
General Sir Stanislaus Anthony JAMES (since 10 October 1988)
head of government:
Prime Minister John George Melvin COMPTON (since 3 May 1982); Vice
President George MALLET (since NA)
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