Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login
St Lucia
Print full profile
BASIC FACTS


Capital
Castries

Language
English is the official language, but a local patois with African and French influences is also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Area size
610 sq. km

Area comparison
Approximately four times the size of Washington D.C.

Population
2009 0.2 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007 0.2 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2000 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
0.2 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)


PEOPLE

Language
English is the official language, but a local patois with African and French influences is also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population
2009 0.2 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007 0.2 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2000 0.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
0.2 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Most descend from African slaves and European colonisers. There is also a European minority.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Catholic 79 percent and Protestant 15 percent, including Seventh-Day Adventist and Pentecostal.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population
2007 27.7 percent U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006 27.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2005 27.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2004 27.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2003 27.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2002 27.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2001 27.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2000 28.0 percent U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1951
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
97 (2007)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15
2005 27.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 29.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 29.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 30.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 30.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 32.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002


USEFUL INFORMATION

Time zone
GMT -4

Climate description
The tropical island experiences a dry season from January to April each year, but from May to August rains saturate the land, providing the moisture needed to grow sugarcane, cocoa and bananas.

Currency
East Caribbean dollar

Telephone dialling code
(+) 758

Driving (left/right)
Left


STANDARD OF LIVING

Average life expectancy
2005 73.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 72.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 72.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 72.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 72.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 73.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
2005 71.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 71.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 70.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 70.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 70.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 70.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female
2005 75.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 74.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 73.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 74.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 73.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 76.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality
2007 14 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006 12 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 12 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 13 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 16 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 17 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 17 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 17 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
2007 18 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006 14 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 14 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 14 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 18 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 19 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel
1997-2005 99 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality
No data available per 100,000 live births

Human development index (HDI rank)
2005 72 UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 71 UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 76 UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 71 UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 71 UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 66 UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
No data available percent (1996-2005)

Percentage of undernourished population
2003-2005 8 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average 5 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average 5 percent FAO 2006
1999-2001average No data available percent
1998-2000average No data available percent

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water
2006 98 percent UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004 98 percent UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002 98 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 98 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation
2006 No data available percent
2004 89 percent UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002 89 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 89 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average
2004 No data available percent
2003 90.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 90.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 90.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
2004 No data available percent
2003 89.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 No data available percent
2000 No data available percent

Literacy - female
2004 No data available percent
2003 90.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 No data available percent
2000 No data available percent

Landlines telephones
2008 240 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2007 243 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2006 245 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2005 236 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2004 257 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2003 302 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2002 319 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2001 315 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2000 311 per 1,000 people ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers
2008 995 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2007 869 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2006 869 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2005 640 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2004 617 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2003 611 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2002 89 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2001 17 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2000 16 per 1,000 people ITU 2009

Internet users
2008 600 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2007 424 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2006 339 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2005 222 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2004 220 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2003 215 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2002 150 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2001 84 per 1,000 people ITU 2009
2000 52 per 1,000 people ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)
2008 21 Transparency International 2008
2007 24 Transparency International 2007
2006 Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report


ECONOMY & AID

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method
2007 5520 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006 5150 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005 5060 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004 4640 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003 4140 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002 3890 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001 3550 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000 3910 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP
2007 1.0 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006 0.9 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005 0.9 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004 0.8 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003 0.7 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002 0.7 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001 0.6 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000 0.7 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth
2006 4.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 7.3 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 6.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 3.0 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 3.0 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 -4.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 -0.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation
2007 3.8 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006 1.4 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005 3.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004 1.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003 1.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002 10.1 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001 -1.8 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000 7.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available


HEALTH

Physicians
2000-2004 No data available per 100,000 people
1990-2004 517 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 58 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002 518 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases
2007 14 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2006 14 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2005 14 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2004 15 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2003 15 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2002 15 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2001 15 per 100,000 people WHO 2009
2000 15 per 100,000 people WHO 2009


CONFLICT & MIGRATION

Number of refugees originating here
2008 288 UNHCR
2007 227 UNHCR
2006 163 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005 99 UNHCR
2004 34 UNHCR
2003 16 UNHCR
2002 10 UNHCR
2001 No data available
2000 11 UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here
No data available

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
No data available

Landmine casualties per year
2004 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997 )
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education
2002-2005 5.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004 5.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002 7.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001 7.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000 5.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health
2004 3.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004 3.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002 3.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 2.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 2.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003


Print full profile


Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.
Reset map

•  Barbados profile
· View map

•  St Lucia profile
· View map

•  St Vincent & Grenadines profile
· View map

MORE >>

Jobs

•  Public Health Promoter – Humanitarian Support Professional (HSP) (Oxfam GB)
Oxfam GB - UK

MORE >>

Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Mon Nov 16 10:36:20 2009