Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia Sent Lisi ( Saint Lucian Creole French )
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: " Prime Minister		Philip J. Pierre
Legislature	Associated State	1 March 1967
• Independence from the United Kingdom	22 February 1979
+1 758
ISO 3166 code	LC
Internet TLD	.lc

Saint Lucia (

Pre-colonial period

The first proven inhabitants of Saint Lucia were the

It is possible that Christopher Columbus may have sighted the island during his fourth voyage in 1502, but he does not mention the island in his log. Juan de la Cosa noted the island on his map of 1500, calling it El Falcon, and another island to the south Las Agujas. A Spanish cédula from 1511 mentions the island within the Spanish domain, and a globe in the Vatican made in 1520, shows the island as Sancta Lucia.^[11]

In the late 1550s, the French

After the slave-based sugar industry developed, both the British and the French found the island attractive. During the 18th century, the island changed ownership, or was declared neutral territory, a dozen times, although the French settlements remained and the island was a de facto French colony well into the eighteenth century.

In 1722,

During the Seven Years' War, Britain occupied Saint Lucia for a year, but handed the island back to the French in 1763, under the Treaty of Paris.^[25] Like the English and Dutch on other islands, in 1765, the French began to develop the land for the cultivation of sugar cane as a commodity crop on large plantations. The British occupied the island again in 1778.

From 1782 to 1803, control of the island switched multiple times. In January 1791, during the French Revolution, the National Assembly sent four commissaires to St Lucia to spread the revolutionary philosophy. By August 1791, slaves began to abandon their estates and Governor Jean-Joseph Sourbader de Gimat fled. In December 1792, Lt. Jean-Baptiste Raymond de Lacrosse arrived with revolutionary pamphlets, and the impoverished whites and free people of colour began to arm themselves as patriots. On 1 February 1793, France declared war on England and Holland, and General Nicolas Xavier de Ricard took over as Governor. The National Convention abolished enslavement on 4 February 1794. On 1 April 1794, St. Lucia was captured by a British expeditionary force led by Vice Admiral John Jervis. Morne Fortune was renamed Fort Charlotte. Soon, a combined force of French Revolutionary Army soldiers and maroons, L'Armee Française dans les Bois, began to fight back, starting the First Brigand War.^[26]

A short time later, the British invaded the island as a part of the war with France that had recently broken out. On 21 February 1795, French forces under the nominal control of Victor Hugues, defeated a battalion of British troops at Vieux Fort and Rabot. In 1796, Castries was burned as part of the conflict. Leading the 27th Inniskilling Fusiliers, General John Moore retook Fort Charlotte in 1796, after two days of bitter fighting. As an honour, the Fusiliers' regimental colour was displayed on the flagstaff of the captured fortress at Morne Fortune for an hour before being replaced by the Union Jack.^[27] Upon the capture of the fort, Moore's superior, Ralph Abercromby, departed the island and placed Moore in charge of the British garrison. Moore remained at this post until falling ill with yellow fever, leading to his return to Britain before 1798.

In 1803, the British regained control of the island. Many members of the L'Armee Française dans les Bois escaped into the thick rainforest where they evaded capture and established maroon communities.^[28]

Slavery on the island continued for a short time, but anti-slavery sentiment was rising in Britain. The British stopped the import of slaves by anyone, white or coloured, when they abolished the slave trade in 1807.^[29]

France and Great Britain continued to contest Saint Lucia until the British secured it in 1814, as part of the Treaty of Paris, ending the Napoleonic Wars.^[30] Thereafter, Saint Lucia was considered one of the British Windward Islands colonies.

The institution of slavery was abolished on the island in 1834, as it was throughout the British Empire. After abolition, all former slaves had to serve a four-year "apprenticeship", to accustom them to the idea of freedom. During that period, they worked for their former masters for at least three-quarters of the work week. Full freedom was duly granted by the British in 1838. By that time, people of African ethnicity greatly outnumbered those of ethnic European background. People of Carib descent also comprised a minority on the island.

20th century

Saint Lucia's first representative government was introduced in 1924, with the first election taking place in 1925.

Post-independence era

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Despite leading the country to independence, Compton's initial term as prime minister lasted only a few months, being defeated by the

Saint Lucia has a total area of 617 square kilometers (238 sq mi). As a volcanic island, Saint Lucia is very mountainous, with its highest point being Mount Gimie, at 950 metres (3,120 feet) above sea level.^[15][42] The Pitons, two mountainous volcanic plugs, form the island's most famous landmark.^[15][42] Saint Lucia is also home to the world's only drive-in volcano, the Sulphur Springs. There are a number of small islands off the coast, the largest of which are the Maria Islands, located in the south-east of the island.

Saint Lucia lies at latitude 14° N and longitude 61° W. The population tends to be concentrated around the coast, with the interior more sparsely populated, due to the presence of dense forests.^[15][42] Many species are endemic to the island, including the Anolis luciae, a species of lizard,^[43][44] and the Boa orophias, a species of boid snake.

Saint Lucia has five terrestrial ecoregions: Windward Islands moist forests, Leeward Islands dry forests, Windward Islands dry forests, Windward Islands xeric scrub, and Lesser Antilles mangroves.^[45] The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.17/10, ranking it 84th globally out of 172 countries.^[46]

Climate

Saint Lucia has a tropical climate, specifically a tropical rainforest climate (Af), moderated by northeast trade winds, with a dry season from 1 December to 31 May, and a wet/rainy season from 1 June to 30 November.

Average daytime and nighttime temperatures are around 30 °C (86.0 °F), and 24 °C (75.2 °F) respectively. Being fairly close to the equator, the island's temperature does not fluctuate much between winter and summer.

Geology

The geology of St. Lucia can be described as composing three main areas. The oldest, 16–18

Saint Lucia is made up of 10 districts. The districts were created and named by French colonials, and the British chose to keep the names in an anglicised form. The largest district in both size and population is Castries, where the nation's capital of the same name is located. The following are the 10 districts placed in alphabetical order:

• Anse la Raye
• Canaries
• Castries
• Choiseul
• Dennery
• Gros Islet
• Laborie
• Micoud
• Soufrière
• Vieux Fort

Law and crime

Main article:

British Privy Council was Saint Lucia's final court of appeal. Since 2023 it has been replaced by the Caribbean Court of Justice.^[50]

Saint Lucia's homicide rate has hit record highs in recent years. There were 75 homicides in 2021, a 34.5% increase compared with 55 homicides in 2020. 2021 saw the island record the most homicides in its history, and also its highest murder rate in its history, at 40 murders per 100,000 people.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia is a member of the

US invasion of Grenada in 1983, and voted against condemning the invasion. Saint Lucia became the 152nd member of the United Nations on 18 September 1979.^[55]

Saint Lucia does not have a military although the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has a Special Service Unit (SSU) and a Coast Guard. The island signed the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2018.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia is a

industrial and agricultural sectors at 10.9% and 2.2%, respectively.^[3]

Saint Lucia has been able to attract foreign business and investment due to its educated workforce and improvements in roads, communications, water supply, sewerage, and port facilities. Like most small islands, Tourism and offshore banking are Saint Lucia's main sources of revenue.[58] Agriculture, specifically the banana industry, was previously the largest sector of the economy, although its importance has declined significantly. The island's manufacturing sector has been called the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean, with goods such as plastic being produced on a large scale.

Saint Lucia's currency is the

CARICOM

countries.

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Saint Lucia

Tourism is the largest contributor to Saint Lucia's economy. Tourist numbers tend to be more substantial during the dry season (January to April), often referred to as the tourist season. Saint Lucia's tropical weather, scenery, beaches and resorts have made it a popular tourist destination, with 1.29 million visitors arriving in 2019.^[59]

Some of Saint Lucia's tourist attractions include the

The Pitons

.

Agriculture

The agricultural sector was once the main contributor to Saint Lucia's economy. This was especially thanks to the exporting of bananas. However, its importance to the economy has declined significantly, in part due to increased competition from South American countries in the banana industry. Nevertheless, agriculture is still an important part of the country's economy, providing 7.9% of jobs and contributing to 2.2% of the GDP in 2021.

About 18% of land is used for agricultural practices.^[60] Bananas remain the main agricultural product grown in Saint Lucia, as well as coconuts, cocoa beans, mangoes, avocados, vegetables, citrus fruits, and root crops such as yams and sweet potatoes.

Saint Lucia also has a small livestock sector, which is dominated by poultry. The island is self-sufficient in egg production and production of poultry and pork has increased in recent years. Fishing has also been of considerable importance to the nation's economy.

Infrastructure

Saint Lucia has a wide ranging public bus network which covers most of the island. Busses are owned by private individuals, whilst the government is responsible for setting up routes and hubs. The road network covers most of the island, although some rural areas still lack access to proper roads.

The island has two airports, including one International airport. Cruising and yachting are very important to the country's economy, with the main sea port being located in Castries, while the main marina is located in Rodney Bay. Meanwhile, the nation's main oil refinery is located in Bexon.^[61]

The main source of electricity in Saint Lucia is

wind

energy to the island.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Saint Lucia

A census is normally held in Saint Lucia every 10 years. In the 2010 census, Saint Lucia reported a population of 165,595 in 58,920 households.^[62] This was a 5.1% increase from the 157,490 recorded at the previous census in 2001.^[63] Ages 0–14 made up 24.1% of the population whilst those 65 and over made up 8.6%. Nearly 40% of the island's population lived in the District of Castries, where the nation's capital of the same name is located.

Saint Lucia had a fertility rate of 1.4 children per woman in 2021, the lowest in the Americas. This is much lower than in 1990, when the birth rate was 3.4 children per woman, and significantly lower than in 1959, when the birth rate peaked at 6.98 children per woman.^[64] Most emigration from Saint Lucia is primarily to Anglophone countries, with the United Kingdom having almost 10,000 Saint Lucian-born citizens, and over 30,000 of Saint Lucian heritage. The United States is home to many Saint Lucians, especially areas such as Miami and New York City. Canada is also home to many Saint Lucians, and especially in the French-speaking province of Quebec in the city of Montréal. The median age of Saint Lucians was 33.1 years in 2021.

Ethnic groups

Saint Lucia was originally populated by

Indo-Caribbean persons (2.2%), whites (0.6%), and Indigenous Persons (0.6%). A small number of Kalinago live in the Choiseul region and in other towns on the western coast. There is also a small population of Lebanese and Syrians.^[65]

Languages

The official language of Saint Lucia is English. However, there are other widely spoken languages on the island, namely

Saint Lucian French Creole (Kwéyòl). Referred to colloquially as Patois ("Patwa"), it is spoken by a majority of the population. It is related to Haitian Creole which has nonetheless a number of distinctive features.^[66]

It developed during the early period of French colonisation and is derived chiefly from French and West African languages. There have been some attempts to make the language official, but they have not yet been successful.

Religion

Religion in Saint Lucia (2010 census)[3]

  Christianity (90.3%)

  Irreligion (5.9%)

  Rastafari (1.9%)

  Other Religions (0.5%)

  Not Stated (1.4%)

In the 2010 census, a majority of Saint Lucians identified as Christians. This can be traced back to the nation's colonization by French and British settlers. Due to heavy French influence, most Christians on the island are

Rastafari movement

. The number of residents claiming no religion stood at 5.9% in 2010.

There is no state religion in Saint Lucia. The nation's constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits forcing persons to take oath to any religion in which they do not follow. Religious groups are also guaranteed the freedom to establish places of education.^[67]

Education

Further information: Education in Saint Lucia

Most primary and secondary schools in Saint Lucia are operated by the government. Education is free and compulsory for children aged 5 to 15. This includes 7 years of primary school and 3 to 5 years of secondary school.^[68] In the last two years of secondary school, students are allowed to choose the subjects that they would like to do, in preparation for regional CSEC examinations. In 2020, public spending on education was at 3.6%.^[69]

Tertiary educational facilities on the island are normally private institutions. These include

International American University. However, there are still a few public institutions, including the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and the University of the West Indies

.

Healthcare

Main article: Health in Saint Lucia

Health services in Saint Lucia are split between the government and private institutions. The island is served by 2 public hospitals and multiple health centers, although most dental and vision services are private. Public expenditure on healthcare stood at 2.1% in 2019.

In 2021, life expectancy was at 71.1 years (67.8 for men and 74.7 for women). This was compared to 73.4 years in 2019.^[70] The drop in life expectancy was largely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Saint Lucia

The culture of Saint Lucia has been influenced by African, East Indian, French, and English heritage. The main secondary language of the island is

Nobel Prize in Economics in 1979,^[72] and the poet Derek Walcott, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992.^[73]

Saint Lucia has two flower festivals, the La Rose festival, celebrated on 30 August, and the La Marguerite festival, celebrated on 17 October. Every summer, the island hosts a carnival as a way to present the country's culture and music. Annually, there are normally many festivals, most of them being music related.

Media

Main articles: List of newspapers in Saint Lucia and Radio Caribbean International

Music

Main article: Music of Saint Lucia

Saint Lucian music is heavily influenced by elements of

Saint Lucia Jazz Festival

is held annually, and the festival is a major source of revenue for the country's economy.

Food

Main article: Saint Lucian cuisine

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Saint Lucian cuisine is a mix of American, European, Indian and Caribbean dishes.

green figs

and saltfish.

Sports

Main article: Sport in Saint Lucia

Like most Caribbean islands, cricket is the most popular sport in Saint Lucia. The

West Indies regional tournament. Daren Sammy became the first Saint Lucian to represent the West Indies on his debut in 2007, and was made captain in 2010.^[75] Sailing is also a major sport in Saint Lucia, with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) race beginning in the Canary Islands and ending on the island. Other sports that are popular on the island include football, basketball, tennis, golf and volleyball. Karate and boxing

have also seen increased popularity in recent years.

See also

• British African-Caribbean people
• Chief Justice of the Leeward Islands
• Index of Saint Lucia-related articles
• List of Caribbean islands
• List of colonial governors and administrators of Saint Lucia
• List of Saint Lucians
• Outline of Saint Lucia
• West Indies Federation

Notes

1. ^ See List of countries by Nobel laureates per capita for more information.

References

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Sources

• Harmsen, Jolien; Ellis, Guy; Devaux, Robert (2014). A History of St Lucia. Vieux Fort: Lighthouse Road.
  ISBN 9789769534001
  .
•  This article incorporates public domain material from "Saint Lucia".
  CIA
  .

External links

• Official website
• Wikimedia Atlas of Saint Lucia
• Saint Lucia at
  Curlie
• Saint Lucia from UCB Libraries GovPubs
• St. Lucia from the BBC News
• Key Development Forecasts for Saint Lucia from International Futures
• Office of the Prime Minister