Saint Lucia — map and facts

About Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia is a small island nation in the eastern Caribbean Sea, part of the Lesser Antilles and specifically the Windward Islands. It lies between Martinique to the north and Saint Vincent to the south. The capital is Castries, which is also the country's main port and commercial centre, home to roughly 70,000 people. The island's total population is approximately 185,000. Saint Lucia is an independent constitutional monarchy, with the British monarch as head of state represented by a governor-general, and a parliamentary system of government. The country became independent on 22 February 1979 and is a member of CARICOM and the Commonwealth. The economy is heavily dependent on tourism, which centres on the island's dramatic scenery, particularly the Piton mountains and the volcanic hot springs near Soufrière. Banana cultivation was historically important but declined sharply after the loss of preferential trade arrangements with the European Union. Saint Lucia has produced two Nobel laureates — economist Arthur Lewis and poet Derek Walcott — a remarkable distinction for a country of its size.

Geography and Landscape

Saint Lucia covers approximately 616 square kilometres, making it one of the larger Windward Islands. The island is of volcanic origin and has a mountainous, forested interior. The two Piton mountains on the southwestern coast — Gros Piton at 771 metres and Petit Piton at 743 metres — are the island's most iconic landmarks and together constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Qualibou volcanic complex in the south contains a drive-in volcano, sulphur springs, and boiling mud pools near the town of Soufrière. The Barre de l'Isle ridge runs north to south through the centre of the island, dividing it into windward and leeward coasts. The Atlantic coast to the east is rugged and wave-battered, while the Caribbean coast to the west is calmer, with sheltered bays and beaches. The Cul de Sac and Roseau valleys in the interior were historically important for banana and sugar cultivation. Rainforest covers much of the highlands, and the island receives significant rainfall, especially on the windward side.

History

Saint Lucia was originally inhabited by the Arawak people, who were later displaced by the Caribs. European settlement proved difficult in early years: English and French settlers alternated control of the island throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, earning it the nickname "Helen of the West Indies." The French established the first permanent European colony around 1660, and under French rule the plantation economy was developed using enslaved African labour, producing sugar, tobacco, and cotton. The island changed hands fourteen times between France and Britain before finally becoming a British possession under the Treaty of Paris in 1814. Enslaved people were emancipated in 1834. Saint Lucia was administered as part of the British Windward Islands colony. The island became an Associated State of the United Kingdom in 1967, gaining full control over internal affairs, and achieved full independence on 22 February 1979. The country's political life has been shaped by the alternating governments of the Saint Lucia Labour Party and the United Workers Party, both founded by prominent national figures of the mid-twentieth century.