Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia (sānt lOO'shu, –sēu) [key], island nation (2005 est. pop. 166,000), 238 sq mi (616 sq km), West Indies, one of the Windward Islands. The capital is Castries. Morne Gimie (3,145 ft/959 m high) and the twin pyramidal cones known as the Pitons are the most imposing landmarks. The country is often damaged by hurricanes. The population is largely of African descent and Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion, although there is a large Protestant minority. English is the official language, but a French patois is also widely spoken.

The economy is largely based on agriculture (bananas, cocoa, and other tropical products are exported) and tourism. Saint Lucia has moved to attract foreign investment to its offshore banking industry, and has diversified its industrial base to include light manufacturing, the assembly of electronic components, and oil refining and transshipment. The United States and France are the main trading partners.

The country is a parliamentary democracy with an 11-seat Senate and a 17-seat House of Assembly; the government is headed by a prime minister. The monarch of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, represented by a governor-general, is the head of state. Administratively, the country is divided into 11 districts.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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