Brazil 68%, US 11.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.4% (2008)
Debt - external:
$257 million (2004)
country comparison to the world: 176
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006),
2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
Communications ::Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use:
40,900 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 168
Telephones - mobile cellular:
169,600 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 174
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: country code - 1-758; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic
System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF)
submarine cables, along with Intelsat from Martinique, carry calls
internationally; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique
and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to
Barbados
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (1 commercial broadcast station and 1 community antenna television
or CATV channel) (2003)
Internet country code:
.lc
Internet hosts:
103 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 198
Internet users:
100,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 155
Transportation ::Saint Lucia
Airports:
2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 201
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 1,210 km (2002)
country comparison to the world: 180
Ports and terminals:
Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort
Military ::Saint Lucia
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes
Special Service Unit and Coast Guard) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 48,358 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 32,094
females age 16-49: 36,110 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,607
female: 1,511 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Transnational Issues ::Saint Lucia
Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs:
transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Saint Martin (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Martin
Background:
Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for
Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set
about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in
1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally
relinquished St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it
amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane introduced
slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not
abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the
tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and
1980s. In 2003, the populace of St. Martin voted to secede from
Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a
French overseas collectivity.
Geography ::Saint Martin
Location:
island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
18 05 N, 63 57 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 54.4 sq km
country comparison to the world: 230
land: 54.4 sq km
water: NEGL
Area - comparative:
more than one-third the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km
Coastline:
58.9 km (for entire island)
Climate:
temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity,
gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-November is
the hurricane season
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m
Natural resources:
salt
Environment - current issues:
fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water
Geography - note:
the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world
shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint
Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten
People ::Saint Martin
Population:
29,820 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 3,991/female 4,048)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 9,596/female 10,532)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 742/female 911) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.5 years
male: 29.5 years
female: 31.3 years (2009 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Ethnic groups:
creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia),
white, East Indian
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu
Languages:
French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish,
Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles)
Government ::Saint Martin
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
conventional short form: Saint Martin
local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin
local short form: Saint-Martin
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
Capital:
name: Marigot
geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during
Standard Time)
daylight savings: +1 hour
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day
(Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007),
represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Frantz
GUMBS (since 5 May 2009)
cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory
economic, social, and cultural council
election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is
elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term
election results: Frantz GUMBS elected president by the Territorial
Council on 7 August 2008 but election was declared invalid on 10
April 2009
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)
election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%,
Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir
Saint-Martin 1
note: Saint Martin elects one seat to the French Senate; election
last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014);
results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1
Political parties and leaders:
Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement
Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir
Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy ::Saint Martin
Economy - overview:
The economy of Saint Martin centers around tourism with 85% of the
labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come
to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess
Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No significant
agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food
must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also
imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States. Saint Martin
is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean.
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry
Industries:
tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry
Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, food, manufactured items
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964
(2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communications ::Saint Martin
Telephone system:
general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems
international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable
provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2007)
Internet country code:
.mf; note - .gp, the internet country code for Guadeloupe, and .fr,
the internet country code for France, might also be encountered
Transportation ::Saint Martin
Airports:
1 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 226
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Transportation - note:
nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana
International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten
Military ::Saint Martin
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,336
females age 16-49: 6,925 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 177
female: 162 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
page last updated on September 22, 2009
======================================================================
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon (North America)
Introduction ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Background:
First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands
represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North
American possessions.
Geography ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Location:
Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south
of Newfoundland (Canada)
Geographic coordinates:
46 50 N, 56 20 W
Map references:
North America
Area:
total: 242 sq km
country comparison to the world: 213
land: 242 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the
Miquelon groups
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
120 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy
Terrain:
mostly barren rock
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m
Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land: 12.5%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.5% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:
recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and
Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the
environment
Geography - note:
vegetation scanty
People ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Population:
7,051 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 227
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.9% (male 788/female 756)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 2,378/female 2,312)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 379/female 438) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.2 years
male: 34.6 years
female: 35.7 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.085% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Birth rate:
12.76 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Death rate:
6.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Net migration rate:
-4.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Urbanization:
urban population: 89% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.87 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 170
male: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.07 years
country comparison to the world: 34
male: 76.69 years
female: 81.57 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.97 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French
Ethnic groups:
Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Languages:
French (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1982 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and
Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
Dependency status:
self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Saint-Pierre
geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends
first Sunday in November
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France); note - there are
no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at
the second order
Independence:
none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French
control since 1763)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007);
represented by Prefect Jean-Pierre BERCOT (since 28 July 2008)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Stephane
ARTANO (since 21 February 2007)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held 6 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012);
prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is
elected by the members of the council
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil Territorial (19 seats, 15
from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon; members are elected by
popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 in March 2006 (next to be
held in March 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD
16, Cap sur l'Avenir 2, SPM 2000/AM 1
note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect one seat to the French Senate;
elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September
2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP
1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects one seat to the French
National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 10 June 2007,
second round - 17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Left Radical Party 1
Judicial branch:
Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
Archipelago Tomorrow or AD affiliated with UDF/RPR list; Cap sur
l'Avenir affiliated with PRG; Left Radical Party or PRG;
Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Saint Pierre and
Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM; Socialist Party or PS;
Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
a yellow three-masted sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a
blue background with scattered, white, wavy lines under the ship; a
continuous black-over-white wavy line divides the ship from the
white wavy lines; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into
three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green
diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross
dividing the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a
white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red
background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one
above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by
colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy
note: the flag of France used for official occasions
Economy ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Economy - overview:
The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by
fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of
Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of
disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the
number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration
panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km
to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although
it represents only 25% of what France had sought. France heavily
subsidizes the islands to the great betterment of living standards.
The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic
prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being
developed to diversify the local economy. Recent test drilling for
oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$48.3 million (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 223
note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60
million
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,000 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
3,450 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 215
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 18%
industry: 41%
services: 41% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
10.3% (1999)
country comparison to the world: 125
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million (1996 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.1% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 127
Agriculture - products:
vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Industries:
fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
53 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Electricity - consumption:
49.29 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Oil - imports:
563.6 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 123
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Exports:
$5.5 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and
crustaceans, fox and mink pelts
Imports:
$68.2 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
Imports - commodities:
meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building
materials
Debt - external:
$NA
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007),
0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communications ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Telephones - main lines in use:
4,800 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 213
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with
most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French
domestic satellite system
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (2 repeaters rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US)
(1997)
Internet country code:
.pm
Internet hosts:
0 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 231
Transportation ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Airports:
2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 200
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 117 km
country comparison to the world: 212
paved: 80 km
unpaved: 37 km (2000)
Ports and terminals:
Saint-Pierre
Military ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,427
females age 16-49: 1,406 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 61
female: 57 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues ::Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on November 10, 2009
======================================================================
@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Background:
Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent
until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most
of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783.
Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a
separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies.
Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.
Geography ::Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates:
13 15 N, 61 12 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)
country comparison to the world: 202
land: 389 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
84 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May
to November)
Terrain:
volcanic, mountainous
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, cropland
Land use:
arable land: 17.95%
permanent crops: 17.95%
other: 64.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)