_#_Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds;
dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August
_#_Terrain: volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
_#_Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice),
mineral springs, geothermal potential
_#_Land use: arable land 8%; permanent crops 20%; meadows and
pastures 5%; forest and woodland 13%; other 54%; includes irrigated 2%
_#_Environment: subject to hurricanes and volcanic activity;
deforestation; soil erosion
_#_Note: located 700 km southeast of Puerto Rico
_*_People
_#_Population: 153,075 (July 1991), growth rate 2.2% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 31 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: - 4 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 18 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 74 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun--Saint Lucian(s); adjective--Saint Lucian
_#_Ethnic divisions: African descent 90.3%, mixed 5.5%, East Indian
3.2%, Caucasian 0.8%
_#_Religion: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%
_#_Language: English (official), French patois
_#_Literacy: 67% (male 65%, female 69%) age 15 and over having ever
attended school (1980)
_#_Labor force: 43,800; agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry
and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)
_#_Organized labor: 20% of labor force
_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: none
_#_Type: parliamentary democracy
_#_Capital: Castries
_#_Administrative divisions: 11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries,
Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin,
Soufriere, Vieux-Fort
_#_Independence: 22 February 1979 (from UK)
_#_Constitution: 22 February 1979
_#_Legal system: based on English common law
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
_#_Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime
minister, Cabinet
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper
house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
_#_Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Acting Governor General Sir Stanislaus Anthony JAMES
(since 10 October 1988);
Head of Government--Prime Minister John George Melvin COMPTON
(since 3 May 1982)
_#_Political parties and leaders:
United Workers' Party (UWP), John COMPTON;
Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Julian HUNTE;
Progressive Labor Party (PLP), George ODLUM
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
House of Assembly--last held 6 April 1987 (next to be held by
April 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(17 total) UWP 10, SLP 7
_#_Communists: negligible
_#_Member of: ACCT (associate), ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL,
LORCS, NAM, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WMO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS;
Chancery at Suite 309, 2100 M Street NW, Washington DC 30037;
telephone (202) 463-7378 or 7379; there is a Saint Lucian Consulate
General in New York;