chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David Leslie
SMALLMAN (since NA 1995)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio
officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (15 seats,
including the governor, 2 ex officio and 12 elected members; members
are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2001)
election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--independents 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: ICFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of
the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory
of the UK)
Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the
outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and
three-masted sailing ship
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy depends largely on financial
assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1998.
The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of
livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, a
large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment
overseas.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$13.9 million (FY94/95 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,000 (FY94/95 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 2,416 (1991 est.)
note: a large proportion of the work force has left to seek
employment overseas
Labor force--by occupation: professional, technical, and related
workers 8.7%, managerial, administrative, and clerical 12.8%, sales
people 8.1%, farmers, fishermen 5.4%, craftspersons, production
process workers 14.7%, others 50.3% (1987)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $11.2 million
expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY92/93)
Industries: crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 6 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 6 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish,
crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha)
Exports: $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports--commodities: fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried
skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts
Exports--partners: South Africa, UK
Imports: $14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995)
Imports--commodities: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal
feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and
parts
Imports--partners: UK, South Africa
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $12.6 million (1995); note?$5.3 million
from UK (1997)
Currency: 1 Saint Helenian pound (LS) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds (LS) per US$1--0.6057
(January 1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335
(1995), 0.6529 (1994); note--the Saint Helenian pound is at par with
the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 550
Telephone system:
domestic: automatic network; HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to
Ascension, then into worldwide submarine cable and satellite networks
international: major coaxial submarine cable relay point between
South Africa, Portugal, and UK at Ascension; satellite earth
stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 2,500 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Communications--note: Gough Island has a meteorological station
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha
NA km)
paved: 180.7 km (Saint Helena 98 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da
Cunha 2.70 km)
unpaved: NA km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da
Cunha NA km)
Ports and harbors: Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
======================================================================
@Saint Kitts and Nevis
---------------------
Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about
one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 17 20 N, 62 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 269 sq km
land: 269 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 135 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: subtropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little
seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain: volcanic with mountainous interiors
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 22%
permanent crops: 17%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 17%
other: 41% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to October)
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 42,838 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 7,178; female 6,826)
15-64 years: 61% (male 13,226; female 13,083)
65 years and over: 6% (male 1,020; female 1,505) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.34% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22.6 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.15 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.94 years
male: 64.87 years
female: 71.21 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.42 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Ethnic groups: black
Religions: Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic
Languages: English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis
former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Data code: SC
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Basseterre
Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola
Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George
Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capisterre, Saint John
Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Paul
Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint
Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point
Independence: 19 September 1983 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Constitution: 19 September 1983
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Dr. Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN
(since 1 January 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
with the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (14 seats, 11
popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 July 1995 (next to be held by July 2000)
election results: percent of vote by party--SKLNP 58%, PAM 41%; seats
by party--SKNLP 7, PAM 1, NRP 1, CCM 2
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint
Lucia) (one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts)
Political parties and leaders: People's Action Movement or PAM
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Edwards ERSTEIN
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; US interests are monitored by the
embassy in Bridgetown (Barbados)
Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by
a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black
band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower
triangle is red
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy has traditionally depended on the
growing and processing of sugarcane; decreasing world prices have
hurt the industry in recent years. Tourism, export-oriented
manufacturing, and offshore banking activity have assumed larger
roles. Most food is imported. The government has undertaken a
program designed to revitalize the faltering sugar sector. It is
also working to improve revenue collection in order to better fund
social programs. In 1997 some leaders in Nevis were urging
separation from Saint Kitts on the basis that Nevis was paying far
more in taxes than it was receiving in government services, but the
vote on cessation failed in August 1998. In late September 1998,
Hurricane Georges caused approximately $445 million in damages.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$235 million (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 6.3% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$6,000 (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.5%
industry: 22.5%
services: 72% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.3% (1997)
Labor force: 18,172 (June 1995)
Labor force--by occupation: services 69%, manufacturing 31%
Unemployment rate: 4% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $64.1 million
expenditures: $73.3 million, including capital expenditures of $10.4
million (1997 est.)
Industries: sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra,
clothing, footwear, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 81 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 81 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas;
fish
Exports: $43.7 million (1997)
Exports--commodities: machinery, food, electronics, beverages and
tobacco
Exports--partners: US 68.5%, UK 22.3%, Caricom nations 5.5% (1995
est.)
Imports: $129.6 million (1997)
Imports--commodities: machinery, manufactures, food, fuels
Imports--partners: US 42.4%, Caricom nations 17.2%, UK 11.3% (1995
est.)
Debt--external: $56 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $5.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000
(fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 3,800 (1986 est.)
Telephone system: good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone
connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint
Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)
domestic: interisland links are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone
international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to
Antigua and Barbuda and from there switched to submarine cable or to
Intelsat, or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands
Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 25,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are three
repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 9,500 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 58 km
narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
plantations (1995)
Highways:
total: 320 km
paved: 136 km
unpaved: 184 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Basseterre, Charlestown
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force,
Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment points for South American drugs
destined for the US
======================================================================
@Saint Lucia
-----------
Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 13 53 N, 60 68 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 620 sq km
land: 610 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area--comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 158 km
Maritime claims: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m
Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice),
mineral springs, geothermal potential
Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 21%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 13%
other: 53% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hurricanes and volcanic activity
Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion,
particularly in the northern region
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
People
Population: 154,020 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 26,068; female 25,359)
15-64 years: 61% (male 46,265; female 48,100)
65 years and over: 6% (male 3,097; female 5,131) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.09% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 21.63 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.55 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.81 years
male: 68.14 years
female: 75.74 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.27 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian
Ethnic groups: black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%
Languages: English (official), French patois
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 67%
male: 65%
female: 69% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Lucia
Data code: ST
Government type: constitutional monarchy
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)
National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Constitution: 22 February 1979
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September
1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Kenny ANTHONY (since 24 May 1997)
and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(an 11-member body, six appointed on the advice of the prime
minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and
two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups)
and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular
vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly--last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held
NA 2002)
election results: House of Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--SLP 16, UWP 1
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction
extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin
Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Political parties and leaders: United Workers Party or UWP
International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP,
C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Juliet
Elaine MALLET PHILLIP
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Saint Lucia; the Ambassador to Saint Lucia resides in
Bridgetown (Barbados)
Flag description: blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a
black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy remains vulnerable due to its heavy
dependence on banana production, which is subject to periodic
droughts and tropical storms. Increased competition from Latin
American bananas will probably further reduce market prices,
exacerbating Saint Lucia's need to diversify its economy in coming
years, e.g., by further expanding tourism, manufacturing, and
construction. In 1997, strong activity in tourism and other service
sectors offset the contraction in agriculture, manufacturing, and
construction sectors. Improvement in the construction sector and
growth of the tourism industry was expected to expand GDP in 1998.
The agriculture sector registered its fifth year of decline in 1997
primarily because of a severe decline in banana production.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$625 million (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.2% (1997)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,100 (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.7%
industry: 32.3%
services: 57% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.9% (1997)
Labor force: 43,800
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%,
industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $141.2 million
expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of
$25.1 million (FY97/98 est.)
Industries: clothing, assembly of electronic components,
beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing,
coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate: -8.9% (1997 est.)
Electricity--production: 110 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 110 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root
crops, cocoa
Exports: $70.1 million (1997)
Exports--commodities: bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables,
fruits, coconut oil
Exports--partners: UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995)
Imports: $292.4 million (1997)
Imports--commodities: food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery
and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels
Imports--partners: US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan
5%, Canada 4% (1995)
Debt--external: $159 million (1997)
Economic aid--recipient: $51.8 million (1995)
Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.7000
(fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 26,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados;
international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat
from Martinique
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 104,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (of which two are commercial
(1997)
Televisions: 26,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 1,210 km
paved: 63 km
unpaved: 1,147 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Castries, Vieux Fort
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes
Special Service Unit), Coast Guard
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $5 million (1991); note?for
police force
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2% (1991)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: transit point for South American drugs destined
for the US and Europe