Saint Lucia 27208 225720680 2008-07-15T02:03:51Z Chensiyuan 292299 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 225718398 by [[Special:Contributions/69.206.70.28|69.206.70.28]] ([[User talk:69.206.70.28|talk]]) {{otheruses}} {{Infobox Country |native_name = Saint Lucia<br> |common_name = Saint Lucia |image_flag = Flag of Saint Lucia.svg |image_coat = St Lucia coa.gif |image_map = LocationSaintLucia.png |national_motto = "The Land, The People, The Light" |national_anthem = ''[[Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia]]'' |official_languages = [[English language|English]] |demonym = Saint Lucian |capital = [[Castries]] |latd=14 |latm=1 |latNS=N |longd=60 |longm=59 |longEW=W |largest_city = capital |government_type = [[Parliamentary system|Parliamentary democracy]] and [[Constitutional monarchy]] |leader_title1 = [[Monarch of Saint Lucia|Queen]] |leader_name1 = [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Elizabeth II]] |leader_title2 = [[Governor-General of Saint Lucia|Governor-General]] |leader_name2 = [[Dame Pearlette Louisy]] |leader_title3 = [[Prime Minister of Saint Lucia|Prime Minister]] |leader_name3 = [[Stephenson King]] |sovereignty_type = [[Independence]] |established_event1 = {{nowrap|from the [[United Kingdom]]}} |established_date1 = [[22 February]] [[1979]] |area_rank = 193rd |area_magnitude = |area_km2 = 620 |area_sq_mi = 239 |percent_water = 1.6 |population_estimate = |population_estimate_rank = 187th |population_estimate_year = |population_census = 160,765 |population_census_year = 2005 |population_density_km2 = 298 |population_density_sq_mi = 672 |population_density_rank = 41st |GDP_PPP = $866 million |GDP_PPP_rank = 197th |GDP_PPP_year = 2002 |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $5,950 |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 98th |HDI = {{increase}} 0.795 |HDI_rank = 72nd |HDI_year = 2007 |HDI_category = <font color="#fc0">medium</font> |currency = [[East Caribbean dollar]] |currency_code = XCD |time_zone = |utc_offset = -4 |time_zone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |cctld = [[.lc]] |calling_code = 1 758 }} '''Saint Lucia''' ({{pronEng|ˌseɪnt ˈluːʃɪə}}) is an [[island nation]] in the eastern [[Caribbean Sea]] on the boundary with the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. Part of the [[Lesser Antilles]], it is located north of the islands of [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]], northwest of [[Barbados]] and south of [[Martinique]]. It is also known as the "Helen of the West Indies" because it switched between British and French control so often it was likened to the mythical [[Helen|Helen of Troy]]. Saint Lucia is one of the [[Windward Islands]], named for [[Saint Lucy|Saint Lucy of Syracuse]]. It was first visited by Europeans in about the year 1500 and first colonized successfully by [[France]] who signed a treaty with the native [[Carib]] peoples in 1660. [[Great Britain]] took control of the island from 1663 to 1667 then went to war with France over it fourteen times, and finally took complete control in 1814. Representative government came about in 1924 (with universal adult [[suffrage]] from 1953) and from 1958 to 1962 the island was a member of the [[West Indies Federation|Federation of the West Indies]]. Finally, on [[February 22]], [[1979]], Saint Lucia became an independent state of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. The island nation celebrates this every year with a public holiday. == History == {{main|History of Saint Lucia}} == Politics == <!--Please add new information to relevant articles of the series--> [[Image:Flag of the OECS.svg|thumb|left|Saint Lucia is a full member of [[Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States|the OECS and home to its headquarters]]]] {{main|Politics of Saint Lucia}} {{seealso|Foreign relations of Saint Lucia}} As a [[Commonwealth realm]], Saint Lucia recognizes [[Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] as the [[Head of State]] of Saint Lucia, represented on the island by a [[Governor-General]]. [[executive branch|Executive power]], however, is in the hands of the [[prime minister]] and his [[cabinet (government)|cabinet]]. The prime minister is normally the head of the party winning the elections for the [[House of Assembly of Saint Lucia|House of Assembly]], which has 17 seats. The other chamber of [[Parliament of Saint Lucia|Parliament]], the [[Senate of Saint Lucia|Senate]], has 11 appointed members. Saint Lucia is a full and participating member of the [[Caribbean Community|Caribbean Community (CARICOM)]] and the [[Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States]] (OECS). == Quarters == [[Image:Sainte-Lucie - districts numérotés.png|thumb|Quarters of Saint Lucia]] {{main|Quarters of Saint Lucia}} Saint Lucia is divided into 11 quarters: # [[Anse la Raye Quarter|Anse la Raye]] # [[Canaries Quarter|Canaries]] # [[Castries Quarter|Castries]] # [[Choiseul Quarter|Choiseul]] # [[Dennery Quarter|Dennery]] # [[Central Forest Reserve (Saint Lucia)|Forest]] # [[Gros Islet Quarter|Gros Islet]] # [[Laborie Quarter|Laborie]] # [[Micoud Quarter|Micoud]] # [[Soufrière Quarter|Soufrière]] # [[Vieux Fort Quarter|Vieux Fort]] [[Image:Saint Lucia geography map en.png|thumb|left|Map of Saint Lucia. See also: [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Saint_Lucia Atlas of Saint Lucia]]] == Geography == {{main|Geography of Saint Lucia}} The [[Volcano|volcanic]] island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than many other [[Caribbean]] islands, with the highest point being [[Mount Gimie]], at {{convert|950|m|ft|-1}} above sea level. Two other mountains, the [[Pitons]], form the island's most famous landmark. They are located between [[Soufrière, Saint Lucia|Soufrière]] and [[Choiseul, Saint Lucia|Choiseul]] on the western side of the island. Saint Lucia is also one of the few islands in the world that boasts a drive-in volcano. The capital city of Saint Lucia is [[Castries]], where about one third of the population lives. Major towns include [[Gros Islet]], [[Soufrière]] and [[Vieux Fort]]. The local [[climate]] is [[tropical climate|tropical]], moderated by northeast [[trade wind]]s, with a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from May to December. == Economy == {{main|Economy of Saint Lucia}} The recent change in the [[European Union]] import preference regime and the increased competition from [[Latin America]]n [[banana]]s have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and [[tourism]] industries, which is the island's main source of revenue. The [[manufacturing]] sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry. Despite negative growth in 2001, economic fundamentals remain solid, and [[Gross Domestic Product|GDP]] growth should recover in the future. == Demographics == {{main|Demographics of Saint Lucia}} The population of Saint Lucia is of mostly [[African]] descent (82.5% of the population). There is a significant [[Multiracial|Mixed]] minority representing 11.9%, and with a [[Indo-Caribbean]] or East Indian groups at 2.4% and the small European origin minority (descendants of French, British, and Irish colonists). Other or unspecified ethnicity accounts for 3.1%. There are small numbers of [[Lebanon|Lebanese]], [[Syria]]ns and Chinese. The official language is [[English language|English]], but a [[creole language]] called [[Antillean Creole|Kwéyòl]]aka is spoken by 80% of the population. It evolved from [[French language|French]], [[Carib language|Carib]] and elements of [[African languages]]. Saint Lucia is a member of ''La [[Francophonie]]''. St. Lucia boasts the highest ratio in the world for number of [[Nobel Prize|Nobel]] laureates produced with respect to the total population of the nation. Two winners have come from St. Lucia: [[Arthur Lewis (economist)|Sir Arthur Lewis]] won the [[Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel|Nobel Prize in Economics]] in 1979, and [[Derek Walcott]] received the [[Nobel Prize in Literature]] in 1992. Both were born on January 23rd, but in different years. About 70% of the population is [[Roman Catholic]]. The rest are [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]]s (7%), [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostalists]] (6%), [[Anglican]]s (2%), [[Evangelical Christianity|Evangelicals]] (2%) and [[Rastafari movement|Rastafari]] (2%).<ref>[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0855613.html infoplease.com] </ref> Migration from Saint Lucia is primarily to [[Anglophone]] countries, with the [[United Kingdom]] (see [[Saint Lucian British]]) having almost 10,000 Saint Lucian born citizens, and over 30,000 of Saint Lucian heritage. The second most popular destination for Saint Lucian expatriates is the [[United States]], where combined (foreign and national born Saint Lucians) almost 14,000 reside. [[Canada]] is home to a few thousand Saint Lucians, whilst most other countries is the world have less than 50 citizens of Saint Lucian origin (the exceptions being [[Spain]] and [[France]] with 124 and 117 Saint Lucian expats respectively).<ref>http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/18/23/34792376.xls</ref> == Culture == [[Image:St-lucia-Canaries.ogg|thumb|300px|Video showing daily life in Canaries, a fishing village, from [http://www.ianandwendy.com/st-lucia here]]] {{main|Culture of Saint Lucia}} {{seealso|Derek Walcott|Music of Saint Lucia}} The culture of Saint Lucia has been influenced by African, French and English heritage. One of the secondary languages is [[Antillean Creole|Kreole]], a form of [[French language|French]] [[patois]]. ;Festivals Saint Lucian cultural festivals include La Rose and La Marguerite, the one representing the [[Rosicrucian]] order, the other one representing [[Freemasonry]], which can be seen on a mural painted by Dunstan St. Omer, depicting the holy [[trinity]] of [[Osiris]], [[Horus]] and [[Isis]]. Traditionally, in common with other Caribbean countries, Saint Lucia held a [[carnival]] before [[Lent]]. In 1999, it was moved to mid-July in order to not to coincide with the much larger [[Trinidad and Tobago carnival]], so as to attract more overseas visitors. ;Music and dance A popular folk dance is the [[Quadrille]]. As well as other Caribbean music genres such as [[soca]], [[zouk]], [[kompa]], and [[reggae]], Saint Lucia has a strong indigenous folk music tradition. Each May since 1992, Saint Lucia has hosted an internationally-renowned [[Saint Lucia Jazz Festival|Jazz Festival]]. == Tourism == {{mainarticle|Tourism in Saint Lucia}} Tourism is vital to St. Lucia's economy and the economic importance of such is expected to continue to increase as the market for bananas becomes more competitive. Tourism tends to be more substantial during the dry season (January to April). St Lucia tends to be popular due to its tropical weather and scenery and its large number of beaches and resorts. Other tourist attractions include the world's only drive-in [[volcano]], [[Sulfur Springs]] (at Soufriere), the [[St Lucia Botanical Gardens|Botanical Gardens]], the rain forests and Pigeon Island National Park, which is home to Fort Rodney, an old British military base. The majority of tourists visit St. Lucia as part of a cruise. Most of their time tends to be spent in [[Castries]], although [[Soufriere]], [[Marigot Bay]] and [[Gros Islet]] are popular locations to visit. Tourists should venture from the beaten path of shops and beaches and explore the beautiful nature of St. Lucia. [[Marigot Bay]] is where second homes to some stars like [[George Foreman]] and [[Mick Jagger]] are situated. ==Gallery== <center><gallery> Image:GrosPiton.JPG|Gros Piton seen from the Ladera Hotel restaurant – September 2007 Image:PetitPiton.JPG|Petit Piton seen from the Ladera Hotel restaurant – December 2004 Image:Lucia_079.jpg|View from Pigeon Point (Fort Rodney) – 2006 Image:MarigoldBay.jpg|Soufrière Bay – February 2006 Image:AtlanticBeach.jpg|Unspoiled St Lucia beach – February 2006 Image:Day248bdrivem.JPG|Typical sight in Canaries: houses on hills – June 2006 Image:saint lucia mountain resort.JPG|View from a hilltop overlooking a beach resort – June 2006 Image:Day248bdriveq.JPG|[[Soufrière, Saint Lucia|Soufrière]] – June 2006 Image:saint lucia beach.JPG|Beach resort – June 2006 Image:St lucia z.jpg|View from the Le Sport resort – March 2006 Image:St Lucia Tour-17-Marigot Bay.jpg|View of Marigot Bay - December 2007 </gallery></center> == See also == * [[Communications in Saint Lucia]] * [[Foreign relations of Saint Lucia]] * [[List of cities in Saint Lucia]] * [[Military of Saint Lucia]] * [[Saint Lucia National Emergency Management Organisation|National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO)]] * [[Tourism in Saint Lucia]] * [[Transport in Saint Lucia]] * [[The Saint Lucia Scout Association]] * [[Saint Lucian diplomatic missions]] * [[Sports in Saint Lucia]] * [[List of Saint Lucians]] * [[States headed by Elizabeth II]] ==References== {{reflist}} == External links == * [http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/ Official website of the Government of Saint Lucia] * {{PDFlink|[http://www.stats.gov.lc/Environ.pdf Compendium of Environmental Statistics]|3.95&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 4152112 bytes -->}} * [http://www.sluswma.org/ Official Home of the Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority] * {{PDFlink|[http://www.stats.gov.lc/cenpub_f.pdf 2001 Population and Housing Census Report]|10.1&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 10618561 bytes -->}} * [http://www.slumet.gov.lc/ Official Website of Saint Lucia Met. Service] * [http://www.stlucia.org/ Portal of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board] * [http://www.stluciaforums.com/ St. Lucia Forums / Message Board] * [http://www.geographia.com/st-lucia/ Saint Lucia - Simply Beautiful] * [http://glacierbliss.com/ St. Lucia Pictures] * [http://cruiserfaqs.com/wiki/index.php5?title=St._Lucia A Cruisers Guide to St. Lucia] * [http://www.zerokarma.com/modules.php?name=Photo_Album&file=thumbnails&album=15 Pictures & Images of St. Lucia] * [http://www.worldaware.org.uk/education/projects/st_lucia/index.html Teaching Resources on St Lucia] * [http://www.tasstlucia.com/ The Technical Analysis Society of St. Lucia] * [http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/islands/sl/slmap.shtml Map of St. Lucia] * [http://www.ianandwendy.com/st-lucia Photos, videos, and travelogue from St. Lucia] {{Template group |title = Geographic locale |list = {{Countries and territories of the Caribbean}} {{Countries of North America}} }} {{Template group |title = International membership |list = {{Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)|state=collapsed}} {{Caribbean Community (CARICOM)|state=collapsed}} {{La Francophonie|state=collapsed}} {{Commonwealth of Nations}} }} {{Commonwealth Realms}} <!--Categories--> [[Category:Saint Lucia| ]]<!--Keep at start of list (eponymous category)--> [[Category:Lesser Antilles]] [[Category:CARICOM members]] [[Category:Island countries]] [[Category:Constitutional monarchies]] [[Category:English-speaking countries and territories]] [[Category:Members of the Commonwealth of Nations]] <!--Other languages--> [[af:St Lucia]] [[ar:سانت لوسيا]] [[an:Santa Luzía (Antillas)]] [[zh-min-nan:Sèng Lucia]] [[be-x-old:Сьвятая Люсія]] [[bs:Sveta Lucija]] [[bg:Сейнт Лусия]] [[ca:Saint Lucia]] [[cs:Svatá Lucie]] [[cy:Saint Lucia]] [[da:Saint Lucia]] [[de:St. Lucia]] [[et:Saint Lucia]] [[el:Αγία Λουκία]] [[es:Santa Lucía]] [[eo:Sankta Lucio]] [[eu:Santa Luzia]] [[fa:سنت لوسیا]] [[fr:Sainte-Lucie]] [[ga:San Lúisia]] [[gv:Noo Lucia]] [[gl:Santa Lucía - Saint Lucia]] [[ko:세인트루시아]] [[hr:Sveta Lucija (država)]] [[io:St Lucia]] [[id:Saint Lucia]] [[is:Sankti Lúsía]] [[it:Santa Lucia (stato)]] [[he:סנט לוסיה]] [[kw:Sen Lusia]] [[sw:Saint Lucia]] [[ht:Sent Lisi]] [[ku:Saint Lucia]] [[la:Sancta Lucia (civitas)]] [[lv:Sentlūsija]] [[lt:Sent Lusija]] [[lij:Santa Luçia (Naçioin)]] [[hu:Saint Lucia]] [[mk:Света Луција]] [[ms:Saint Lucia]] [[nah:Santa Lucía]] [[nl:Saint Lucia]] [[ja:セントルシア]] [[no:Saint Lucia]] [[nn:Saint Lucia]] [[oc:Santa Lúcia]] [[uz:Saint Lucia]] [[ps:سېنټ لوسيا]] [[pms:Santa Lussìa]] [[nds:St. Lucia]] [[pl:Saint Lucia]] [[pt:Santa Lúcia]] [[ro:Sfânta Lucia]] [[qu:Santa Lusiya]] [[ru:Сент-Люсия]] [[sa:सेंट लूसिया]] [[sq:Shën Lucia]] [[simple:Saint Lucia]] [[sk:Svätá Lucia (štát)]] [[sl:Saint Lucia]] [[sr:Света Луција (острво)]] [[sh:Sveta Lucija]] [[fi:Saint Lucia]] [[sv:Saint Lucia]] [[tl:Santa Lucia (bansa)]] [[th:ประเทศเซนต์ลูเซีย]] [[vi:Saint Lucia]] [[tr:Saint Lucia]] [[uk:Сент-Люсія]] [[wo:Saint Lucia]] [[bat-smg:Sent Liusėjė]] [[zh:圣卢西亚]]