Saint Lucia (IPA: [seɪnt 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 the island switched between British and French control so often it was likened to the mythical
Helen of Troy.
Saint Lucia is one of the Windward Islands, named for 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 then took control of
the island from 1663-1667 before going to war with France over it fourteen times. The British finally took complete control of
the island 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 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
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Politics
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- See also: Foreign relations of Saint
Lucia
As a Commonwealth Realm, Saint Lucia recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as the Head of State of
Saint Lucia, represented on the island by a Governor-General. Executive power, however, is in the hands of the prime
minister and his cabinet. The prime minister is normally the head of the party winning
the elections for the House of Assembly, which has 17 seats. The other
chamber of Parliament, the Senate, has 11 appointed members.
Saint Lucia is a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean
States (OECS).
Quarters
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Saint Lucia is divided into eleven quarters:
- Anse la Raye
- Canaries
- Castries
- Choiseul
- Dennery
- Gros Islet
- Laborie
- Micoud
- Soufrière
- Vieux Fort
Geography
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The volcanic island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than many other Caribbean islands, with the highest point being Mount Gimie, at 950
metres above sea level. Two other mountains, the Pitons, form the
island's most famous landmark. They are located between Soufrière and
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, moderated by northeast trade winds, with a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from May to November.
Economy
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The recent change in the European Union import preference regime and the increased
competition from Latin American bananas 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 GDP growth should recover in the future.
Demographics
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The small population of Saint Lucia is of mostly African descent (upwards of 90% of the population). There is also a small but
economically significant mulatto minority representing approximately 5%, with an
Indo-Caribbean minority of some 3%. Just 1.1% are of pure European origin (descendants of
French, British, and Irish colonists). Rounding out the population are small numbers of Lebanese and Syrians. The official
language of the country is English, but Kwéyòl a Creole which has evolved from French, Carib and elements of African languages is spoken by 90% of the population. Saint Lucia is a member of La
Francophonie.
St. Lucia boasts the highest ratio in the world for number of Nobel laureates produced
with respect to the total population of the nation. Two winners have come from St. Lucia: 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 not in the same year.
Religion
The majority of the population are Roman Catholics (c.68%). Seventh-day Adventists (9%), Pentecostalists (6%), Anglicans (2%), Evangelicals (2%) and Rastafari (2%) account for the
remainder [1].
Culture
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- See also: Derek Walcott and Music of Saint Lucia
The culture of Saint Lucia is rich in history. The culture has been influenced by African, French and English heritage. One of
the secondary languages is Kreole, a form of 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 clearly 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 and
reggae, Saint Lucia has a strong indigenous folk music tradition.
Each May since 1992, Saint Lucia has hosted an internationally-renowned Jazz
Festival.
Tourism
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Second only to bahamas, tourism is vital to St. Lucia's
economy and it is expected that economic importance of tourism will 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 for its large number of beaches and resorts.
Other tourist attractions include the world's only drive-in volcano, Sulfur Springs (at Soufriere), the Botanical Gardens,
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.
With its white beaches and spectacular scenery, St. Lucia is a very popular location for weddings; close to 3,500 (an average of nearly ten per day) took place in 2006.[2]
Gallery
Gros Piton seen from the Ladera Hotel restaurant – September 2007
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Petit Piton seen from the Ladera Hotel restaurant – December 2004
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View from Pigeon Point (Fort Rodney) – 2006
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Soufrière Bay – February 2006
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Unspoiled St Lucia beach – February 2006
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Typical sight in Canaries: houses on hills – June 2006
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View from a hilltop overlooking a beach resort – June 2006
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View from the Le Sport resort – March 2006
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See also
External links
