13 53 N, 60 58 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 616 sq km land: 606 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:

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season 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: 6.45% permanent crops: 22.58% other: 70.97% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.01 per capita: 81 cu m/yr (1997)

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean

People
Saint Lucia

Population:

159,585 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.2% (male 20,614/female 19,559) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 50,897/female 54,140) 65 years and over: 9% (male 6,481/female 7,894) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.2 years male: 28.2 years female: 30.2 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.436% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

15.4 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

6.71 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-4.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.25 years male: 73.59 years female: 79.05 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.86 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: