THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: England and France contested Saint Lucia -- with its fine natural harbor at Castries and burgeoning sugar industry -- throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries, with possession changing 14 times; it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814 and became part of the British Windward Islands colony. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. In the mid-20th century, Saint Lucia joined the West Indies Federation (1958–1962) and in 1967 became one of the six members of the West Indies Associated States, with internal self-government. In 1979, Saint Lucia gained full independence.

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates: 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, D.C.
Land boundaries: total: 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 broad, fertile valleys
Elevation: highest point: Mount Gimie 948 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Land use: agricultural land: 16.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 11.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 53.7% (2023 est.)
other: 30% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries
Natural hazards: hurricanes volcanism: Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava-dome remnants associated with the Soufrière volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the volcanic-island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south
Geography - note: the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufrière, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean

Population: total: 168,462 (2025 est.)
male: 81,678
female: 86,784
Nationality: noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian
Ethnic groups: Black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)
Languages: English (official), Saint Lucian Creole
Religions: Roman Catholic 61.5%, Protestant 25.5% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 10.4%, Pentecostal 8.9%, Baptist 2.2%, Anglican 1.6%, Church of God 1.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), other Christian 3.4% (includes Evangelical 2.3% and Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), Rastafarian 1.9%, other 0.4%, none 5.9%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 15,505/female 14,607)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 54,260/female 57,747)
65 years and over: 15.4% (2024 est.) (male 11,752/female 14,167)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 50.9 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 26.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 24.3 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.1 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 40.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 38.4 years
female: 40.9 years
Population growth rate: 0.25% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 11.17 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries
Urbanization: urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 22,000 CASTRIES (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 44 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 76.7 years
female: 82.3 years
Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.83 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 97.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 96.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 96.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 2.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 3.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 3.1% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 6.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 4.23 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 97.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 92.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 93.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 2.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 7.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 6.2% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 19.7% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 9.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 5.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 13.1% (2025 est.)
male: 24.1% (2025 est.)
female: 2.6% (2025 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 12.7% national budget (2025 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 12 years (2023 est.)
female: 13 years (2023 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August
Land use: agricultural land: 16.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 4.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 11.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 53.7% (2023 est.)
other: 30% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 19.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 8.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 77,600 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.3% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 12.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 0 cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 30.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 300 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Lucia
etymology: believed to be named after Saint LUCY (Sainte ALOUSIE) of Syracuse by French sailors who were shipwrecked on the island on 13 December 1502, the saint's feast day
Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital: name: Castries
geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 61 00 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: in 1785, the village of Carenage was renamed Castries, after Charles Eugene Gabriel de La Croix de CASTRIES, who was then the French Minister of the Navy and Colonies
Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Anse-la-Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufrière, Vieux-Fort
Legal system: English common law
Constitution: history: previous 1958, 1960 (pre-independence); latest presented 20 December 1978, effective 22 February 1979
amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the House of Assembly membership in the final reading and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to various constitutional sections, such as those on fundamental rights and freedoms, government finances, the judiciary, and procedures for amending the constitution, require at least three-quarters majority vote by the House and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments approved by the House but rejected by the Senate require a majority of votes cast in a referendum
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Saint Lucia
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Acting Governor General Cyril Errol CHARLES (since 11 November 2021)
head of government: Prime Minister Philip J. PIERRE (since 28 July 2021)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by governor general
Legislative branch: legislature name: Houses of Parliament
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: House of Assembly
number of seats: 18 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 7/26/2021
parties elected and seats per party: Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) (13); United Workers Party (UWP) (2); Independents (2)
percentage of women in chamber: 10.5%
expected date of next election: December 2025
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: Senate
number of seats: 11 (all appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 8/17/2021
percentage of women in chamber: 54.5%
expected date of next election: December 2025
Judicial branch: highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
subordinate courts: magistrate's court
Political parties: Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLPUnited Workers Party or UWP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth DARIUS-CLARKE (since 7 June 2022)
chancery: 1629 K Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723
email address and website: embassydc@gosl.gov.lchttps://www.embassyofstlucia.org/
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia
International organization participation: ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 22 February 1979 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Flag: description: cerulean blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white bordermeaning: blue stands for the sky and sea, gold for sunshine and prosperity, and white and black for the ethnic composition of the island; the triangles represent Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the cone-shaped volcanic plugs that are a symbol of the island
National symbol(s): twin pitons (volcanic peaks), Saint Lucia parrot
National color(s): cerulean blue, gold, black, white
National anthem(s): title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: in use since 1745
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Pitons Management Area

Economic overview: upper middle-income, tourism-based Caribbean island economy; environmentally fragile; energy import-dependent; major banana producer; well-educated labor force; key infrastructure, IT, and communications investments
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $4.359 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $4.196 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $4.105 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.9% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 2.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 20.4% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $24,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $23,400 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $23,000 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $2.549 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: -0.1% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 4.1% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 6.4% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.1% (2024 est.)
industry: 9.8% (2024 est.)
services: 75.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 66.1% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 11.2% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 62.7% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -56.9% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: coconuts, bananas, tropical fruits, fruits, root vegetables, plantains, vegetables, cassava, chicken, milk (2023)
Industries: tourism; clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, lime processing, coconut processing
Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 102,400 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 11% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 16% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 29% (2024 est.)
male: 31.4% (2024 est.)
female: 26.3% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25% (2015 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016: 51.2 (2016 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% (2015 est.)
highest 10%: 34.1% (2015 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $414.77 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: $351.956 million (2017 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 69.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 18.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$64.121 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$38.069 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$83.442 million (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $1.6 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $1.419 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.29 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: Guyana 20%, Suriname 15%, USA 11%, Barbados 8%, Dominica 7% (2023)
Exports - commodities: refined petroleum, gravel and crushed stone, beer, liquor, paper containers (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $1.446 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.292 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.2 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: USA 59%, Guyana 8%, Brazil 7%, China 5%, UK 3% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, poultry, plastic products (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $406.064 million (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $424.324 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $389.083 million (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $901.317 million (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 2.7 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 2.7 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 2.7 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 2.7 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 2.7 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 93,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 365.178 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 31.038 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 98% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 47.522 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 31,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 176,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media: 3 privately owned TV stations; 1 public TV station on a cable network; multi-channel cable TV service available; mix of state-owned and privately owned radio broadcasters with about 25 stations, including repeater transmission stations (2019)
Internet country code: .lc
Internet users: percent of population: 74% (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 24,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: J6
Airports: 2 (2025)
Ports: total ports: 3 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 2
very small: 1
ports with oil terminals: 2
key ports: Castries, Grand Cul de Sac Bay, Vieux Fort

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Ministry of Home Affairs, Justice, and National Security: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) (2025)
Military - note: Saint Lucia has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 5 (2024 est.)
Trafficking in persons: tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Saint Lucia was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/saint-lucia/

Saint Lucia