Key Facts

Population
170,650.

Capital
Castries.

Area
616 sq km/238 sq m); 43 km/27 miles long 23 km/14 miles wide.

Geography
St Lucia is a volcanic island dominated by high peaks and rain forests and is known for the twin peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton on the southwestern coast. The highest peak is Mount Gimie - 958m/3118ft. The island has 158 km of coastline. The island is divided into 11 quarters – Anse la Raye, Canaries, Castries, Choiseul, Dennery, Forest, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Soufriere, Vieux Fort.

Time Difference
GMT -4 Hours.

Language
Official language is English; the local dialect is French Patois.

Monetary Unit
Eastern Caribbean dollar EC$ (fixed to the US Dollar); US dollars are widely accepted.

Airport
Hewanorra International Airport on the southern tip of the island handles international flights. The George F.L. Charles Airport in Castries handles inter-Caribbean traffic.

Flight Times
8 hours 45 minutes from London – BA and Virgin fly from Gatwick; Virgin fly from Manchester; 4 hours from New York – with American Airlines.

Climate
Tropical climate with little seasonal temperature variation averaging 27°c; average daily sunshine is 8 – 9 hours; seasonal rainfall between June and December.

Location
St Lucia is the second largest of the Windward Islands and part of the Lesser Antilles, with the Caribbean Sea on the west coast and the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast.

Government
St Lucia is an ex-British colony and has been an independent state in the Commonwealth since February 1979; Governor General - Pearlette Louisy; Prime Minister - Stephenson King.

Economy
In 2005 GDP grew by 5.1% Tourism and banana production are the main sources of income for St Lucia and the tourist industry is its biggest employer. Improvements in roads, communications and services infrastructure have attracted foreign investment.

Tourism
St Lucia is considered to be the most romantic destination in the Caribbean and attracts a large number of visitors each year. In 2005 tourist visitors totalled over 700,000 mainly from the US and UK and tourism accounted for more than 48% of St Lucia’s GDP. High season – mid Dec to mid April.