STATISTICS: SAINT LUCIA

Saint Lucia Official name: Saint Lucia. Form of government: constitutional monarchy with a Parliament consisting of two legislative chambers (Senate ; House of Assembly ). Chief of state: British Monarch represented by Governor-General. Head of government: Prime Minister. Capital: Castries. Official language: English. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = EC$2.70; 1 = EC$4.60. Demography Population (1998): 151,000. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 634.5, persons per sq km 244.7. Urban-rural (1995): urban 48.1%; rural 51.9%. Sex distribution (1992): male 48.49%; female 51.51%. Age breakdown (1992): under 15, 36.7%; 15-29, 29.4%; 30-44, 16.3%; 45-59, 8.8%; 60-74, 6.3%; 75 and over, 2.5%. Population projection: (2000) 154,000; (2010) 172,000. Doubling time: 37 years. Ethnic composition (1990): black 90.5%; mixed 5.5%; East Indian 3.2%; white 0.8%. Religious affiliation (1995): Roman Catholic 79.2%; Protestant 19.4%, of which Pentecostal 5.4%, Seventh-day Adventist 5.2%; other 1.4%. Major city (1992): Castries city proper 2,063 (urban area 13,615). Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1995): 25.2 (world avg. 25.0); legitimate 14.2%; illegitimate 85.8%. Death rate per 1,000 population (1995): 5.9 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1995): 19.3 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1996): 2.5. Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1995): 3.4. Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1995): 0.2. Life expectancy at birth (1996): male 67.5 years; female 75.0 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1992): diseases of the circulatory system 205.6, of which ischemic heart diseases 133.2; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 64.4; diseases of the respiratory system 48.5; infectious and parasitic diseases 31.1; ill-defined conditions 130.3. National economy Budget (1996-97). Revenue: EC$418,600,000 (consumption duties on imported goods 24.3%; taxes on income and profits 23.3%; import duties 15.9%; nontax revenue 10.2%; grants 6.5%). Expenditures: EC$456,900,000 (current expenditures 69.7%; development expenditures and net lending 30.3%). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$122,000,000. Tourism (1995): receipts from visitors (1994) U.S.$229,500,000; expenditures by nationals abroad U.S.$25,100,000. Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): bananas 135,000, mangoes 27,000, coconuts 18,000, yams 4,300, pepper 160, ginger 60; livestock (number of live animals; 1996) 14,700 pigs, 12,500 sheep, 12,450 cattle; roundwood, n.a.; fish catch (1995) 1,023. Mining and quarrying: excavation of sand for local construction and pumice. Manufacturing (value of production in EC$'000; 1995): paper products and cardboard boxes 50,173; alcoholic beverages and tobacco 30,893; electrical and electronic components 14,125; garments 8,903; refined coconut oil 6,335; food products 4,165. Construction (buildings approved; 1992): residential 91,900 sq m; nonresidential 43,300 sq m. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 112,000,000 (112,000,000); coal, none (none); crude petroleum, none (none); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) none (61,000); natural gas, none (none). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1991) 4.0; income per household: n.a.; sources of income: n.a.; expenditure (1982){2}: food 46.8%, housing 13.5%, clothing and footwear 6.5%, transportation and communications 6.3%, household furnishings 5.8%, other 21.1%. Population economically active (1992): total 57,797; activity rate of total population 41.8% (participation rates: ages 15-64, 72.7%; female 46.5%; unemployed 15%). Gross national product (at current market prices; 1996): U.S.$553,000,000 (U.S.$3,500 per capita). Land use (1994): forested 13%; meadows and pastures 5%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 30%; other 52%. Foreign trade{3} Imports (1995): U.S.$306,000,000 (food 22.5%; machinery and transportation equipment 19.0%; chemicals and chemical products 9.5%; crude petroleum and petroleum products 7.5%). Major import sources: United States 36.2%; Caricom countries 22.3%, of which Trinidad and Tobago 12.4%; United Kingdom 11.1%; Japan 4.6%; Canada 3.9%. Exports (1995): U.S.$115,000,000 (bananas 40.8%; clothing 12.1%; primarily paper and paperboard 6.2%; beer 3.8%). Major export destinations: United Kingdom 50.4%; United States 24.2%; Caricom countries 15.8%. Transport Transport. Railroads: none. Roads (1994): total length 510 mi, 820 km (paved 88%). Vehicles (1993): passenger cars 10,000; trucks and buses 9,200. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 7; total deadweight tonnage 2,070. Air transport (1994){4}: passenger arrivals 573,000, passenger departures 581,000; cargo unloaded 2,002 metric tons, cargo loaded 3,918 metric tons; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 2. Education and health Educational attainment (1980). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 17.5%; primary education 74.4%; secondary 6.8%; higher 1.3%. Literacy (1995): about 82%. Health (1995): physicians (1992) 64 (1 per 2,159 persons); hospital beds 541 (1 per 269 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births 18.0. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 2,801 (vegetable products 73%, animal products 27%); 116% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1994): {5}. {1} Attorney general serves ex officio in House of Assembly if not elected (House of Assembly total 18). {2} Castries area only. {3} Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. {4} Combined data for both Castries and Vieux Fort airports. {5} The more than 500-member police force includes a specially trained paramilitary unit and a coast guard unit.