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Saint
Lucia |
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From
Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia
Saint Lucia 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 it 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 took control
of the island from 1663 to 1667 then went to war with France over
it fourteen times, and finally took complete control 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. |
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Quick
Facts: |
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Capital
(and largest city): Castries - 14°1 N, 60°59 W |
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Official
languages: English |
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Demonym:
Saint Lucian |
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Government:
Parliamentary Democracy |
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Independence:
From the United Kingdom February 22, 1979 |
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Total
Area: 620 km / 239 sq mi |
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Population:
166,312 |
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GDP:
$866 million |
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Per
Capita: $5,950 |
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Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
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Time
Zone : (UTC-4) |
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Internet
TLD: .lc |
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Country
Dialing Code: +1 758 |
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Electricity:
240V/50Hz
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Electric
Plug Details: United Kingdom plug (This is what it looks like!) |
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Culture: |
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The culture of Saint Lucia has been influenced by
African, French and English heritage. One of the secondary languages
is Kreole, a form of French patois. |
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Festivals: |
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Saint Lucian cultural festivals include La Rose and
La Marguerite, the one representing the Rosicrucian order, the other
one representing Freemasonry, which can be 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. |
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Music
and Dance: |
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A popular folk dance is the Quadrille.
As well as other Caribbean music genres such as soca, zouk, kompa,
and reggae, Saint Lucia has a strong indigenous folk music tradition.
Each May since 1992, Saint Lucia has hosted an internationally-renowned
Jazz Festival. |
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Demographics: |
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The population of Saint Lucia is of mostly African
descent (82.5% ). There is a significant mixed minority representing
11.9%, and with a Indo-Caribbean or East Indian groups at 2.4% and
the small European origin minority (descendants of French, British,
and Irish colonists). Other or unspecified ethnicity accounts for
3.1%. There are small numbers of Lebanese, Syrians and Asians.
The official language is English, but a creole language called Kwéyòl
is spoken by 80% of the population. It evolved from French, Carib
and elements of African languages. 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 Nobel
Prize in Economics in 1979, and Derek Walcott received the Nobel
Prize in Literature in 1992. Both were born on January 23rd, but
in different years.
About 70% of the population is Roman Catholic. The rest are Seventh-day
Adventists (7%), Pentecostalists (6%), Anglicans (2%), Evangelicals
(2%) and Rastafari (2%). |
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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. |
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Tourism: |
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Tourism is vital to St. Lucia's economy and the economic
importance of such is expected to continue to increase as the market
for bananas becomes more competitive. St Lucia tends to be popular
due to its tropical weather and scenery and its large number of
beaches and resorts.
Tourist attractions include the world's only drive-in volcano, Sulfur
Springs (at Soufriere), the Botanical Gardens, the rain forests
and Pigeon Island National Park, which is home to Fort Rodney, an
old British military base. |
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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 (3,120 ft) above sea level. The twin
Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton) form the island's most famous
landmark. They are striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere
that are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean.
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 December. |
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History: |
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The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries,
was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and
early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally
ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and
independence in 1979. |
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Local
Cuisine: |
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St Lucian food consists mainly of fresh fruit and
vegetables, fish and a variety of curry, jerk, rice and stewed dishes.
The coal pot is a delicious stew, traditional to native carib cultures
and can be found at many local restaurants in Castries, Soufriere
and Vieux-Fort. Vegetarian and meat rotis can be found at a number
of small local restaurants. Ask any local for the best roti shop
and he or she will tell you how to get there. Rotis are usually
made fresh in the morning so, if eating a spicy early lunch is of
interest, it's highly recommended. Local cuisine is prepared throughout
the island so, depending on where you are staying, ask a local if
he or she knows someone/somewhere that prepares local food and you
will be sure to be welcomed somewhere nearby. Many rum shacks in
rural towns also prepare food if given advanced notice. Fish, veggie,
chicken and goat meals are very common and usually come with a number
of sides including salad, plantain, breadfruit, macaroni, and rice
prepared a number of different ways.
For a quick snack, barbeques with chicken and pork can be found
in any community on a Friday night. The food is well marinated and
spiced. Soak up the sauce with a barbequed or fried bake. Fried
chicken and fish can also be found, and are quite delicious.
There are weekly parties and festivals held in various communities
throughout the island where you can also sample a range of local
foods, including sea food, barbecued meats, salads and drinks. These
festivals are filled with dancing, drinks, food and music. Let your
hair down, try some cuisine and lime it up.
St. Lucia produces some fantastic rum. Chairman's Reserve (cask-aged
dark rum) is highly recommended. Piton Lager beer is brewed and
bottled on the island and is very good. If you're a beer drinker,
you must have one. |
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Politics: |
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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 Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
(OECS). |
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Transportation: |
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St. Lucia has two airports, George FL Charles Airport
(near Castries) and Hewanorra International (near Vieux Fort). George
FL Charles Airport is closer to hotels, resorts and villas in the
north. It has a modest terminal and runway able to easily support
inter-island commercial flights. Hewanorra is larger, but can be
1-2 hours by taxi from the north.
The main way for tourists to get around St. Lucia is by taxi, either
arranged by the hotel, taxi agency or individual operators. The
prices are generally fixed but you can shop around to get the best
rate. The local transports are small vans which hold around 10-14
people and vary in quality. They run irregularly, but frequently
from rural towns to urban centers, (i.e. Soufriere to Castries,
Soufriere to Vieux-Fort, Vieux-Fort to Castries). They are very
affordable and provide a unique experience each time; the vehicle
operators often decorate the interiors and play their own music,
either a mix of Caribbean flavors or country. If you want to try
and take a transport discuss your route and travel time with one
of the local staff familiar with the bus system. Many of them likely
take a transport to and from work. Water taxis are a main source
of income for many locals and can be a much quicker, convenient
and picturesque method of traveling short distances to private beaches
or coastal towns. Many water taxi operators in the town of Soufriere
can be found at the jetty. A helicopter taxi can be taken from Hewannora
airport to Vigie airport and is a quick and spectacular way to get
to the resorts on the Northern end of the island. |
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Souvenirs: |
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Castries market is a good place to buy gifts, although
most of the stalls stock more or less the same thing. The supermarkets
have quite good prices on rum, hot sauce and tropical jams.
There is a duty free mall (at dockside, Point Seraphine, Castries)
with jewelry, souvenir, art, liquor and other stores typical for
cruise shoppers. Their friendly staffs offer many decent buys.
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