Overview:
Since 1983 the economy has shown an impressive average annual growth
rate of almost 5% because of strong agricultural and tourist sectors.
Saint Lucia also possesses an expanding industrial base supported by
foreign investment in manufacturing and other activities, such as data
processing. The economy, however, remains vulnerable because the
important agricultural sector is dominated by banana production, which
is subject to periodic droughts and tropical storms. The economy
exhibited relatively strong growth in 1992-93 based on a recovery of
the agricultural and manufacturing sectors and continued growth in
construction and tourism.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $433 million (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
6.6% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
$3,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.1% (1992)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$121 million
expenditures:
$127 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1992
est.)
Exports:
$122.8 million (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
bananas 60%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil
partners:
UK 56%, US 22%, CARICOM 19% (1991)
Imports:
$276 million (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 21%,
food and live animals, chemicals, fuels
partners:
US 34%, CARICOM 17%, UK 14%, Japan 7%, Canada 4% (1991)
External debt:
$96.4 million (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 3.5% (1990 est.); accounts for 12% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
32,500 kW
production:
112 million kWh
consumption per capita:
740 kWh (1992)
Industries:
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated
cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing
Agriculture:
accounts for 14% of GDP and 43% of labor force; crops - bananas,
coconuts, vegetables, citrus fruit, root crops, cocoa; imports food
for the tourist industry
Illicit drugs:
transit country for South American drugs destined for the US and
Europe
Economic aid:
recipient:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $120 million
Currency:
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
@Saint Lucia, Communications
Highways:
total:
760 km
paved:
500 km
unpaved:
otherwise improved 260 km
Ports:
Castries, Vieux Fort
Airports:
total:
3
usable:
3
with permanent-surface runways:
3
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
1
Telecommunications:
fully automatic telephone system; 9,500 telephones; direct microwave
link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; interisland
troposcatter link to Barbados; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV
(cable)
@Saint Lucia, Defense Forces
Branches:
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Coast Guard
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Header Affiliation: (territorial collectivity of France)
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Geography
Location: Northern North America, in the North Atlantic Ocean, 25 km south of Newfoundland (Canada) Map references: North America Area: total area: 242 sq km land area: 242 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 120 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy Terrain: mostly barren rock Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 4% other: 83% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA Note: vegetation scanty
@Saint Pierre and Miquelon, People