This article is about the country. For the person who this country is named after, see
Saint Lucy
.
Saint Lucia
is a
tropical
island
country
in the eastern
Caribbean Sea
. It is a part of the
Lesser Antilles island group
, and it is north of the islands of
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
and south of
Martinique
. As of 2010 there are about 174,000 people.
The official language is
English
.
[1]
[2]
Saint Lucian Creole French
(Kweyol), which is a
French
-based Creole is spoken by 95% of the people. About 70% of the people are
Roman Catholic
.
Two
Nobel laureates
,
Arthur Lewis
, an economist, and
Derek Walcott
, a poet and playwright, have come from the island.
Saint Lucia is a full and participating member of the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
,
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
(OECS) and
La Francophonie
.
Saint Lucia is the only country in the world to be named after a woman,
Saint Lucy
.
The first proven inhabitants of the island, the
Arawaks
, are believed to have first settled in AD 200?400. Around 800 AD, the island would be taken over by the
Kalinago
.
The
French
were the first
Europeans
to settle on the island, and they signed a treaty with the native Caribs in 1660.
England
took control of the island in 1663. In ensuing years, England and France fought 14 times for control of the island, and the rule of the island changed frequently. Eventually, the
British
took full control in 1814.
In
1979
, Saint Lucia peacefully gained independence from the
United Kingdom
but kept
Elizabeth II
as Queen of Saint Lucia.
View of
Soufriere
The
volcanic
island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than many other
Caribbean
islands. The highest point is
Mount Gimie
, at 950 metres (3,120 ft) above sea level. Two other mountains, the
Pitons
, form the island's most famous landmark. They are between
Soufriere
and
Choiseul
on the western side of the island. Saint Lucia is also one of the few islands in the world that has a drive-in volcano. It is also famous for clear seas and sandy beaches.
The capital city of Saint Lucia is
Castries
. Over one third of all the people live in the capital. Major towns include
Gros Islet
,
Soufriere
and
Vieux Fort
.
The local
climate
is
tropical
. They have northeast
trade winds
. There is a dry season from December 1 to May 31, and a wet season from June 1 to November 30.
Saint Lucia has 11 quarters, or
parishes
of the island.
The cities in Saint Lucia are:
Saint Lucia is a
constitutional monarchy
, which means that the monarch (
King Charles III
) has no power in how the country is ruled. The King is represented by a
viceroy
. The
Parliament
is split into two "houses". The House of Assembly had 17 members who are elected by the people. The leader of the party with the most seats becomes the
Prime Minister
, who leads the government.
Tourism is important to Saint Lucia's economy. There are more tourists during the dry season (January to April). Saint Lucia tends to be popular due to its tropical weather and scenery and its many beaches and resorts.
Other tourist attractions include a drive-in
volcano
,
Sulphur Springs
, the
Botanical Gardens
, the Majestic twin Peaks "The Pitons", a world heritage site, the rain forests, and Pigeon Island National Park.
Most tourists visit Saint Lucia as part of a cruise. Most of their time tends to be spent in
Castries
, although
Soufriere
,
Marigot Bay
and
Gros Islet
are popular locations to visit.
The
Windward Islands cricket team
includes players from Saint Lucia. They play in the
West Indies regional tournament
.
Darren Sammy
is the first Saint Lucian to represent the
West Indies
. He is the current captain.
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¹ Member of the community but not the Caribbean (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy.
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