Official Name: Saint Lucia

Area: Caribbean

Size: 620 km²

Coastline: 158 km

Independence: from the UK 22 February 1979 

Form of Govt.: Constitutional monarchy

Head of Govt.: Prime Minister

Capital: Castries

Largest City: Castries

Demographics (2005): 160,765.    298 /km² 

black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

GDP per Capita (2005): $5,950

Languages: English

Geography: St. Lucia is an island located in the windward group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. The island is of volcanic origin with high lava ridges and craters. St. Lucia has a mountainous center reaching the country's highest point Mt. Gimie at 959 metres (3,146 feet). Tropical rain forests cover the interior and a number of small rivers flow from the central highlands with the principal ones being the Dennery, Fond, Piaye, Doree, Canaries, Roseau and Marquis Rivers

Climate: St. Lucia has a tropical climate that is influenced by sea winds and the prevailing NE trade winds. The wet season is from June to September and the dry season from February to May. Average annual precipitation varies from 1,500 mm to 1,750 mm on the north and south coasts to 4,000 mm in the interior rain forest. The average temperature is 25 degrees all year round.