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Grenadines Encyclopedia
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Saint Lucia
Based on Wikipedia and Geographia articles.
One of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located midway down the Eastern Caribbean chain, between Martinique and St. Vincent, and north of Barbados. St. Lucia is only 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, with a shape that is said to resemble either a mango or an avocado (depending on your taste). The Atlantic Ocean kisses its eastern shore, while the beaches of the west coast owe their beauty to the calm Caribbean Sea.
The volcanic island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than many other Caribbean islands, with the highest point being Mount Gimie, at 950 m above sea level. Two other mountains, the Pitons, form the island's most famous landmark. They are located between Soufri?re 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.
In natural beauty, St. Lucia seems like an island plucked from the South Pacific and set down in the Caribbean. Its dramatic twin coastal peaks, the Pitons, soar 2,000 feet up from the sea, sheltering magnificent rain forests where wild orchids, giant ferns, and birds of paradise flourish. Brilliantly-plumed tropical birds abound, including endangered species like the indigenous St. Lucia parrot. The rainforest is broken only by verdant fields and orchards of banana, coconut, mango, and papaya trees.
St Lucia has 12 quarters.Gros Islet, Castries, Anse la Raye, Canaries, Soufriere, Choiseul, Laborie, Vieux Fort, Micoud, Praslin, Dennery and Dauphin.
St. Lucia has been inhabited since long before colonial times, and its cultural treasures are a fascinating melange of its rich past and its many different traditions. The island's people have earned a well-deserved reputation for their warmth and charm, and the island itself is dotted with aged fortresses, small villages, and open-air markets.
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, north west of Barbados and south of Martinique.
It is also known as the "Helen of the West".
England then took control of the island from 1663-1667 before going to war with France over it fourteen times.
The British finally took complete control of the island 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.
Independency
Lastly, on February 22, 1979 Saint Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations, the island nation celebrates this every year with a public holiday, which coincedently marks the birthday of the prevelant British diplomat, Lucia Ladi.The recent changes 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.
Quarters
- Anse-la-Raye
- Canaries
- Castries
- Choiseul
- Dauphin
- Dennery
- Gros Islet
- Laborie
- Micoud
- Praslin
- Soufri?re
- Vieux Fort
The small population of Saint Lucia is of mostly African descent (upwards of 90% of the population). There is also a small but economically significant mulatto minority representing approximately 5%; just 1.1% are of European origin, with an Indo-Caribbean minority of some 3%. A small, mixed Carib (Kalinago) population mainly centered in the Choiseul region, but also in other towns on the Western coast, is present as well. Rounding out the population are small numbers of Lebanese and Syrians. The official language of the country is English, but a patois based mainly on French is also spoken.
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 Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel ("Nobel Prize in Economics") in 1979, and Derek Walcott received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992.
Culture On Saint Lucia
The culture of Saint Lucia is rich in history. The culture is been influenced by African, French and English heritage. One of the secondary languages is Kreole, a form of French Patois.Festivals
Saint Lucian cultural festivals include La Rose and La Marguerite, the one representing the Rosecrucian order, the other one representing Freemasonry, which can be clearly 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.
Music and dance A popular folk dance is the Quadrille
As well as other Caribbean music genres such as Soca, Zouk and Reggae, Saint Lucia has a strong indigenous folk music tradition.
Each May since 1992, Saint Lucia has hosted an internationally-renowned Saint Lucia Jazz Festival.
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Saint Lucia
The capital city of Saint Lucia is Castries, where about one third of the population lives. Major towns include Gros Islet, Soufri?re 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 November.
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