Country information

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ST LUCIA TODAY

Country Facts

Area: 620 sq km
Population: 160,145 (July 2002 estimate)
Capital City: Castries
Languages: English is the official and commercial language but a broken French or patois (known as Kweyol) is also widely spoken.
Religion(s): The principal denominations are Roman Catholic, (93%), Anglican, Methodist and Baptist. There are also small Jewish, Hindu and Muslim minorities.
Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (EC$)
Major political parties: Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP), United Workers Party (UWP)
Government: A Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. There are two chambers, the 17 member House of Assembly, whose members are elected for five-year terms, and the 11-Member Senate, whose members are nominated (six by the Prime Minister, three by the Leader of the opposition, two by the Governor General).
Head of State: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy, (since September 1997)
Prime Minister: Hon Stephenson King
Foreign Minister: Hon Stephenson King (Minister for External Affairs, Finance Home Affairs, National Security).
Membership of international groups/organisations: ACCT (associate), ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CFATF, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

DID YOU KNOW?

• Legal System: Based on English common law
• Currency: The Eastern Caribbean Dollar is shared with other members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union and is pegged to the US dollar (US$1 = EC$2.7)
• National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February
• Nobel Laureates: St Lucia boasts more Nobel Laureates per head of population than any other country - Derek Walcott (Laureate for Literature in 1992) and Sir Arthur Lewis (Laureate for Economics in 1979)

HEALTH

Life expectancy (2002 est.): 72.82 years (Male: 69 years, Female: 76.39 years)
Infant mortality rate (2001 est.): 15,22 deaths per 1000 live births

HIV/AIDS

The incidence of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean region is second only to sub-Sahara Africa. In St Lucia 515 cases of HIV infection have been reported to the Ministry of Health since 1985, and 237 people have died of AIDS-related diseases (April 2006 figures). Figures for 2004 show that heterosexual transmission was the largest known mode of infection (25%). It is officially accepted that reported cases represent only 20- 25% of true estimate of HIV/AIDS infection in St Lucia.

A UK-CARICOM Forum on Reducing Stigma and Discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean was held in St Kitts in November 2004. The aim of the Forum was to accelerate the process of reducing HIV/AIDs-related stigma and discrimination through persons identified as 'Champions for Change'. The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS has taken this work forward in the private sector. The campaign is starting to gain ground in government and the media, but public attitudes are slow to change.

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