St. Lucia is one of the most beautiful islands of the Windward group of the Antilles. The twin Pitons, south of Soufrière, are one of the most striking natural features in the Caribbean. Ruled by the French and the British at different times in its past, St. Lucia retains the character of both. A multiparty democracy, it lives by banana-growing and tourism, with enticing beaches and a rich variety of wildlife in the rainforest.

St. Lucia has a rich, tension-free racial mix of descendants of Africans, Caribs, and European settlers. Despite relaxed attitudes, family life is central to most St. Lucians, many of whom are practicing Roman Catholics. Small families are the norm. In rural districts, where women run many of the farms, absentee fathers are fairly common. In recent years, women have had greater access to higher education and have moved into professions. A bill to permit the occasional use of Creole in parliament was passed in 1998.

Strengths

Banana industry (privatized in 1998). Tourism, fisheries potential.

Weaknesses

Most resorts foreign-owned. Preferential banana trade with EU to be phased out by 2006.

Politics revolved for a long time around John Compton of the UWP and Julian Hunte of the SLP. A less personalized climate prevailed from 1996 with the emergence of new political figures. After losing heavily to the SLP in the 1997 general election, the UWP changed its leader three times in as many years, but failed to prevent the SLP's reelection in 2001.

Relations with the USA were strained by the long-running, and ultimately successful, US campaign to end preferential access for Caribbean bananas to the EU. It is feared that from 2006 St. Lucia will be unable to compete with cheaper fruit from Central and South America. St. Lucia supports Japan, an aid donor, in its bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. With the agreement in 2001 to form a Caribbean Court of Justice, one of the last constitutional ties to the UK was set to be cut.

The police force is supported by a small paramilitary unit. Training is provided by the USA and the UK.

St. Lucia has no mineral resources and imports most of its energy. Plans exist to develop geothermal energy from the hot springs in the volcanic interior.

St. Lucians are proud of their island, and environmental questions arouse fierce debate. In recent years the greatest controversy surrounded the decision to allow a luxury hotel development on the ecologically important Jalousie Plantation, which encompasses the extraordinary twin Pitons and includes an important Amerindian archaeological site. The issue illustrates a key problem in St. Lucia, where business pressures to develop tourism can outweigh vital environmental concerns. One notable conservation success has been the St. Lucian parrot. In 1978, there were 150 birds; strict laws against the trade in parrots ensured that by 2000 numbers had risen to over 800.

Roads are confined to the west and southeast coasts; only half are paved. Flights arrive from major European and North American cities, and other Caribbean locations. Direct passage to South America is largely by sea.

The National Insurance Scheme provides free medical cover for all. Work on a new general hospital began in 2001.

Education is based on the British system. Nobel prizewinners Sir Arthur Lewis (economics) and Derek Walcott (literature) give St. Lucia the world's highest ratio of laureates per capita.

Murder is rare, but narcotics-related deaths are increasing, as is violence in schools. The government has strengthened the police force to combat rising urban crime.

The island's large-scale banana growers and hotel owners form the richest section of society. Nearly one-fifth of households are considered to be poor.

Tropical beaches and typical Caribbean towns make St. Lucia a favorite destination for cruise ships and stay-over tourists. The number of hotel rooms continues to rise. The pristine rainforest has become the focus of nature tourism, with tours often organized by the National Trust.

An excellent naval raiding base in the Caribbean in the 17th and 18th centuries, St. Lucia was fought over by France and Britain. Ownership alternated before it was finally ceded to Britain in 1814. French influence survives in St. Lucian patois and the local cuisine.

• 1958 Joins West Indies Federation.
• 1964 Sugar-growing ceases.
• 1979 Gains independence and joins Commonwealth.
• 1990 Establishes body with Dominica, Grenada, and St. Vincent to discuss forming a Windward Islands Federation.
• 1997 Hitherto ruling UWP reduced to one seat in general election.
• 2000 Blacklisted by OECD as international tax haven.