Part 634

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

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@Saint Lucia -----------

Map ---

Location: 13 53 N, 60 68 W -- Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Flag ----

Description: blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Geography ---------

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates: 13 53 N, 60 68 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 620 sq km land area: 610 sq km comparative area: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 158 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Terrain: volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 20% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 13% other: 54%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region natural hazards: hurricanes and volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

People ------

Population: 157,862 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (male 27,068; female 26,491) 15-64 years: 61% (male 47,470; female 48,612) 65 years and over: 5% (male 3,136; female 5,085) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.14% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 22.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)