Saint Lucia Country Overview
Where is Saint Lucia located? The independent island nation of St. Lucia, or Saint Lucia, can be found in the Caribbean. St. Lucia is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Saint Lucia is located in the time zone “Atlantic Standard Time” and accordingly has a time difference of 4 hours to the coordinated world time (UTC-4). This can be seen on the time zone map. The standard difference in this world time zone stays the same all year round, as there is no changeover to daylight saving time in Saint Lucia.
Bordering Countries of Saint Lucia
According to abbreviationfinder, Saint Lucia is an island nation located in the Caribbean Sea, near the border of the Atlantic Ocean. The country is bordered on all sides by other Caribbean nations. To the north lies Martinique, to the northeast lies Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, to the east lies Barbados, and to the south lies Saint Kitts and Nevis. The country also shares maritime borders with Dominica to the southwest and Trinidad and Tobago to the west.
The country is also surrounded by numerous small islands such as Petit Martinique, Carriacou, Mustique and Canouan. All of these islands are part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles region. This region is well known for its beautiful beaches and stunning coral reefs which make it a popular destination for tourists from around the world. The area is also home to many endangered species of plants and animals that can be found nowhere else in the world. In addition, Saint Lucia has some of best diving spots in all of Caribbean with crystal clear waters ranging from shallow reefs to deep walls as well as wrecks for divers of all levels.
The island nation is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Pigeon Island National Park which showcases a unique ecological system consisting of mangroves, sea grass beds, salt ponds and coral reefs; and Soufriere Volcano which features two active volcanoes that were formed over two million years ago. With its diverse range of attractions for visitors from all walks of life, it’s easy to see why Saint Lucia has become such a popular tourist destination.
Population Distribution
As of 2023, the latest population of Saint Lucia is 166,487, based on our calculation of the current data from UN (United Nations).
| Total population | 166,487 |
| Population growth rate | 0.29% |
| Birth rate | 13.30 births per 1,000 people |
| Life expectancy | |
| Overall life expectancy | 77.22 years |
| Men life expectancy | 74.52 years |
| Women life expectancy | 80.08 years |
| Age structure | |
| 0-14 years | 19.77% |
| 15-64 years | 68.13% |
| 65 years and above | 12.11% |
| Median age | 33.50 years |
| Gender ratio (Male to Female) | 0.95 |
| Population density | 270.27 residents per km² |
| Urbanization | 30.50% |
| Ethnicities | |
| 96% African and Euro-African, 3% Indian, 1% European descent | |
| Religions | |
| Catholics (Roman Catholic) 67.5%, Seventh-day Adventists 8.5% followers of the Pentecostal movement 5.7% Anglicans 2%, Evangelicals 2% members of other Christian denominations 5.1% Rastafarian 2.1% members of other religions 7%, not specified 1.5% non-denominational 4.5% [2001 census] | |
| Human Development Index (HDI) | 0.745 |
| HDI ranking | 89th out of 194 |
People in Saint Lucia
During the colonial period, first the French and then the English brought many slaves from Africa to St. Lucia and the other Caribbean islands. Most of the people who live here today are their descendants.
A minority of around 2 percent are of Indian descent. They are descendants of Indians who the British brought into the country as workers after slavery was abolished and they urgently needed people to work on the plantations.
There are also a few island Caribs, the native residents of the island. Their share is 0.6 percent, that is just under 1000 people.
Only 19 percent of the population live in urban areas, the rest in rural areas. Castries is the only slightly larger city. About 70 percent of the Lucians are Catholics and 17 percent belong to a Protestant church. 2 percent belong to the Rastafarian movement (see Jamaica). Every woman has an average of almost two children (1.9; ours 1.4). Many Lucians emigrate.
Languages in Saint Lucia
The official language in St. Lucia is English. So newspapers and television are in English, as are forms and everything official and also the lessons in school. However, almost all Lucians (95 percent) also speak Antilles Creole.
This Creole language is also called Patois (Patwa). It is based on the French. Examples of words are: Guten Tag means bonjour in French, bózu in Antilles Creole, danke means merci and mèsi in Antilles Creole. The similarity is easy to see.