A Profile of St. Lucia

Location

One of the Windward Islands, St. Lucia is located 27 miles long and 14 miles wide with a total area of 238 square miles. The island is located between 60ý & 61ý West longitude and 13ý & 14ý North latitude. Martinique lies 21 miles to the north, St. Vincent is 26 miles to the south and is 110 miles to the North West of Barbados.

Area

240.6 square miles; about four times the size of the District of Colombia.

Topography

Mountainous, intersected by numerous short rivers, highest peak is Mount Jimie (3145 ft.) and there are many wide fertile valleys. Flat industrial and residential areas dominate the northern and southern parts of the island.

Climate

Mild with almost constant North East Trade Winds; the mean temperature is 79 degrees Farenheit, the rainy season is from June to November.

Territorial waters

Claimed limits of 12 nautical miles.

Population

Approximately 160,000 with most living in the Capital of Castries and the northern area.

Time zone

St. Lucia is located within the Atlantic Standard Time Zone which is 4 hours behind London (GMT) and 1 hour ahead of New York (except during the Daylight Savings months in the US, when it is the same).

Airports

St. Lucia has two airports. Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) is located in Vieux Fort approximately 1 hour drive from the north, GFL Charles Airport (SLU) is located in Castries, north of the island and is 20 minutes drive from most locations in the north.