Saint Lucia, a tropical island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, gained independence from Britain in 1979. Tropical forests cloak a mountainous interior flanked by twin volcanic peaks, known as pitons. Oil transshipment via a U.S.-built terminal and the export of manufactured goods supplement agriculture and tourism. The government is challenged by unemployment and drug-related crime.
ECONOMYIndustry: clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes.
Agriculture: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus.
Exports: bananas, clothing, cacao, vegetables.Text source:
National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition, 2004
