St. Lucia
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Lucia Vacation rental listings
St Lucia lies at latitude 13 54’ north of the Equator and 60
50’ west. One of the Windward Islands, it is located in the middle of the
Eastern Caribbean chain of islands and is approximately 21 miles south of
Martinique and 90 miles northwest of Barbados. Castries (population 50,000) is
the island’s capital and is situated North-west of the island.
The main language in Saint Lucia is English although many St. Lucians also speak
French and Spanish. Kwéyòl, St Lucia's second language, is widely spoken by the
St. Lucian people including all walks of life such as doctors, bankers,
government ministers and the man on the street! Kwéyòl is not just a patois or
broken French, but a language in its own right, with its own rules of grammar
and syntax. The language is being preserved by its everyday use in day-to-day
affairs and by special radio programs and news read entirely in Kwéyòl.
The island is 238 sq. miles (616 sq. km), 27 miles long, 14 miles wide with a
combination of high mountains, forests, low lying lands and beaches. A central
mountain range runs the length of the island, with peaks ranging between 1000
and 3145 feet. Forests dominate the mountains, while jasmine, scarlet chenille
and wild orchids provide splashes of color to the lush green slopes. The two
towering volcanic cones on the southwest coast, Gros Piton (797m) and Petit
Piton (750m) are one of the Caribbean’s most famous landmarks. The volcanic
origin of the island provides visitors with an opportunity to visit a “drive-in
volcano” and take a dip in the reputedly therapeutic Sulphur springs.
Climate
The climate on island is tropical with temperatures ranging from 70 – 90
Fahrenheit. The rainy season is from June to November and the drier period
between December and May. Average rainfall is between 160-360cm depending on
altitude.
Population
Currently estimated at 150,000 with a workforce of about 65,000. Annual
population growth rate is approximately 2%. English is the official language of
St Lucia however, a French-based patois is widely spoken.
The small population of Saint Lucia is of mostly African descent (upwards of 90%
of the population). There is also a small but economically significant mulatto
minority representing approximately 5%; just 1.1% are of European origin, with
an Indo-Caribbean minority of some 3%. A small, mixed Carib (Kalinago)
population mainly centered in the Choiseul region, but also in other towns on
the Western coast, is present as well. Rounding out the population are small
numbers of Lebanese and Syrians. The official language of the country is
English, but a patois based mainly on French is also spoken. The majority of the
population are Roman Catholics (ca. 90%); the rest are Anglicans (3%) or other
Protestants (7%).
St. Lucia boasts the highest ratio in the world for number of Nobel laureates
produced with respect to the total population of the nation. Two winners have
come from St. Lucia - Sir Arthur Lewis won the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic
Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel ("Nobel Prize in Economics") in 1979, and
Derek Walcott received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992.
Second only to bananas, tourism is vital to St Lucia's economy - and it is hard
to imagine that tourism will not become even more important in the future.
Provided one visits during the dry season (January - April), St Lucia has all
the ingredients necessary for a great holiday in the sun: warm temperatures,
breath taking scenery, gorgeous beaches, crystal-clear waters and friendly
natives.
Soufriere Bay- February 2006But St Lucia also has character: there is more to
see than just the beaches. In the south there is the "World's only drive-in
Volcano" which is a great day out (the smell not with standing) as is the
wonderful Botanical Gardens. In the north there is Pigeon Island National Park,
with the ruins of an old British base (Fort Rodney) once commanded by Admiral
Rodney to which the area; Rodney Bay is named after. The fact that the island is
not over-developed is also a plus-point: there are lovely beaches without
hotels, sweeping mountains and impenetrable rain forests.
With the sparkling Caribbean Sea on one side and the mysterious depths of the
Atlantic Ocean on the other, sailors and fishermen will fall in love with St
Lucia. Not only is it possible to charter any form of sea-going vessel anywhere
on the island, but St Lucia also offers opportunities for some of the best deep
sea fishing in the world. Described as "an angler's dream come true", it is home
to several species of big game fish, and you may even catch a trophy white
marlin as your prize!
Imagine the crystal clear, warm waters. Picture the fine white sand beaches,
lined with gently swaying palms. Where better to go windsurfing, sailing, para-sailing
or water-skiing than St Lucia?
Watersports are a way of life on this island, where a coastline of rain-forested
mountains is frequently interrupted by natural harbors and bays. The island
boasts some of the best underwater dive sites in the Caribbean. Many hotels
offer scuba diving facilities and snorkeling equipment, as do a number of
independent dive centers.
Saint Lucia has also become one of the region's main centers for yacht charters,
with operations at the Rodney Bay Marina and at Marigot Harbor. Deep-sea fishing
charters are also available for whole and half-day excursions.
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