rrowhead; the
upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

- Economy
Overview: Since 1983 the economy has shown an impressive average
annual growth rate of almost 5% because of strong agricultural and tourist
industry sectors. There is also an expanding industrial base supported by
foreign investment in manufacturing and other activities, such as in data
processing. The economy, however, remains vulnerable because the important
agricultural sector is dominated by banana production. St. Lucia is subject
to periodic droughts and/or tropical storms, and its protected market agreement
with the UK for bananas may end in 1992.

GDP: $172 million, per capita $1,258; real growth rate 6.8% (1988
est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.0% (1987)

Unemployment rate: 18.6% (1986)

Budget: revenues $71.7 million; expenditures $79.3 million,
including capital expenditures of $19.6 million (1987)

Exports: $76.8 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--bananas 67%,
cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil, clothing; partners--UK 55%,
CARICOM 21%, US 18%, other 6%

Imports: $178.1 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities--manufactured
goods 22%, machinery and transportation equipment 21%, food and live animals
20%, mineral fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fertilizers, petroleum
products; partners--US 33%, UK 16%, CARICOM 14.8%, Japan 6.5%, other 29.7%

External debt: $39.5 million (December 1987)

Industrial production: growth rate 2.4% (1987)

Electricity: 20,000 kW capacity; 80 million kWh produced,
530 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages,
corrugated boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GDP and 43% of labor force;
crops--bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus fruit, root crops, cocoa;
imports food for the tourist industry

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $4 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $93 million

Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural--dollars);
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.70 (fixed rate
since 1976)

Fiscal Year: 1 April-31 March

- Communications
Highways: 760 km total; 500 km paved; 260 km otherwise improved

Ports: Castries

Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft

Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with ru