e),
mineral springs, geothermal potential

Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 20%
meadows and pastures: 5%
forest and woodland: 13%
other: 54%

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the
northern region
natural hazards: hurricanes and volcanic activity
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

People
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Population: 157,862 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 27,068; female 26,491)
15-64 years: 61% (male 47,470; female 48,612)
65 years and over: 5% (male 3,136; female 5,085) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.14% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 22.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.09 years
male: 66.52 years
female: 73.91 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.31 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic divisions: African descent 90.3%, mixed 5.5%, East Indian
3.2%, white 0.8%

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%

Languages: English (official), French patois

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1980 est.)
total population: 67%
male: 65%
female: 69%

Government
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Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Data code: ST

Type of government: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Castries

Administrative divisions: 11 quarters; Anse La Raye, Castries,
Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin,
Soufriere, Vieux Fort

Independence: 22 February 1979 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution: 22 February 1979

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: