deed, the destructive effect of
Tropical Storm Iris in mid-1995 caused the loss of 20% of the year's
banana crop. Increased competition from Latin American bananas will
probably further reduce market prices, exacerbating Saint Lucia's
need to diversify its economy in coming years, e.g., by expanding
tourism, manufacturing, and construction.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $640 million (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $4,080 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.8%
industry: 17.4%
services: 68.8% (1992 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.8% (1993)

Labor force: 43,800
by occupation: agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and
commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)

Unemployment rate: 25% (1993 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $121 million
expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $104
million (1992 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (1990 est.)

Electricity:
capacity: 20,000 kW
production: 112 million kWh
consumption per capita: 693 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops,
cocoa

Illicit drugs: transit country for South American drugs destined
for the US and Europe

Exports: $122.8 million (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities: bananas 60%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits,
coconut oil
partners: UK 56%, US 22%, Caricom countries19% (1991)

Imports: $276 million (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities: manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation
equipment 21%, food and live animals, chemicals, fuels
partners: US 34%, Caricom countries 17%, UK 14%, Japan 7%, Canada 4%
(1991)

External debt: $222.7 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.7000
(fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Transportation
--------------

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 760 km
paved: 500 km
unpaved: 260 km

Ports: Castries, Vieux Fort

Merchant marine: none

Airports:
total: 3
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications
--------------

Telephones: 26,