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Sainte-Lucie / Saint Lucia / Ilha de Santa Lucia

Is an island nation in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. Its size is 620 km² with an estimated population of 160,000. Its capital is Castries. The island nation has been the home of two Nobel laureates, Arthur Lewis and Derek Walcott. It is the nation with the second most such honorees per capita after Faroe Islands.

One of the Windward Islands, it was named for Saint Lucy of Syracuse by the French, the first European colonizers. They signed a treaty with the native Carib peoples in 1660. Great Britain took control of the island from 1663 to 1667; in ensuing years, it was at war with France 14 times and rule of the island changed frequently. In 1814, Britain finally took control of the island. Because it switched so often between British and French control, St.Lucia was also known as the "Helen of the West Indies."

Saint Lucia has a legal system based on British common law. The judiciary is independent and conducts generally fair public trials. St Lucia is ranked as the 25th most-free economy in the world in 2010. Saint Lucia scores above the world average in seven economic freedoms, including business freedom, freedom from corruption, and monetary freedom. The entrepreneurial environment is efficient and transparent, and efforts to eliminate price controls have encouraged economic growth. The government implements penalties for corruption through the relatively efficient judicial system. The financial sector has weathered the global financial crisis, but the recession has hurt tourism.

Representative government came about in 1924 (with universal adult suffrage from 1953). From 1958 to 1962 the island was a member of the Federation of the West Indies. Finally, on February 22, 1979, Saint Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations. The island nation celebrates this every year with a public holiday. It is also a member of La Francophonie.

 

History

Pleae go to

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Saint_Lucia

 

Geography

Saint Lucia is one of many small land masses composing the insular group known as the Windward Islands. Unlike large limestone areas such as Florida, Cuba, and the Yucatan Peninsula, or the Bahamas, which is a small island group composed of coral and sand, St. Lucia is a typical Windward Island formation of volcanic rock that came into existence long after much of the region had already been formed.

 

St. Lucia's physical features are strikingly beautiful. Dominated by high peaks and rain forests in the interior, the 616 square-kilometer island is known for the twin peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton on the southwestern coast, its soft sandy beaches, and its magnificent natural harbors. Mount Gimie, the highest peak, is located in the central mountain range and rises to 958 meters above sea level, a contrast that is also evident in the abrupt climatic transition from coastal to inland areas. The steep terrain also accentuates the many rivers that flow from central St. Lucia to the Caribbean. Fertile land holdings, which support banana farming, are scattered throughout the island.

 

St. Lucia has a tropical, humid climate moderated by northeast trade winds that allow for pleasant year-round conditions. Mean annual temperatures range from 26 to 32 °C at sea level and drop to an average of 13 °C in the mountain peaks. The abundant annual rainfall accumulates to approximately 200 centimeters, with most precipitation occurring during the June to December wet season. Hurricanes are the most severe climatic disturbance in this area and have been known to cause extensive damage. Although St. Lucia has historically been spared from serious hurricane destruction, Hurricane Allen decimated the agricultural sector and claimed nine lives in 1980.

Saint Lucia is in the Caribbean, an island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago. The capital city of Saint Lucia is Castries, where about one third of the population lives. Major towns include Gros Islet, Soufrière and Vieux Fort.

 

Other info

Oficial Name:

Saint Lucia

 

Independence:

22 February 1979

 

Area:

616km2

 

Inhabitants:

155.000

 

Languages:

English [eng] 1,600 in Saint Lucia (2004). Dialects: Saint Lucian English. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English

More information.

 

Saint Lucian Creole French [acf] 158,178 in Saint Lucia (2001). Population total all countries: 357,128. Also spoken in Dominica, France, Grenada, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago. Alternate names: Patwa, Patois, Kwéyòl, Lesser Antillean Creole French. Dialects: Not intelligible with Standard French. Saint Lucia Creole French is close to Dominican Creole French (97% to 99% intelligibility). Goodman (1964) says all French creoles of the Caribbean are somewhat inherently intelligible to each other's speakers. The dialect of Dominica is virtually the same as Saint Lucia. Classification: Creole, French based

 

Capital city:

Castries

 

Meaning country name:

According to tradition, named after Saint Lucy by French sailors shipwrecked on the island on 13 December 1502 – the feast day of Saint Lucy.

 

Description Flag:

The flag of Saint Lucia was adopted on March 1, 1967. The exact design has varied. The current flag is blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border.

The blue color stands for the blue sky and blue ocean that surround the island, and for fidelity. Gold stands for sunshine and prosperity. The black and white portions symbolize racial harmony, although the majority of black shows the dominant influence of black culture over European culture. The triangle parts of the design are intended to evoke the Pitons, the island's two large peaks that rise from the ocean and are recognized symbols of the island.

 

Coat of arms:

The Saint Lucian Coat of Arms was designed by Sydney Bagshaw in 1967 and was adopted in the same year during pre-independence and at the time of Internal self-government. The national motto is found at the bottom.

This symbol represents the official seal of the Government of Saint Lucia. The following is a brief description of the Coat of Arms.

Tudor Rose - England

Fleur de lis - France

Stool - Africa

Torch - Beacon to light the path

Saint Lucia Parrot - Amazona versicolor, the national bird

 

Motto:

"The Land, The People, The Light"

 

National Anthem: Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia

 

Sons and daughters of Saint Lucia,

love the land that gave us birth,

land of beaches, hills and valleys,

fairest isle of all the earth.

Wheresoever you may roam,

love, oh, love your island home.

Gone the times when nations battled

for this 'Helen of the West,

gone the days when strife and discord

Dimmed her children's toil and rest.

Dawns at last a brighter day,

stretches out a glad new way.

May the good Lord bless our island,

guard her sons from woe and harm!

May our people live united,

strong in soul and strong in arm!

Justice, Truth and Charity,

our ideal for ever be!

 

Internet Page: www.stlucia.gov.lc

www.stlucia.org

www.slucia.com

 

Saint Lucia in diferent languages

 

eng | dan | dsb | est | fin | hsb | hun | jav | lld | nor | pol | que | roh | sme | sqi | swa | swe | vor | wol | zza: Saint Lucia

acf | hat: Sent Lisi

afr | nld: Saint Lucia; Sint Lucia

eus | lin: Santa Luzia

fra | nrm: Sainte-Lucie

glg | spa: Santa Lucía

ind | msa: Saint Lucia / سينت لوسيا

ltz | nds: Saint Lucia / Saint Lucia

oci | por: Santa Lúcia

arg: Santa Luzía

ast: Santa Llucía

aze: Sent-Lüsiya / Сент-Лүсија

bam: Sɛnti-Lisi

bos: Sveta Lucija / Света Луција

bre: Saint-Lucia

cat: Santa Lucia

ces: Svatá Lucie

cor: Sen Lusia

crh: Seynt-Lusiya / Сейнт-Лусия

cym: Sant Lwsia

deu: Sankt Lucia / Sankt Lucia; Saint Lucia / Saint Lucia

epo: Sent-Lucio

fao: Saint Lusia

frp: Santa-Lucie

fry: Sint Lusia

fur: Sante Lucie

gla: Naomh Lùisia

gle: San Lúicia / San Lúicia

glv: Noo Lucia

hrv: Sveta Lucija

ibo: Sent Lusia

ina: Sancte Lucia

isl: Sankti Lúsía

ita: Santa Lucia; Saint Lusia

jnf: Sainte Lucie

kaa: Sent-Lyusiya / Сент-Люсия

kmr: Sênt-Lûsî / Сент-Луси / سێنت لووسی

kur: Sênt Lûsya / سێنت لووسیا

lat: Sancta Lucia

lav: Sentlūsija

lit: Sent Lusija

mlg: Sainta Lusia

mlt: Santa Luċija

mol: Sfânta Lucia / Сфынта Лучия

rmy: Svunto Lučiya / स्वुन्तो लुचिया

ron: Sfânta Lucia

rup: Ayia Lucia

scn: Santa Lucìa

slk: Svätá Lucia

slo: Sviatju Lucia / Свиатйу Луциа

slv: Saint Lucija

smg: Sent Liusėjė

srd: Santa Lughia

tet: Santa Lúsia

tuk: Sent-Lýusiýa / Сент-Люсия

tur: Sen Lucia; Saint Lucia

uzb: Sent-Lyusiya / Сент-Люсия; Avliyo Lyusiya / Авлиё Люсия; Muqaddas Lyusiya / Муқаддас Люсия

vie: Xan Lu-xi

vol: Saluda-Luseän

wln: Sinte Luceye

alt | che | kbd | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | tyv | udm: Сент-Люсия (Sent-Ljusija)

mon | oss: Сент-Люси (Sent-Ljusi)

abq: Сент-Люсия (Sent-Łjusija)

bak: Сент-Люсия / Sent-Lyusiya

bel: Святая Лусія / Sviataja Łusija; Сьвятая Люсія / Śviataja Lusija; Сент-Лусія / Sient-Łusija; Сэнт-Люсія / Sent-Lusija

bul: Сейнт Люсия (Sejnt Ljusija); Света Лусия (Sveta Lusija)

chm: Сент-Люсий (Sent-Ljusij)

chv: Сент-Люсийӑ (Sent-Ljusijă)

kaz: Сент-Люсия / Sent-Lywsïya / سەنت-ليۋسيا

mkd: Света Луција (Sveta Lucija)

rus: Сент-Люсия (Sent-Ljusija); Святая Люсия (Svjataja Ljusija)

srp: Света Луција / Sveta Lucija

tat: Сент-Люсия / Sent-Lüsiä

tgk: Сент-Люсия / سنت لوسیه / Sent-Ljusija; Люсияи Муқаддас / لوسیۀ مقدس / Ljusijai Muqaddas

ukr: Сент-Люсія (Sent-Ljusija)

ara: سان لوسيا (Sān Lūsiyā); سانت لوسيا (Sānt Lūsiyā)

fas: سنت لوسیا / Sent Lusiyâ; سنت لوشا / Sent Lušâ

prs: سینت لوسیا (Sēnt Lūsiyā)

pus: سېنټ لوسيا (Senṫ Lūsiyā)

uig: سېنت ليۇسىيە / Sént Lyusiye / Сент-Люсия

urd: سینٹ لوشیا (Senṫ Lūšiyā); سینٹ لوچیا (Senṫ Lūčiyā); سینٹ لوسیا (Senṫ Lūsiyā)

div: ސެންޓް ލޫސިއާ (Senṫ Lūsi'ā)

heb: סנט-לוצ׳יה (Senṭ-Lûčiyah); סנט-לוסיה (Senṭ-Lûsyah); סינט-לוסיה / סיינט-לוסיה (Seynṭ-Lûsyah); סנט-לושה (Senṭ-Lûšah); סינט-לושה / סיינט-לושה (Seynṭ-Lûšah); סנטה לוסיה (Sanṭah Lûsiyah)

lad: סאנטה לוסיה / Santa Lusia

yid: סײנט לוציאַ (Seynt Lutsya)

amh: ሴንት ሉሺያ (Sent Lušiya)

ell-dhi: Αγία Λουκία (Agía Loykía); Σάντα Λουτσία (Sánta Loytsía); Σάντα Λουσία (Sánta Loysía)

ell-kat: Ἁγία Λουκία (Hagía Loykía); Σάντα Λουτσία (Sánta Loytsía)

hye: Սենթ Լուչիա (Senṭ Louč̣ia)

kat: სენტ-ლუსია (Sent-Lusia)

hin: सेंट लूसिया (Seṁṭ Lūsiyā); सेंट लुसिया (Seṁṭ Lusiyā)

nep: सेन्ट लुसिया (Senṭ Lusiyā)

ben: সেন্ট লুসিয়া (Senṭ Lusiyā)

pan: ਸੇਂਟ ਲੂਸੀਆ (Sẽṭ Lūsīā)

kan: ಸೇಂಟ್ ಲೂಷಿಯ (Sēṁṭ Lūṣiya)

mal: സെന്റ് ലൂസിയ (Senṟ Lūsiya); സെയ്ന്റ് ലൂസിയ (Seynṟ Lūsiya)

tam: சென் லூசியா (Čeṉ Lūčiyā)

tel: సెయింట్ లూసియా (Seyiṁṭ Lūsiyā); సేంట్ లూసియా (Sēṁṭ Lūsiyā)

zho: 聖露西亞/圣露西亚 (Shèng Lùxīyà)

jpn: セント・ルシア (Sento Rushia); セントルシア (Sentorushia)

kor: 세인트루시아 (Seinteu Lusia)

mya: စိန့္လူစီယာ (Seĩ́ Lusiya)

tha: เซนต์ลูเซีย (Sēn[d] Lūsiya)

khm: សង់លូស៊ីយ៉ា (Săṅ Lūsīyā); សាំងលូស៊ី (Sāṁṅ Lūsī)

 

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Uploaded on March 12, 2010