St Lucia profile
Tourism is the main source of income for St Lucia and the industry is its biggest employer.
The tropical eastern Caribbean island boasts beaches, mountains, exotic plants and the Qualibou volcano with its boiling sulphur springs.
Before the visitor influx, banana exports sustained St Lucia, especially after 1964 when it stopped producing sugar cane.
Crops such as mangoes and avocados are also grown, but bananas are the biggest source of foreign exchange after tourism.
Most St Lucians are the descendants of African slaves, brought in by the British in the 19th century to work on sugar plantations.
Although St Lucia is a former British colony, the French settled in the 17th century. Their influence lives on in the patois spoken in the country.
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FACTS
[an error occurred while processing this directive]LEADERS
Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a Governor-General
Prime Minister (outgoing): Kenny Anthony
Kenny Anthony, the leader of the St Lucia Labour Party (SLP), took office in December 2011 following a general election at which his party won a majority of the 17 seats in parliament.
At his swearing-in, Mr Anthony said no single political party could manage the island's affairs alone.
He pledged to boost the economy, reduce crime and improve the prospects for young people, but lost the June 2016 general election.
MEDIA
The area around the Pitons, two volcanic landmarks, is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It includes hot springs, corals and subtropical wet forest
St Lucia's newspapers and broadcasters are mainly privately-owned and carry a range of views. The government operates a radio network.
TIMELINE
Some key dates in St Lucia's history:
1501 - St Lucia sighted by Christopher Columbus.
1635 - The French establish a colony on St Lucia.
1660 - The French sign a treaty with the indigenous Carib people.
1814 - France cedes St Lucia to Britain following the Treaty of Paris; Britain proclaims the island a crown colony and brings in African slaves to work on the sugar cane plantations.
1834 - Slavery abolished.
1967 - St Lucia becomes fully self-governing in internal affairs, with Britain remaining in charge of external matters and defence.
1979 - St Lucia becomes independent.
Much of St Lucia's colonial architecture can still be seen
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