The most interesting facts about Saint Lucia, from the world’s only drive-in volcano to the sole country named specifically after a woman.
Fast facts
Official name: Saint Lucia
Population: 168,038
Area: 616 sq km
Capital city: Castries
Major languages: English (official), Saint Lucian Creole (also known as Patois)
Major religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant
Time zone: UTC-4 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Interesting facts about Saint Lucia
1. Saint Lucia is an island nation located in the West Indies of the Caribbean.
2. Saint Lucia’s history is shrouded in mystery. Some say that Saint Lucia has been inhabited since between 1000 BC and 500 BC however there is little evidence to support this. The Arawak Indians were the first known settlers, arriving around 200-400 AD.
3. Saint Lucia was first sighted by Europeans in 1501 when Christopher Columbus spotted the island.
4. Saint Lucia was named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse by French sailors who, in 1502, were shipwrecked on the island on St. Lucy’s Day – 13th December.
5. Saint Lucia is the world’s only country named specifically after a woman.
6. Saint Lucia was previously named, Iyonola by the Arawaks and Hewanorra by the Caribs. Both mean “island of the iguanas”.
7. During 150 years of conflict throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries, Britain and France repeatedly fought for the possession of Saint Lucia. The island changed ownership 14 times in total.
8. In 1814, Saint Lucia was finally ceded to the UK and became part of the British Windward Islands colony.
9. Tourism is the primary income source for Saint Lucia and the largest provider of employment in the country.
10. Before the tourism boom, the country was supported by banana exports, particularly after 1964 when the country ceased the production of sugar cane. However, following a 1993 fall in the price of bananas, the industry saw a significant downturn.
11. At just 43km (27 mi) long and with a maximum width of 23km (14 mi), Saint Lucia is one of the smallest nations in the world.
12. Saint Lucia has the third highest homicide rate at 38.96 per 100,000 people, which is well above the global average of 5.8. Only Jamaica and South Africa have higher rates.
13. Saint Lucia’s flag is blue, representing the Caribbean Sea. At the center of the flag is a unique emblem featuring white and black colors, symbolizing harmony among Saint Lucia’s communities. The yellow triangle symbolizes sunshine, while the black triangle represents the volcanic cones called the Pitons.
14. In 1967, Saint Lucia became self-governing and then in 1979, it became completely independent with John Compton as prime minister.
15. Saint Lucia is known for the twin pyramids of volcanic rock rising distinctly from the sea: Gros and Petit Pitons are 798m (2,619ft) and 743m (2,437ft) high respectively.
16. The Pitons are Saint Lucia’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Pitons Management Area includes the two volcanic spires, the Piton Mitan ridge that connects the two cones, a geothermal field, hot springs and the surrounding sea.
17. The site is a diverse habitat for flora and fauna and is home to 148 plant species, 168 finfish species, 60 cnidaria species, eight molluscs, 14 sponges, 11 echinoderms, 15 arthropods and eight annelid worms. There are also 27 bird species, including five endemic ones, along with three native rodents, one opossum, three bats, eight reptiles, and three amphibians.
18. In 2010, Saint Lucia was hit by Hurricane Tomas, which killed 14 people, triggered landslides and caused considerable damage in the Soufrière area.
19. Saint Lucia is home to the world’s only drive-in “volcano”. The Sulphur Springs do not have a crater or magma like a normal volcano, but instead, have smelly pools of boiling mud that releases clouds of sulfur gas.
20. Saint Lucia has had two Nobel Prize winners: Derek Walcott won the 1992 Nobel Prize for Literature, and Sir Arthur Lewis won the 1979 Nobel Prize for Economics.
21. As such, Saint Lucia holds the world record for the most Nobel Prize Laureates per capita, with a rate of 10.81 per million people.
22. Saint Lucia is home to Black Bay, which, legend has it, is where the infamous pirate Blackbeard stashed his treasure. Blackbeard was a notorious pirate who sailed and plundered ships on the Caribbean Sea in the early 18th century.
23. The national bird of Saint Lucia is the Saint Lucia Parrot, which can only be found on the island. The parrot is endangered due to habitat loss caused by deforestation.
24. Pigeon Island in Saint Lucia is the location of the island’s first French settler, Jambe de Bois (Wooden Leg), who, in the 1550s, used the island as a pirate base for raiding passing Spanish ships.
25. The vast majority of people in Saint Lucia are the offspring of African slaves who were brought to the island by the British during the early 19th century to work on sugar plantations. Slavery was abolished in 1834.
26. Saint Lucia is home to one of the rarest lizards in the world, the Saint Lucia whiptail lizard. Discovered in 1958, the lizard is the only species of its kind surviving in the Caribbean can only be found on two small islands.
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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.