28 Facts About Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia is an island country in the West Indies located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, near the Atlantic Ocean.

Sulphur Springs, the world's only "drive-in" volcano, is located in Saint Lucia.

Around 100,000 people live on Saint Lucia's coasts, with another 60,000 in Castries or elsewhere on the island.

Early Carib settlers named it the Island of the Iguanas, but it was later changed.

After signing a treaty with the original Carib people, the French took over the island in 1660 and named it Saint Lucy of Syracuse.

Around 85% of Saint Lucians are thought to be direct descendants of Africans, with the remaining 15% consisting primarily of English, French, mixed African, and Indian descent.

It is the first country to be named after a woman.

Saint Lucia is the Windward Islands' second largest island.

Between 1663 and 1667, England took control of Saint Lucia, triggering a long period of instability during which the island changed hands 14 times.

England had complete control of Saint Lucia in 1814. Because of the number of times control had been passed over, it was also known as "Helen of the West Indies" at this point.

Saint Lucia gained independence from Britain in 1979, establishing its own sovereignty.

After Saint Lucia gained independence from British rule, the motto "The Land, The People, The Light" was adopted.

The Saint Lucia Parrot, or Jacquot, is the island's national bird and is found nowhere else on the planet.

Saint Lucia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations but has its own sovereignty.

Saint Lucia's agriculture is well-developed, with sugar cane being produced for decades (although mainly a result of the slave trade). Saint Lucia became popular for banana production in 1964, but less so for sugar cane.

Saint Lucia's official language is English, but 95% of the population speaks Saint Lucian French or Patois. Furthermore, it is estimated that roughly 20% of the population speaks no English at all.

Every year in Saint Lucia, a "celebration of the language" is held to honour this dialect French language.

Mount Gimie is Saint Lucia's highest peak, rising over 3,000 feet. Saint Lucia has more mountains than most Caribbean islands, and it was formed by volcanic activity.

The Pitons mountain range is a landmark in Saint Lucia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sir Dunstan St. Omer is a well-known artist in Saint Lucia. Many visitors to Saint Lucia will have seen his visual artwork in churches and communities.

Saint Lucia receives approximately 350,000 tourists per year and has a thriving fishing industry that benefits the locals.

"Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia," Saint Lucia's national anthem, was written by Charles Jesse.

Derek Walcott, born in Castries, is a well-known Saint Lucian author who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992.

Arthur Lewis was also awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics. He was the first black man to receive a Nobel Prize for anything other than peace.

Aside from the Faroe Islands, Saint Lucia has the highest population of Nobel laureates.

Tourists frequently attempt to visit Roseau Valley, which boasts 21 different types of rum.

Because Hewanorra Airport is the only commercial airport in Saint Lucia, many tourists arrive by cruise ship from other destinations.

Many Saint Lucians do not marry until they are in their forties.