St Lucia

I

Introduction

St Lucia, independent state in the south-eastern Caribbean Sea, one of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. It is bounded by Barbados to the south-east, Martinique to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, St Vincent to the south, and the Caribbean Sea to the west. The island, with its offshore islets, has a total area of about 616 sq km (238 sq mi), and is, at its maximum, 43 km (27 mi) long and 23 km (14 mi) wide. The capital and major city of St Lucia is Castries, on the north-western coast.

II

Land and Resources

Of volcanic origin (see Volcanism), St Lucia is traversed from north-east to south-west by a heavily forested mountain range. The highest point is Mount Gimie (950 m/3,118 ft) at the south-western end of the range, but the most spectacular peaks are Gros Piton (798 m/2,619 ft) and Petit Piton (750 m/2,461 ft). These ancient, forest-covered volcanic plugs rise sheer out of the sea on the west coast, south of the town of Soufrière. In 2004 the Pitons were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on account of the area’s extraordinary biodiversity. Near the town of Soufrière is a volcano, also known as Soufrière, where vents exude hydrogen sulphide, steam, and other gases, and where there are pools of boiling water. The mountains contain many streams and fertile valleys, and the scenery is outstanding.

A

Climate

St Lucia has a tropical climate tempered by constant north-easterly trade winds, with an average annual temperature of 26° C (79° F). The average annual rainfall ranges from about 1,524 mm (60 in) on the coast to more than 2,540 mm (100 in) in the mountains. The rainy season lasts from June to November, when the island is at risk from tropical storms and hurricanes. Particularly devastating was Hurricane Lenny, which swept through the island in November 1999, leaving scores of people homeless.

B

Plants and Animals

The fauna and flora of St Lucia are similar to those of the other Windward Islands. The island would have originally been covered by rainforest; much of the remaining forest is protected, either for water supplies or for wildlife. Plants include giant ferns, orchids, and bromeliads (see Pineapple). There are also areas of dry forest, scrub, wetland, and mangrove.

The national bird is the colourful St Lucia parrot (Amazona versicolor), which lives in the forest and is protected; a successful conservation programme (established 1978) has increased the number of birds from around 150 to more than 400. Other endemic birds are the St Lucia oriole, St Lucia black finch, and Semper’s warbler, although the warbler may already be extinct. Several other species are rare or endangered. More common forest birds include thrashers, vireos, hummingbirds and flycatchers. The north of the island, Pigeon Island, Pointe du Cap, and Cap Hardy, are drier, with thorn scrub and cactus, and colonies of seabirds. The east-coast beaches attract leatherback, hawksbill, and green nesting turtles. Birds in this area include the white-breasted thrasher and the St Lucia wren.

The island has a few species of iguana and the poisonous snake, the fer-de-lance. There are also several endemic reptiles such as the St Lucia tree lizard, pygmy gecko, Maria Island ground lizard, and Maria Island grass snake. There are few indigenous mammals; the agouti and the manicou (a marsupial), common in other parts of the Caribbean, are rare. The Frigate Islands Nature Reserve, off St Lucia’s eastern coast, has dry forest and mangroves; apart from many birds it is also the natural habitat of the boa constrictor, known locally as tête chien.