Capital: Castries
Administrative divisions: 11 quarters; Anse La Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort

Independence: 22 February 1979 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution: 22 February 1979

Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Stanislaus Anthony JAMES (since 10 October 1988)
head of government: Prime Minister John George Melvin COMPTON (since 3 May 1982); Vice President George MALLET (since NA)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: consists of an 11-member body, 6 appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 2 after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups
House of Assembly: elections last held 27 April 1992 (next to be held by April 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) UWP 11, SLP 6

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: United Workers' Party (UWP), John COMPTON; Saint Lucia Labor Party (SLP), Julian HUNTE; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), George ODLUM
Member of: ACCT (associate), ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Joseph Edsel EDMUNDS
chancery: Suite 309, 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 30037
telephone: (202) 463-7378 or 7379
FAX: (202) 887-5746
consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation: no official presence since the Ambassador resides in Bridgetown (Barbados)

Flag: blue with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

NOTE: The information regarding Saint Lucia on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Saint Lucia Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Saint Lucia Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.