Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
13 53 N, 60 58 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 616 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 606 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 10 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 193

Area - comparative:
three and a half times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
158 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August
More Climate Details

Terrain:
volcanic and mountainous with broad, fertile valleys

Elevation:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 948 m

Natural resources:
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

Land use:
agricultural land: 17.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 4.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 11.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 77% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 5.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries

Natural hazards:
hurricanes

volcanism: Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava dome remnants associated with the Soufriere volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean