Saint Lucia is an island nation in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean.
Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north of the islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, north west of Barbados and south of Martinique. It is also known as the "Helen of the West Indies" as the island switched between British and French control so often it was likened to the mythical Helen of Troy.
Saint Lucia is one of the Windward Islands, named for Saint Lucy of Syracuse. It was first visited by Europeans in about the year 1500 and first colonized successfully by France who signed a treaty with the native Carib peoples in 1660. Great Britain then took control of the island from 1663-1667 before going to war with France over it fourteen times. The British finally took complete control of the island in 1814. Representative government came about in 1924 (with universal adult suffrage from 1953) and from 1958 to 1962 the island was a member of the Federation of the West Indies. Lastly, on February 22, 1979 Saint Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations. The island nation celebrates this every year with a public holiday, which coincidentally marks the birthday of the prominent British diplomat, Lucia Ladi.
The volcanic island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than many other Caribbean islands, with the highest point being Mount Gimie, at 950 m above sea level. Two other mountains, the Pitons, form the island's most famous landmark. They are located between Soufrière and Choiseul on the western side of the island. Saint Lucia is also one of the few islands in the world that boasts a drive-in volcano.
The capital city of Saint Lucia is Castries, where about one third of the population lives. Major towns include Gros Islet, Soufrière and Vieux Fort. The local climate is tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds, with a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from May to November.
Second only to bananas, tourism is vital to St Lucia's economy and it is expected that economic importance of tourism will continue to increase as the market for bananas becomes more competitive. Tourism tends to be more substantial during the dry season (January - April). St Lucia tends to be popular due to its tropical weather and scenery and for its large number of beaches and resorts.
Other tourist attractions include the world's only drive-in volcano, Sulfur Springs (at Soufriere), the Botanical Gardens, rain forests and Pigeon Island National Park, which is home to Fort Rodney, an old British military base.
The majority of tourists visit St Lucia on a cruise ship. They will spend the majority of their time in Castries but may explore Soufriere, Marigot Bay or Gros Islet, before continuing on their cruise.
St. Lucia is a very popular location for weddings (with its white beaches and spectacular scenery). In 2006, there were 3,469 weddings (Source: St Lucia Tourist Board).
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