What Is The Capital Of Saint Lucia?
The Caribbean island country of Saint Lucia is located in the eastern Caribbean Sea in the Lesser Antilles region. It is located to the north/northeast, northwest, and south of Saint Vincent, Barbados, and Martinique, respectively. Saint Lucia occupies an area of 617 square km and hosts a population of around 178,015 inhabitants. The capital of Saint Lucia is Castries.
What Type Of Government Does Saint Lucia Have?
Saint Lucia is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. Here, Queen Elizabeth II of England is the head of state. Although she does not reside on the island, she is represented by the Governor-General. The latter mainly performs the ceremonial duties of the government. The Prime Minister of Saint Lucia is an elected representative who serves as the head of the government. He and his cabinet of ministers perform the executive functions of the government. The bicameral legislature of Saint Lucia has the House of Assembly and the Senate. The 17 members of the lower house of parliament are elected by popular vote while the 11 members of the upper house are appointed by the Governor-General. The independent judiciary of Saint Lucia comprises of the high court and the district courts.
What Is The Capital Of Saint Lucia?
The city of Castries serves as the capital of Saint Lucia. The city encompasses an area of 79 square km and has a total population of around 70,000 individuals. The population density here is about 890 persons per square km.
Where Is The Capital City Of Saint Lucia Located?
Castries is located on a flood gut that has been built on reclaimed land. The city is designed in a grid pattern. It has a sheltered harbor that is visited by many cruise ships and cargo vessels. Ferry boats leave the harbor to carry passengers to the nearby islands.
History Of Castries
The island of Saint Lucia was inhabited by the Island Caribs prior to the arrival of the Europeans. The French and the British were both interested to control the island due to the lucrative sugar industry in the area. The control of Saint Lucia shifted between these two European powers several times from the 16th to the 19th centuries. However, the French had a relatively more stable rule in the region than the British. Castries grew as an important settlement on the island due to the presence of a natural harbor in the area of Castries. It became the hub of trade and commerce. The first steamship arrived in the harbor there in 1841. It was named the RMS Solway. When Saint Lucia became free of colonial rule in 1979, Castries became the capital of the newly independent country.
Role Of Castries As The Capital Of Saint Lucia?
As the capital of Saint Lucia, Castries houses the top-level ministries and departments of the national government. The parliament of the country meets here. The city is also one of the top tourist destinations in the country and a port of call for cruise ships. The headquarters of many local and foreign businesses are based here. An organized bus and taxi service connect the various parts of the city. Castries is also the birthplace of two Nobel Prize winners, Arthur Lewis, and Derek Walcott. The former won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1979 and the latter won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992.
