Economy of Saint Lucia

Economy of Saint Lucia
Castries, the financial center of Saint Lucia
CurrencyEast Caribbean dollar (XCD)
1 April–March 31
Trade organisations
WTO, CARICOM, OECS
Country group
Statistics
PopulationIncrease 185,886 (March 2023)[3]
GDP
  • Increase $2.262 billion (nominal, 2023 est)[4]
  • Increase $3.399 billion (PPP, 2023 est)[5]
GDP rank
GDP growth
  • Increase 12.2% (2021)[6]
  • Increase 14.9% (2022)[6]
  • Increase 3.0% (2023f)[6]
  • Increase 2.2% (2024f)[6]
GDP per capita
  • Increase $12,264 (nominal, 2023 est.)[7]
  • Increase $18,435 (PPP, 2023 est.)[8]
GDP per capita rank
GDP by sector
Negative increase6.4% (2022)
Population below poverty line
  • NA[9]
  • 20.3% on less than $5.50/day (2016)[10]
51.2 high (2016)[11]
Labour force
  • Decrease 95,790 (2020)[14]
  • Increase 57.4% employment rate (2016)[15]
Labour force by occupation
Unemployment
  • Positive decrease 17.5% (2022)[16]
  • Positive decrease 26.2% youth unemployment (2022)[17]
Main industries
tourism; clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, lime processing, coconut processing
External
ExportsDecrease $185.1 million (2017 est.)[9]
Export goods
crude petroleum, beer, jewelry, bananas, refined petroleum, rum
Main export partners
ImportsIncrease $600 million (2017 est.)[9]
Import goods
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cars, poultry meats, natural gas
Main import partners
  • United States 75.9% (2022)[19]
$570.6 million (31 December 2017 est.)[9]
Public finances
+0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)[9]
Expenses392.8 million (2017 est.)[9]
Increase $321.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)[9]
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars.


Once a single-crop agricultural economy, Saint Lucia has shifted to a tourism and banking serviced-based economy. Tourism, the island's biggest industry and main source of jobs, income and foreign exchange, accounts for 65% of its GDP. Agriculture, which was once the biggest industry, now contributes to less than 3% of GDP, but still accounts for 20% of jobs. The banana industry is now on a decline due to strong competition from low-cost Latin American producers and reduced European trade preferences, but the government has helped revitalize the industry, with 13,734 tonnes exported in 2018. Agricultural crops grown for export are bananas, mangoes, and avocados. The island is considered to have the most diverse and well-developed manufacturing industry in the eastern Caribbean.

Saint Lucia has been able to attract many foreign businesses and investors.[citation needed]

  1. ^ "World Economic Outlook Database, April 2019". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  2. ^ "World Bank Country and Lending Groups". datahelpdesk.worldbank.org. World Bank. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. ^ "Population, total - St. Lucia". data.worldbank.org. World Bank. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  4. ^ GDP, current prices Archived 28 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine IMF
  5. ^ GDP, current prices Archived 28 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine IMF
  6. ^ a b c d Real GDP growth Archived 13 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine IMF
  7. ^ GDP per capita, current prices Archived 28 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine IMF
  8. ^ GDP per capita, current prices Archived 28 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine IMF
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "The World Factbook". CIA.gov. Central Intelligence Agency. 12 February 2022. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  10. ^ "Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day (2011 PPP) (% of population) - St. Lucia". data.worldbank.org. World Bank. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  11. ^ "GINI index (World Bank estimate) - St. Lucia". data.worldbank.org. World Bank. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  12. ^ "Human Development Index (HDI)". hdr.undp.org. HDRO (Human Development Report Office) United Nations Development Programme. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  13. ^ "Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI". hdr.undp.org. HDRO (Human Development Report Office) United Nations Development Programme. Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  14. ^ "Labor force, total - St. Lucia". data.worldbank.org. World Bank. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) - St. Lucia". data.worldbank.org. World Bank. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Unemployed Rate by Age and Sex (Quarterly) 2010 to 2022 Q2". The Central Statistical Office of Saint Lucia. Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Youth Unemployment by Age and Sex, (Quarterly) 2010 To 2022 Q2". The Central Statistical Office of Saint Lucia. Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Export Partners of Saint Lucia". The Observatory of Economic Complexity. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Import Partners of Saint Lucia". The Observatory of Economic Complexity. Retrieved 10 March 2024.