St Lucia changed hands between the English and the French numerous times during the 17th and the 18th centuries before finally being won by the English in 1814. The island has been self-governing since 1967 and became an independent state in 1979. It enjoys a stable political environment, based on a UK style system, with the position of Prime Minister being given to the leader of the largest party in Parliament. The Prime Minister is then responsible for appointing the government.

St. Lucia is a member of the British Commonwealth as well as several Caribbean organisations including the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and the Association of Caribbean Sates (ACS).

The country’s economy has traditionally been dependent on the revenue from banana production. However, it is currently undergoing significant diversification in response to external pressures. In particular, the phasing out of preferential access to the EU market for its banana exports, coupled with increased competition from Latin American banana produces, has necessitated expansion into non-traditional crops. As a result, there has been encouragement for the establishment of tree crops such as mangos and avocados.

The government has also been concentrating on developing other areas of the economy, such as tourism, spending significant levels of public money on improving infrastructure, maintaining historical sites and attracting cultural and sporting events to the island. Financial incentives have also been made available for creating and developing tourist facilities. More recently, the financial services and I.T. sectors have been identified as key development objectives.

The country benefits from 2 airports, Hewanorra International Airport, which is situated in the south of the island, and George F. L. Charles Airport (formerly known as Vigie Airport), which is located close to the capital, Castries, in the north west. Hewanorra International Airport generally caters for the larger international airlines, with flights originating mainly from Europe and North America, while George F. L. Charles Airport is home to a number of smaller general aviation and commuter airlines providing flights throughout the Eastern Caribbean.

The main seaport on the island is the Port of Castries. This multi purpose port benefits from modern cargo handling equipment and provides facilities and services for both passengers and cargo. In 2000, the port won the Caribbean Shipping Association award for the most efficient port for the year.

There are also several other ports on the island, most notably the Port at Vieux Fort, in the south of the island, which also provides deep water anchorage for cargo and container ships.