St. Lucia

An unusual dichotomy of British and French culture has shaped the course of St. Lucia's history and present. St. Lucia's political culture is patterned after British models and English remains the language of status, but French patois is spoken by 90% of the population. Boasting one of the most diverse economies in the Caribbean, St. Lucia, though still an agricultural economy based on banana production, manufacturing, construction, tourism, and modest mineral wealth combine to form a relatively solid economy. Sever drought affecting banana production and inattentiveness by the United States have rained on St. Lucia's economic parade. Emigration has also had adverse effects on St. Lucia as islanders leave in search of work.