Almost the entire population of Saint Lucia are descendants of African slaves. Two out of five residents live in the capital Castries and its environs.
The indigenous people of the Caribbean who lived on the island when Europeans arrived (see Older History) were exterminated or expelled during the colonial era. Nowadays, Europeans’ descendants make up less than one percent of the population, but they form the core of the political and economic elite.
- COUNTRYAAH.COM: Key populations estimated size and data of St. Lucia, including population density of how many people per square mile. Also included are facts for population and language.
There is also a small group of Indian descent in the country. Their ancestors were plantation workers who were brought from India by the British colonial power in the late 19th century.
The number of paperless immigrants in Saint Lucia increased at the end of the first decade of the 21st century. During two periods in 2007 and 2009, the immigration authority issued a general amnesty to illegal immigrants from other countries within the Caribbean cooperation organization Caricom, so that these would have the opportunity to apply for a residence permit or citizenship.
Most residents are fluent in English, which is the country’s official language. A significant part of the population also speaks the mixed language (Creole language) patois, which is built in French with African elements.
FACTS – POPULATION AND LANGUAGE
Population
black about 90%, small minorities of people of mixed origin, Indian origin or European-descended
Number of residents
178 844 (2017)
Number of residents per square kilometer
293 (2017)
Percentage of residents in the cities
18.6 percent (2017)
Nativity / birth
12.1 per 1000 residents (2016)
Mortality / mortality
7.5 per 1000 residents (2016)
POPULATION GROWTH
0.5 percent (2017)
fertility rate
1.5 number of births per woman (2016)
Percentage of women
51.0 percent (2017)
Life expectancy
75 years (2016)
Life expectancy for women
78 years (2016)
Life expectancy for men
73 years (2016)
Language
English is the official language, patois (mixed language built in French with African elements) is also spoken by many.