Saint Lucia

tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August

volcanic and mountainous with broad, fertile valleys

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

158 km

30 sq km (2012)

Central America and the Caribbean

hurricanes volcanism: Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava-dome remnants associated with the Soufrière volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the volcanic-island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufrière, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean

forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential

3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

13 53 N, 60 58 W

most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries