Castries (Castries) is the capital of the state of Saint Lucia and its main economic center. It is located on the north-western coast of the island, at the boundary between the Port Castries Bay and the Vigie Peninsula. Nearly one third of the island’s entire population lives here, almost 80% of the country’s foreign trade turnover passes through, and the largest enterprises and organizations are located here. Population 60,200 (2003).
Castries was founded in the early 19th century by the British. Since 1814, the city has been within the colonial possessions of the United Kingdom. The bulk of the population of this tiny town consisted of Africans-Black slaves brought here to work on sugarcane plantations. In 1834, slavery on the island was abolished. In 1979, after the declaration of independence of Saint Lucia, Castries was proclaimed the capital of the state.
A visit to the city’s craft market is of great interest to tourists coming to Castries, where lively trade in goods made by local craftsmen takes place. However, the main goal of foreign tourists heading to the capital of Saint Lucia is to get acquainted with the picturesque exotic nature, customs, and traditions of the local Creole population.
Saint Lucia is an island in the Windward Islands of the West Indies between the islands of Saint Vincent and Martinique. The island is washed to the north by the Saint Lucia Channel and to the south by the Saint Vincent Channel, which connect the Caribbean Sea with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The area is 616 km². The island is part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago. Saint Lucia has volcanic origins, which is why it is more mountainous than most other islands of the Caribbean. Essentially, it is the summit of an ancient volcanic group whose cones form the main mountain peaks of the country.
ClimateThe climate is tropical trade-wind; sea breezes temper the heat. Average monthly temperatures are 18–26 °C, with rainfall from 1500 to 3000 mm per year. The dry season is from January to April; the rainy season is from May to August. At any time of year, strong but short-lived downpours may occur, usually toward the end of the day.
