Saint Lucia is a small island developing State that is situated in the Caribbean Sea and bordered by the North Atlantic Ocean to the east. It is part of the windward island chain of the eastern Caribbean region, and is located approximately at 13.5°N and 61°W.1 Saint Lucia has a tropical maritime climate throughout the year with some relief from the high temperatures and humidity being offered by the easterly (trade) winds that blow from the northeast. Although it rains during every month of the year, there is a well-defined rainy or wet season that occurs between June and November. Precipitation during the wet season comes mainly from tropical waves, depressions, storms and hurricanes, which occur frequently over this region owing to its geographical location within the Atlantic hurricane belt. The tropical cyclone season typically lasts from June until November.3 Saint Lucia is a volcanic mountainous island with a total land area of 616 km2 (roughly 3.5 times the size of Washington DC). Its coastline measures 158 km, with the capital town, Castries, located in a bay on the northwest coast of the island. The island’s topography consists of a narrow coastal ridge with deep valleys and rugged mountains in the central region. Its lowest point is at the Caribbean Sea (0 meters) and the highest point on the island, Mount Gimie, reaches 950 meters. In 2009, Saint Lucia’s population was around 172,092, with approximately 50% living within the northwestern districts of Castries and Gros-Islet. Around 8% live in and around the capital city of Castries within the Castries district itself. The urban population comprises 28% of the total population and resides mainly in major coastal cities/towns. Most of the rural population live in villages located near the flatter coastal regions. Tourist, commercial, industrial and most agricultural development is concentrated along the coastal belt of the country.