Saint Lucia 2023 Press Freedom: Free

Saint Lucia is not rated by the RSF index; Freedom House classifies it as Free with a total score of 92/100. Context: pop 183K, GDP $2.12B.

RSF Score——

Freedom StatusFreeFH total 92/100

GDP$2.12BWorld Bank data

Population183KNational total

2023 Press Freedom Scorecard

Overall score and global position

Saint Lucia is not currently scored by the RSF World Press Freedom Index or by the V-Dem Freedom of Expression project; the profile relies on Freedom House and World Bank indicators below. Of the 25 Freedom House indicators, Saint Lucia earns 17 at the maximum 4/4 and 0 at 0/4; its strongest category is Political Pluralism (16/16) and its weakest is Rule of Law (13/16).

Composite index comparison

Political Rights (Freedom House)38 / 40

Elections, political pluralism, government functioning.

Civil Liberties (Freedom House)54 / 60

Freedom of expression, association, rule of law, personal autonomy.

Full socio-economic dashboard

public

Demographics & geography

Population183K

Urban population34K

Density301.0 people / km²

Land area616 km²

CapitalCastries

Largest cityCastries

Latitude13.9094°

Longitude-60.9789°

Forested area33.2%

Agricultural land17.4%

CO₂ emissions414 kt

payments

Economy & labour

GDP$2.12B

GDP per capita$11,611

CurrencyXCD

CPI110.13

CPI change (%)1.9%

Minimum wage—

Unemployment rate20.7%

Labor-force participation67.1%

Tax revenue (% of GDP)18.2%

Total tax rate34.7%

Gasoline price$1.30 /L

medical_services

Health

Life expectancy76.1 years

Birth rate12.00 / 1 000

Fertility rate1.44 births / woman

Infant mortality14.9 / 1 000 live births

Maternal mortality ratio117 / 100 000 live births

Physicians0.64 / 1 000 people

Out-of-pocket health spend48.4%

school

Education

Gross primary enrollment102.6%

Gross tertiary enrollment14.1%

account_balance

Administration

Official languageEnglish

ISO abbreviationLC

Calling code+1

Armed forces size—

All socio-economic indicators from the World Bank country dataset (2023 snapshot).

Democratic Rights & Civil Liberties

Freedom status explained

Freedom House classifies Saint Lucia as Free with a 2024 aggregate score of 92/100 — meaning national institutions reliably protect political rights and civil liberties.

Within Freedom House's Americas region (35 countries), Saint Lucia ranks #6 on the latest aggregate score — the 85th percentile. The region leaders are Canada, Uruguay, Barbados.

Political Rights vs Civil Liberties

Political Rights

38/ 40

Rating 1 of 7 (1 = best)

Civil Liberties

54/ 60

Rating 1 of 7 (1 = best)

Political rights and civil liberties are rated in similar territory, a sign that formal political channels and everyday personal freedoms move together in this country.

Twelve-year Freedom House trend

Between 2013 and 2024, Freedom House moved Saint Lucia from Free (Free, 93/100) to Free (Free, 92/100).

Indicator trajectory (A–G over 12 years)

Of the 25 Freedom House indicators tracked for Saint Lucia, 4 moved at least one point across the available Freedom House history. The eight with the largest absolute change appear below.

Code	Indicator	Earliest	Latest	Δ
A3	Electoral framework	4/4 (2013)	3/4 (2024)	▼ -1
D1	Free media	4/4 (2013)	3/4 (2024)	▼ -1
F1	Independent judiciary	3/4 (2013)	4/4 (2024)	▲ +1
C1	Elected officials govern	4/4 (2013)	4/4 (2024)	• 0

Latest A–G indicator scorecard

Electoral Process

Subtotal11 / 12

A1Free and fair head-of-government elections

4/4
A2Free and fair legislative elections

4/4
A3Electoral laws and framework

3/4

Political Pluralism & Participation

Subtotal16 / 16

B1Right to organise in political parties

4/4
B2Opposition can realistically gain power

4/4
B3Free political choice without domination

4/4
B4Political rights of minorities

4/4

Functioning of Government

Subtotal11 / 12

C1Elected officials determine government policy

4/4
C2Safeguards against corruption

3/4
C3Transparency of government

4/4

Freedom of Expression & Belief

Subtotal15 / 16

D1Free and independent media

3/4
D2Freedom of religious expression

4/4
D3Academic freedom

4/4
D4Free private discussion

4/4

Associational & Organisational Rights

Subtotal12 / 12

E1Freedom of assembly

4/4
E2Freedom for NGOs

4/4
E3Free trade unions

4/4

Rule of Law

Subtotal13 / 16

F1Independent judiciary

4/4
F2Due process in civil and criminal matters

3/4
F3Protection from illegitimate force

3/4
F4Equal treatment under the law

3/4

Personal Autonomy & Individual Rights

Subtotal14 / 16

G1Freedom of movement

4/4
G2Property rights

4/4
G3Personal social freedoms

3/4
G4Equality of opportunity

3/4

Each indicator is scored 0–4 by Freedom House analysts; category subtotals combine into the Political Rights (A + B + C = 0–40) and Civil Liberties (D + E + F + G = 0–60) aggregates shown above. 2024 edition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Freedom House indicator moved most in Saint Lucia?

Indicator A3 (Electoral framework) changed by -1 points, moving from 4/4 to 3/4 across the available history — the biggest indicator-level movement of the 25 Freedom House sub-scores for Saint Lucia.

How does Saint Lucia rank within its Freedom House region?

Saint Lucia holds position #6 of 35 in the Americas region on the latest Freedom House aggregate score. The region's top country is Canada (97/100).

What is Saint Lucia's economic context for its press freedom score?

Saint Lucia has a GDP of $2.12B across a population of 183K, giving a per-capita GDP of about $11,611. Its capital is Castries; the official language is English.