Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia

Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia

Political map of Saint Lucia showing location of Vieux Fort
Coordinates: 13°43′41″N 60°57′14″W / 13.728°N 60.954°W / 13.728; -60.954
Country  Saint Lucia
Quarter Vieux Fort Quarter
Founded 18th Century
Named for A nearby fort
Government
  Governing body Vieux Fort Council
Elevation[1] 1 m (3 ft)
Population (2005)[2]
  Total 15,750
Time zone Eastern Caribbean Time Zone (ECT) (UTC-4)
Area code(s) 758

Vieux Fort is a town located near the southernmost point of Saint Lucia, a Caribbean island. It is named after a fort that used to watch out towards Saint Vincent towards the south. The population is about 4,500, while the surrounding district of Vieux Fort Quarter has a total population of about 16,000.

In the 18th and 19th Centuries it used to be an important centre of the sugar industry in Saint Lucia before that industry declined. During World War II the Americans constructed an airfield called Beane Army Airfield. After the war it was subsequently expanded to form Hewanorra International Airport.

Today, Vieux Fort is the main point of entry for Saint Lucia and also hosts a port[3] just to the south of the town. It is also a major industrial area and also hosts other places such as St Jude's Hospital and the George Odlum Stadium.

References


Coordinates: 13°43′41″N 60°57′14″W / 13.728°N 60.954°W / 13.728; -60.954


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.