Teardrop-shaped island of St. Lucia is located in the Windward chain of Caribbean Islands. The Arawaks were St. Lucia's first inhabitants. They paddled up from South America before AD 200. The Carib Indians followed, conquering the Arawaks around AD 800. Caribs still lived on the island when Europeans established first settlements in 17th century. Today there is no trace of Caribs and 90% of the population is of African descent from slaves brought from West Africa to work in sugar plantations.