St. Lucia was first visited by Europeans in about the year 1500 and first colonized successfully by France who signed a treaty with the native Caribs in 1660. Great Britain then took control of the island from 1663-1667 before going to war with France over it fourteen times. The British finally took complete control of the island in 1814. On February 22, 1979 St Lucia became an independent state of the Common wealth of Nations. The island nation celebrates this every year with a public holiday.
