town and former capital of St. Lucia (Saint Lucia) island in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It lies 19 miles (30 km) south of the harbour of Castries and is situated near the island's extreme southeastern tip on fertile, flat ground overlooking Vieux Fort Bay. Named for the 17th-century fort (Old Fort) situated there, it was the site of St. Lucia's first sugar works (1765); it is still the centre of a sugar- and coconut-growing district. Tourism is also important to the economy. Hewanorra International Airport, one of the island's two airports, is nearby. Vieux Fort has one of the most modern deepwater ports in the Caribbean and can accommodate container ships. Pop. (2001 prelim.) 14,754.