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Photo: Mjr74 · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 02 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Saint Lucia: Economy & Innovation
What does an economy do for the people inside it?
Saint Lucia is placed 34th of 176 countries on economy & innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: GDP per Capita (PPP) 24,503 (2025); Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit 57.57 (2025).
Economy & Innovation
34th
of 176 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics
- 24,503GDP per Capita (PPP), 2025GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)
- 57.57Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit, 2025Firms with a bank loan or line of credit (%)
- —Economic Complexity Index, 2024No reading for this country
- —Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, 2024No reading for this country
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Saint Lucia on economy & innovation — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
GDP per Capita (PPP)
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Output per person: the standard measure of an economy's size set against the population it has to support.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
24,503
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)
Higher is better
Saint Lucia: 24,503. Across the 185 countries in this edition, values run from 1,067 (Burundi) to 139,593 (Singapore); the world median is 17,265.
- World median
- 17,265
- Best in Caribbean
- 48,273 Sint Maarten
Each grey tick is one of 185 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 2 of 4
Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether businesses can borrow from the formal financial system — the firm-level counterpart to adults holding a bank account.
Latest reading per country, 2016–2025 · Saint Lucia’s is from 2025 · CC BY 4.0
57.57
Firms with a bank loan or line of credit (%)
Higher is better
Saint Lucia: 57.57. Across the 179 countries at their latest reading, values run from 2.113 (Pakistan) to 88.52 (Israel); the world median is 35.95.
- World median
- 35.95
- Best in Caribbean
- 57.57 Saint Lucia
Each grey tick is one of 179 countries at its latest reading, 2016–2025.
Key 3 of 4
Economic Complexity Index
Growth Lab at Harvard University
Why it is a key: What an economy knows how to make, read from the diversity and rarity of what it exports.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC0 1.0
No reading
ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3)
Higher is better
Growth Lab at Harvard University publishes no 2024 figure for Saint Lucia, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from -3.53 (Chad) to 1.729 (Japan); the world median is 0.131.
- World median
- 0.131
- Best in Caribbean
- 0.056 Trinidad and Tobago
Each grey tick is one of 145 countries in the 2024 edition.
Key 4 of 4
Account Ownership at a Financial Institution
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether ordinary adults are inside the financial system at all, which output per person does not reveal.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+)
Higher is better
World Bank Group publishes no 2024 figure for Saint Lucia, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 14.83 (Niger) to 99.85 (Iceland); the world median is 72.83.
- World median
- 72.83
- Best in Caribbean
- 74.59 Trinidad and Tobago
Each grey tick is one of 139 countries in the 2024 edition.
02Over time
Which way Saint Lucia is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
GDP per Capita (PPP)
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) · higher is better
Saint LuciaWorld median
Saint Lucia rose from 18,638 in 2000 to 24,503 in 2025; the world median went from 10,589 to 17,265.
Every year’s figures
Year Saint Lucia World median 2025 24,503 17,265 2024 24,700 18,108 2023 23,636 17,686 2022 22,811 16,933 2021 19,141 16,260 2020 17,248 15,631 2019 22,445 16,761 2018 22,761 16,349 2017 22,207 16,129 2016 21,566 15,512 2015 20,940 14,857 2014 21,011 14,475 2013 20,827 14,681 2012 21,309 14,631 2011 21,430 13,916 2010 20,649 14,101 2009 20,707 13,655 2008 21,443 14,030 2007 20,560 13,755 2006 20,354 12,983 2005 19,304 12,023 2004 19,526 11,608 2003 18,345 11,183 2002 17,740 11,144 2001 17,821 10,907 2000 18,638 10,589
03In context
Saint Lucia beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 176 countries on economy & innovation, never a place within the region.
1st176thNot placed · 48 countries with too few key statisticsNo data
Saint Lucia and Caribbean
Saint Lucia has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. The standing is each country’s place among all 176 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | GDP per Capita (PPP)GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) | Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of CreditFirms with a bank loan or line of credit (%) | Economic Complexity IndexECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3) | Account Ownership at a Financial InstitutionAdults with an account (% of population aged 15+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Lucia | 34th | 24,503 | 57.57 | — | — |
 Dominican Republic | 67th | 24,543 | 53.55 | 0.034 | 64.78 |
 Antigua and Barbuda | 72nd | 30,620 | 33.01 | — | — |
 Grenada | =77th | 18,241 | 39.29 | — | — |
 Trinidad and Tobago | =80th | 31,722 | 28.63 | 0.056 | 74.59 |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 85th | 19,483 | 35.66 | — | — |
 Jamaica | 93rd | 11,358 | 47.74 | -0.351 | — |
 Barbados | 96th | 22,127 | 26.93 | — | — |
 Haiti | =151st | 2,678 | — | -0.558 | — |
 Anguilla | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Aruba | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Bahamas | not placed | — | 34.24 | — | — |
 British Virgin Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Cayman Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Cuba | not placed | — | — | -1.048 | — |
 Curaçao | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Dominica | not placed | 19,409 | 32.81 | — | — |
 Montserrat | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Puerto Rico | not placed | 44,603 | — | — | — |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis | not placed | 31,428 | 49.32 | — | — |
 Saint Martin | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Sint Maarten | not placed | 48,273 | — | — | — |
 Turks and Caicos Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 United States Virgin Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Across Caribbean
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 176.
- Saint Lucia34th
- Dominican Republic67th
- Antigua and Barbuda72nd
- Grenada=77th
- Trinidad and Tobago=80th
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines85th
- Jamaica93rd
- Barbados96th
- Haiti=151st
- Anguillanot placed
- Arubanot placed
- Bahamasnot placed
- British Virgin Islandsnot placed
- Cayman Islandsnot placed
- Cubanot placed
- Curaçaonot placed
- Dominicanot placed
- Montserratnot placed
- Puerto Riconot placed
- Saint Kitts and Nevisnot placed
- Saint Martinnot placed
- Sint Maartennot placed
- Turks and Caicos Islandsnot placed
- United States Virgin Islandsnot placed
Placed either side on economy & innovation
The countries immediately above and below Saint Lucia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Saint Lucia is ahead of the world, and behind
15 more statistics filed under economy & innovation, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median3
Statistics on which Saint Lucia does better than the middle country measured.
Debt Service on External DebtWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 12.934.74612.93▲ Improved since 2014
Saint Lucia: 4.746 · world median 12.93 · Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.285 to 96.2; lower is better.
Position 96th of 109 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Livestock Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 107.06117.62107.06▼ Worsened since 2012
Saint Lucia: 117.62 · world median 107.06 · Livestock production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 35.52 to 190.08; higher is better.
Position 61st of 194 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Regulatory QualityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.0930.221-0.093▼ Worsened since 2015
Saint Lucia: 0.221 · world median -0.093 · Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.106 to 2.113; higher is better.
Position 79th of 209 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Behind the world median7
Statistics on which Saint Lucia does worse than the middle country measured.
External Debt Stocks (% of GNI)World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 43.9451.3143.94▼ Worsened since 2014
Saint Lucia: 51.31 · world median 43.94 · External debt stocks (% of GNI). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 2.213 to 350.57; lower is better.
Position 38th of 110 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Government AI Readiness IndexOxford Insights · 2025 · world median 40.1926.6640.19▼ Worsened since 2020
Saint Lucia: 26.66 · world median 40.19 · AI readiness score (0–100). Oxford Insights, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 12.12 to 88.36; higher is better.
Ranked 142nd of 195 by Oxford Insights.
Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 56.2121.956.21▼ Worsened since 2016
Saint Lucia: 21.9 · world median 56.21 · LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 4.13 to 1,319; higher is better.
Ranked 137th of 175 by UNCTAD.
Food Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.0890.59106.08▼ Worsened since 2012
Saint Lucia: 90.59 · world median 106.08 · Food production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 71.08 to 177.49; higher is better.
Position 171st of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Crop Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.2377.63106.23▼ Worsened since 2012
Saint Lucia: 77.63 · world median 106.23 · Crop production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 53.79 to 189.93; higher is better.
Position 183rd of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
GDP GrowthWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 3.396-0.5743.396▼ Worsened since 2015
Saint Lucia: -0.574 · world median 3.396 · GDP growth (annual %). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -5.847 to 19.34; higher is better.
Position 178th of 186 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 25.421.99125.42▼ Worsened since 2014
Saint Lucia: 1.991 · world median 25.42 · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.377 to 87.15; higher is better.
Position 165th of 170 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No better end5
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Foreign Direct Investment InflowsUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 1.9689.3641.968No real change since 2015
Saint Lucia: 9.364 · world median 1.968 · FDI inflows (% of GDP). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -32.97 to 2,221.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 6.5721.6586.572Moved since 2015
Saint Lucia: 1.658 · world median 6.572 · Agriculture, forestry and fishing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.025 to 47.59.
Position 131st of 158 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Total Natural Resources Rents (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 1.7080.0131.708No real change since 2011
Saint Lucia: 0.013 · world median 1.708 · Natural resources rents (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.03.
Position 166th of 180 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 11.263.57611.26Moved since 2015
Saint Lucia: 3.576 · world median 11.26 · Manufacturing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.481 to 43.97.
Position 126th of 132 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Industry Value Added including Construction (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 24.6510.6924.65Moved since 2015
Saint Lucia: 10.69 · world median 24.65 · Industry, including construction, value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.228 to 75.09.
Position 151st of 158 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No current reading for Saint Lucia
Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, Adjusted Net Savings, Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Container Port Traffic (last 2023), Economic Complexity Index, Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), General Government Consumption, Gini Index (last 2015), Global Innovation Index, GNI per Capita (PPP) (last 2021), Gross Capital Formation (% of GDP), Gross Savings (% of GDP), Household Consumption, ICT Goods Exports (last 2020), ICT Services Exports, Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2015), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2015), Logistics Performance Index, Palma Ratio (last 2015), Research and Development Spending (last 1999), Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All Products (last 2020), Trade (% of GDP) and World Energy Trilemma Index. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Economy & Innovation among Saint Lucia’s 14 topics
Economy & Innovation is Saint Lucia’s 2nd best-placed topic of 14. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
- Risk & Resilience21st of 1923/3 keys
- Economy & Innovation34th of 1762/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture35th of 1752/4 keys
- Gender & Equality43rd of 1832/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 51st of 1982/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions66th of 1943/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality70th of 1592/2 keys
- Work & Labour91st of 1824/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge91st of 1713/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 110th of 1963/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 106th of 1813/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing121st of 2002/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 167th of 1983/3 keys
- Energy179th of 1932/3 keys
No standing on Peace & Security, Mobility & Trade: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on economy & innovation
The three countries placed highest of 176, and the leaders Saint Lucia can most readily be measured against.
1
AustriaWestern Europe
1st of 176 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0, greyscale
2
JapanEastern Asia
2nd of 176 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
GermanyWestern Europe
3rd of 176 · 4 of 4 keys
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Americas
Canada18th4/4 keysHighest in Caribbean
Saint Lucia34th2/4 keys
Positions out of 176 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Saint Lucia and economy & innovation
On economy & innovation
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On economy & innovation
India vs Pakistan 2025: Comparison of Hunger Index, Happiness, HDI, Rule of Law, Literacy & GDP
India and Pakistan on six published measures: hunger, happiness, human development, rule of law, literacy and GDP per capita. India is the better placed on five of them; Pakistan on one.
On economy & innovation
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
08Questions
Saint Lucia on economy & innovation: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Saint Lucia rank on economy & innovation?
Saint Lucia is placed 34th of 176 countries on Economy & Innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics (GDP per Capita (PPP) and Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GDP per Capita (PPP) figure for Saint Lucia?
24,503 in 2025 (gDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 17,265.
What is the latest Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit figure for Saint Lucia?
57.57 in 2025 (firms with a bank loan or line of credit (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 35.95.
How have Saint Lucia’s economy & innovation figures changed?
GDP per Capita (PPP) rose from 18,638 in 2000 to 24,503 in 2025.
Which economy & innovation statistics are missing for Saint Lucia?
No current reading is published for Saint Lucia on Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, Adjusted Net Savings, Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Container Port Traffic, Economic Complexity Index, Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), General Government Consumption, Gini Index, Global Innovation Index, GNI per Capita (PPP), Gross Capital Formation (% of GDP), Gross Savings (% of GDP), Household Consumption, ICT Goods Exports, ICT Services Exports, Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Logistics Performance Index, Palma Ratio, Research and Development Spending, Researchers per Million Inhabitants, Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All Products, Trade (% of GDP) and World Energy Trilemma Index. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Keep reading
Explore further
Saint Lucia, topic by topic
- Governance & Institutions66th of 194
- Work & Labour91st of 182
- Education & Knowledge91st of 171
- Health & Wellbeing121st of 200
- Development & Human Capital=110th of 196
- Environment & Sustainability=106th of 181
- Gender & Equality43rd of 183
- Democracy & Civil Liberties=51st of 198
- Risk & Resilience21st of 192
- Food & Agriculture35th of 175
- Poverty & Inequality70th of 159
- Energy179th of 193
- Digital & Technology=167th of 198
- The full Saint Lucia profile
Nearby, on economy & innovation
The key statistics, for every country
10Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
The total size of an economy is deliberately left out: a very large economy spread over a very large population is not doing more for each person. Growth rates, trade shares and the structure of output (how much is farming, industry or services) are published here as context, because they describe an economy's shape rather than how well it serves people. Jobs and wages have their own topic, Work & Labour.
How the Economy & Innovation standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 4 indicators on this topic are keys and 40 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. ⚠ The keys behind this standing do not all describe the same year — they run from 2024 to 2025, because publishers release on their own schedules. Read the standing as “how this country places now”, not as a snapshot of one year.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 4 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 176 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 4.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
The key statistics and their licences
- GDP per Capita (PPP) — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Firms with a Bank Loan or Line of Credit — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Economic Complexity Index — Growth Lab at Harvard University, CC0 1.0
- Account Ownership at a Financial Institution — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
The other 15 statistics on this page come from 4 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Saint Lucia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Saint Lucia (banner) — Mjr74, CC0
- Austria — chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Japan — JurriaanH, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Germany — dronepicr, CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Saint Lucia: Economy & Innovation — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/saint-lucia/economy