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Saint Kitts and Nevis

Region: Central America and Caribbean

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Introduction Geography People and Society Government Economy Energy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Introduction

Background
Carib Indians occupied the islands of the West Indies for hundreds of years before the British began settlement in 1623. In 1967, the island territory of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla became an associated state of the UK with full internal autonomy. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. The remaining islands achieved independence in 1983 as Saint Kitts and Nevis. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis continues in its efforts to separate from Saint Kitts.

Geography

Location
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Geographic coordinates
17 20 N, 62 45 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)
land: 261 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
one and a half times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
135 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate
tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain
volcanic with mountainous interiors
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Natural resources
arable land
Land use
arable land: 19.23%
permanent crops: 0.38%
other: 80.38% (2011)
Irrigated land
0.18 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources
0.02 cu km (2011)
Natural hazards
hurricanes (July to October)
Environment - current issues
NA
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
smallest country in the Americas and Western Hemisphere; with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island

People and Society

Nationality
noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Ethnic groups
predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
Languages
English (official)
Religions
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Population
51,538 (July 2014 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 5,520/female 5,518)
15-24 years: 15.4% (male 3,904/female 4,028)
25-54 years: 45.1% (male 11,869/female 11,384)
55-64 years: 10.2% (male 2,637/female 2,610)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 1,834/female 2,234) (2014 est.)
Median age
total: 33.5 years
male: 33.6 years
female: 33.4 years (2014 est.)
Population growth rate
0.78% (2014 est.)
Birth rate
13.64 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Death rate
7.08 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Net migration rate
1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 32% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 1.44% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population
BASSETERRE (capital) 12,000 (2011)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2014 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 8.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.29 years
male: 72.88 years
female: 77.75 years (2014 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.78 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Health expenditures
4.4% of GDP (2011)
Physicians density
1.17 physicians/1,000 population (2001)
Hospital bed density
4.8 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 98.3% of population
rural: 98.3% of population
total: 98.3% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population
rural: 1.7% of population
total: 1.7% of population (2012 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 87.3% of population
rural: 87.3% of population
total: 87.3% of population
unimproved: urban: 12.7% of population
rural: 12.7% of population
total: 12.7% of population (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
40.7% (2008)
Education expenditures
4.2% of GDP (2007)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97.8%
male: NA
female: NA (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2008)

Government

Country name
conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis
former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Government type
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital
name: Basseterre
geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point
Independence
19 September 1983 (from the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Constitution
several previous; latest presented 22 June 1983, effective 23 June 1983 (2011)
Legal system
English common law
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Edmund LAWRENCE (since 2 January 2013)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; the governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 January 2010 (next to be held by 2015)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SKNLP 6, CCM 2, PAM 2, NRP 1
Judicial branch
highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States which includes Saint Kitts and Nevis; the ECSC - with its headquarters on St. Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the member states; 2 High Court judges reside on Saint Kitts and Nevis
note - the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in 2003 replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) as the final court of appeal on Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Kitts and Nevis is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
judge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts
Political parties and leaders
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]
Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]
People's Action Movement or PAM [Shawn RICHARDS]
Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
International organization participation
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Jacinth Lorna HENRY-MARTIN (since 14 February 2011)
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636
FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis
Flag description
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red; green signifies the island's fertility, red symbolizes the struggles of the people from slavery, yellow denotes year-round sunshine, and black represents the African heritage of the people; the white stars stand for the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, but can also express hope and liberty, or independence and optimism
National symbol(s)
brown pelican
National anthem
name: "Oh Land of Beauty!"
lyrics/music: Kenrick Anderson GEORGES
note: adopted 1983

Economy

Economy - overview
The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis depends on tourism; since the 1970s tourism has replaced sugar as the traditional mainstay of the economy. Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry, after several decades of losses. To compensate for lost jobs, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy, such as export-oriented manufacturing and offshore banking. Roughly 200,000 tourists visited the islands in 2009, but reduced tourism arrivals and foreign investment led to an economic contraction in 2009-2012, and the economy returned to growth only in 2013. Like other tourist destinations in the Caribbean, St. Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to damage from natural disasters and shifts in tourism demand. The government has made notable progress on reducing its public debt—from 154% of GDP in 2011 to 83% in 2013—although it still faces one of the highest levels in the world, largely attributable to public enterprise losses.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$952 million (2013 est.)
$933.6 million (2012 est.)
$941.7 million (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$767 million (2013 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
1.9% (2013 est.)
-0.9% (2012 est.)
-1.9% (2011 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$16,300 (2013 est.)
$16,300 (2012 est.)
$16,800 (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
Gross national saving
32.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
34.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
32.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 72.1%
government consumption: 10.6%
investment in fixed capital: 28.4%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 30.8%
imports of goods and services: -41.9%
(2013 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 23.1%
services: 75.1% (2013 est.)
Agriculture - products
sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish
Industries
tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
Industrial production growth rate
0.5% (2013 est.)
Labor force
18,170 (June 1995)
Unemployment rate
4.5% (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Population below poverty line
NA%
Budget
revenues: $222.2 million
expenditures: $185.2 million (2013 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
29% of GDP (2013 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
4.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Public debt
83% of GDP (2013 est.)
144% of GDP (2012 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.2% (2013 est.)
1.4% (2012 est.)
Central bank discount rate
6.5% (31 December 2009)
6.5% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
8.9% (31 December 2013 est.)
8.73% (31 December 2012 est.)
Stock of narrow money
$218.5 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$200.4 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Stock of broad money
$867 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$869.1 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Stock of domestic credit
$814.8 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$809.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares
$598.4 million (31 December 2011)
$598.4 million (31 December 2011)
$623.9 million (31 December 2010)
Current account balance
-$133.1 million (2013 est.)
-$70.8 million (2012 est.)
Exports
$57.3 million (2013 est.)
$68.6 million (2012 est.)
Exports - commodities
machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners
US 56%, Canada 9.8%, Bangladesh 6.2% (2012)
Imports
$355.4 million (2013 est.)
$225.6 million (2012 est.)
Imports - commodities
machinery, manufactures, food, fuels
Imports - partners
US 31.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.9%, Italy 7%, Germany 6%, Barbados 4.7% (2012)
Debt - external
$158.9 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$189.3 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2013 est.)
2.7 (2012 est.)
2.7 (2010 est.)
2.7 (2009)

Energy

Electricity - production
135 million kWh (2010 est.)
Electricity - consumption
125.6 million kWh (2010 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2012 est.)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2012 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
55,000 kW (2010 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Crude oil - production
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
1,496 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
1,784 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2011 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2010 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2011 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2011 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
302,700 Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use
20,000 (2012)
Telephones - mobile cellular
84,000 (2012)
Telephone system
general assessment: good interisland and international connections
domestic: interisland links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in November 2004; fixed-line teledensity about 40 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 170 per 100 persons
international: country code - 1-869; connected internationally by the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables (2010)
Broadcast media
the government operates a national TV network that broadcasts on 2 channels; cable subscription services provide access to local and international channels; the government operates a national radio network; a mix of government-owned and privately owned broadcasters operate roughly 15 radio stations (2007)
Internet country code
.kn
Internet hosts
54 (2012)
Internet users
17,000 (2009)

Transportation

Airports
2 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
Railways
total: 50 km
narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2008)
Roadways
total: 383 km
paved: 163 km
unpaved: 220 km (2002)
Merchant marine
total: 152
by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 81, chemical tanker 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, liquefied gas 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 27, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 73 (Belgium 1, China 1, Egypt 1, Greece 2, India 2, Japan 2, Malaysia 1, Norway 3, Pakistan 1, Russia 13, Singapore 10, Turkey 18, UAE 8, UK 1, Ukraine 8, US 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Basseterre, Charlestown

Military

Military branches
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Security, Labour, Immigration, and Social Security: Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (2013)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)
Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49: 13,506
females age 16-49: 13,089 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 10,742
females age 16-49: 10,923 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 380
female: 422 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its Economic Exclusion Zone/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity

This country information was last updated on January 01, 1970.