1986 Edition

Agriculture

main crops — sugar on St. Christopher, cotton on Nevis

Aid

economic — bilateral commitments, including Ex-Im, from Western (non-US) countries (1970-81), $15 million; no military aid

Airfields

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m

Area

10 km «ndy Point TownV Saint \Christopher Caribbean Sea Set refloni) map III Land 261 km2; about one-third the size of New York City; 40% arable, 33% waste and built on, 17% forest, 10% pasture Water

Branches

legislative, 11 -member popularly elected House of Assembly; executive, Cabinet headed by Prime Minister; separate Nevis Island Legislature and Nevis Island Assembly headed by Premier

Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force

Budget

(1982) revenues, $19 million; expenditures, $26 million

Capital

Basseterre, St. Christopher; Charlestown, Nevis

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

Coastline

135 km People

Communists

none known

Elections

at least every five years; last election held June 1984 Political parties and leaders: St. Christopher and Nevis Labor Party (SKNLP), Lee Moore; People's Action Movement (PAM), Kennedy Simmonds; Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Simeon Daniel

Electric power

12,000 kW capacity (1985); 32 million kWh produced (1985), 780 kWh per capita

Ethnic divisions

mainly of African Negro descent

Exports

$30.6 million (1983); sugar

Government leaders

Dr. Kennedy AlphonseSIMMONDS, Prime Minister (since 1980); Sir Clement ARRINDELL, Governor General (since 1981)

Highways

300 km total; 125 km paved, 125 km otherwise improved, 50 km unimproved earth

Imports

$47.3 million (1983); foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel

Labor force

20,000 (1981)

Language

English

Legal system

based on English common law; constitution of 1960; highest judicial organ is Court of Appeal of Leeward and Windward Islands

Limits of territorial waters (claimed)

12 nm (200 nm exclusive economic zone)

Literacy

80%

Major industries

sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra

Major trade partners

exports — 50% US, 35% UK; imports— 219? UK, 17% Japan, 11% US (1973)

Member of

CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, IBRD, IMF, ISO, OAS, UN Economy GNP. $61.9 million (1983), $820 per capita; 4.1% real growth in 1984

Monetary conversion rate

2.70 East Caribbean dollars=US$l (December 1985) Communications

Nationality

noun — Kittsian(s), Nevisian(s); adjective — Kittsian, Nevisian

Official name

Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis

Organized labor

6,700 Government

Political subdivisions

11 districts

Population

40,000 (July 1986), average annual growth rate — 1.2%

Ports

1 major — Basseterre, St. Christopher, and 1 minor — Charlestown, Nevis

Railroads

58 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge on St. Christopher for sugarcane

Religion

Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic

Suffrage

universal adult suffrage

Telecommunications

good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radio connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and St. Martin; about 2,400 telephones (5.0 per 100 popl.); 2 AM, 4 TV stations Defense Forces

Type

independent state within Commonwealth, recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State

Voting strength

(June 1984 election) House of Assembly— PAM, 6 seats; SKNLP, 2 seats; NRP, 3 seats