1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 269 km2 land area: 269 km2 comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
subtropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Coastline
135 km
Environment
subject to hurricanes (July to October)
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 22% permanent crops: 17% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 17% other: 41%
Location
in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
negligible
Terrain
volcanic with mountainous interiors
People and Society
Birth rate
23.93 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
10.39 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
black African
Infant mortality rate
20.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
20,000 (1981)
Languages
English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 65.72 years male: 62.78 years female: 68.85 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98%
Nationality
noun: Kittsian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittsian, Nevisian
Net migration rate
-7.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
40,407 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
0.59% (1993 est.)
Religions
Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic
Total fertility rate
2.64 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
14 parishs; 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
Capital
Basseterre
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clement Athelston ARRINDELL (since 19 September 1983, previously Governor General of the Associated State since NA November 1981)
Constitution
19 September 1983
Digraph
SC
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Minister-Counselor (Deputy Chief of Mission), Charge d'Affaires ad interim Aubrey Eric HART chancery: Suite 608, 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 833-3550
Executive branch
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Flag
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
Head of Government
Prime Minister Dr. Kennedy Alphonse SIMMONDS (since 19 September 1983, previously Premier of the Associated State since NA February 1980); Deputy Prime Minister Sydney Earl MORRIS (since NA)
House of Assembly
last held 21 March 1989 (next to be held by 21 March 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (14 total, 11 elected) PAM 6, SKNLP 2, NRP 2, CCM 1
Independence
19 September 1983 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly
Member of
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IMF, INTERPOL, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO
Names
conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
National holiday
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Political parties and leaders
People's Action Movement (PAM), Dr. Kennedy SIMMONDS; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party (SKNLP), Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS; Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Simeon DANIEL; Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Vance AMORY
Suffrage
universal adult at age NA
Type
constitutional monarchy
US diplomatic representation
no official presence since the Charge d'Affaires resides in Saint John's (Antigua and Barbuda)
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 7% of GDP; cash crop - sugarcane; subsistence crops - rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited; most food imported
Budget
revenues $85.7 million; expenditures $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of $42.4 million (1993)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-88), $10.7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $67 million
Electricity
15,800 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 1,120 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$24.6 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: sugar, clothing, electronics, postage stamps partners: US 53%, UK 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 5%, OECS 5% (1988)
External debt
$37.2 million (1990)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
Imports
$103.2 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: foodstuffs, intermediate manufactures, machinery, fuels partners: US 36%, UK 17%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, Canada 3%, Japan 3%, OECS 4% (1988)
Industrial production
growth rate 11.8% (1988 est.); accounts for 11% of GDP
Industries
sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.2% (1991)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $142 million (1991)
National product per capita
$3,500 (1991)
National product real growth rate
6.8% (1991)
Overview
The economy has historically depended on the growing and processing of sugarcane and on remittances from overseas workers. In recent years, tourism and export-oriented manufacturing have assumed larger roles.
Unemployment rate
12.2% (1990)
Communications
Airports
total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
Highways
300 km total; 125 km paved, 125 km otherwise improved, 50 km unimproved earth
Ports
Basseterre (Saint Kitts), Charlestown (Nevis)
Railroads
58 km 0.760-meter gauge on Saint Kitts for sugarcane
Telecommunications
good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radio connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin; 2,400 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 4 TV
Military and Security
Branches
Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
NA