1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 269 sq km land area: 269 sq km 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
current issues: NA natural hazards: hurricanes (July to October) international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 22% permanent crops: 17% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 17% other: 41%
Location
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
negligible
Terrain
volcanic with mountainous interiors
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 35% (female 7,072; male 7,430) 15-64 years: 57% (female 11,784; male 11,756) 65 years and over: 8% (female 1,729; male 1,221) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
23.49 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
9.56 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
black African
Infant mortality rate
19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
20,000 (1981)
Languages
English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 66.51 years male: 63.51 years female: 69.69 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1980) total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98%
Nationality
noun: Kittsian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittsian, Nevisian
Net migration rate
-5.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
40,992 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
0.85% (1995 est.)
Religions
Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic
Total fertility rate
2.56 children born/woman (1995 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 Capisterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capisterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point
Capital
Basseterre
Constitution
19 September 1983
Digraph
SC
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Erstein Mallet EDWARDS chancery: Suite 608, 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 833-3550
Executive branch
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 theWest Indies Associated States since NA November 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Kennedy Alphonse SIMMONDS (since 19 September 1983, previously Premier of the West Indies Associated States since NA February 1980); Deputy Prime Minister Hugh HEYLIGER (since November 1994) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister
FAX
[1] (202) 833-3553
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
House of Assembly
elections last held 29 November 1993 (next to be held by 15 November 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (14 total, 11 elected) PAM 4, SKNLP 4, NRP 1, CCM 2
Independence
19 September 1983 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia)
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral
Member of
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS (associate), IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, 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
NA years of age; universal adult
Type
constitutional monarchy
US diplomatic representation
no official presence; covered by embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 17% of GDP; cash crop - sugarcane; subsistence crops - rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited
Budget
revenues: $103.2 million expenditures: $102.6 million, including capital expenditures of $50.1 million (1995 est.)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-88), $10.7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $67 million
Electricity
capacity: 15,800 kW production: 45 million kWh consumption per capita: 990 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$32.4 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: machinery, food, electronics, beverages and tobacco partners: US 50%, UK 30%, CARICOM nations 11% (1992)
External debt
$43.3 million (1992)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
Imports
$100 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: machinery, manufactures, food, fuels partners: US 43%, CARICOM nations 18%, UK 12%, Canada 4%, Japan 4%, OECS 4% (1992)
Industrial production
growth rate 5.9% (1992 est.)
Industries
sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.6% (1993)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $210 million (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$5,300 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
4.5% (1994 est.)
Overview
The economy has traditionally depended on the growing and processing of sugarcane; decreasing world prices have hurt the industry in recent years. Tourism and export-oriented manufacturing have begun to assume larger roles, although they still only account for 7% and 4% of GDP respectively. Growth in the construction and tourism sectors spurred the economic expansion in 1994. Most food is imported.
Unemployment rate
12.2% (1990)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
2,400 telephones; good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radio connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin local: NA intercity: interisland links are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radio; within the islands all calls are local international: international calls are carried by radio to Antigua and Barbuda and there switched to submarine cable or to INTELSAT, or carried to Saint Martin by radio and switched to INTELSAT
Television
broadcast stations: 4 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1
Highways
total: 300 km paved: 125 km unpaved: otherwise improved 125 km; unimproved earth 50 km
Merchant marine
none
Ports
Basseterre, Charlestown
Railroads
total: 58 km on Saint Kitts for sugarcane narrow gauge: 58 km 0.760-m gauge
Military and Security
Branches
Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ SAINT LUCIA