1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 269 sq km land: 269 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative
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
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Environment-current issues
NA
Environment-international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
17 20 N, 62 45 W
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 22% permanent crops: 17% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 17% other: 41% (1993 est.)
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
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Natural hazards
hurricanes (July to October)
Natural resources
NEGL
Terrain
volcanic with mountainous interiors
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 33% (male 7,217; female 6,860) 15-64 years: 61% (male 12,860; female 12,748) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,058; female 1,548) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
22.87 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
8.51 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
black
Infant mortality rate
17.89 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 67.58 years male: 64.52 years female: 70.82 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1980 est.)
Nationality
noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Net migration rate
-2.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
42,291 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
1.23% (1998 est.)
Religions
Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.45 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
14 parishes; 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
Constitution
19 September 1983
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
Data code
SC
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
FAX
[1] (202) 686-5740 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; US interests are monitored by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados
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
Government type
constitutional monarchy
Independence
19 September 1983 (from UK)
International organization participation
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Osbert W. LIBURD chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia); one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts 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), Joseph PARRY; Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Vance AMORY
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (14 seats, 11 popularly elected from single member constituencies; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3 July 1995 (next to be held by July 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-SKLNP 58%, PAM 41%; seats by party-SKNLP 7, PAM 1, NRP 1, CCM 2
National capital
Basseterre
National holiday
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal adult
Economy
Agriculture-products
sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited
Budget
revenues: $100.2 million expenditures: $100.1 million, including capital expenditures of $41.4 million (1996 est.)
Currency
1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Debt-external
$56 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economy-overview
The economy has traditionally depended on the growing and processing of sugarcane; decreasing world prices have hurt the industry in recent years. Tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking activity have assumed larger roles. Most food is imported. The government has undertaken a program designed to revitalize the faltering sugar sector. It is also working to improve revenue collection in order to better fund social programs. In 1997 some leaders in Nevis were urging separation from Saint Kitts on the basis that Nevis was paying far more in taxes than it was receiving in government services.
Electricity-capacity
16,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
1,976 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
81 million kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
total value: $39.1 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery, food, electronics, beverages and tobacco partners: US 46.6%, UK 26.4%, Caricom nations 9.8% (1994)
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$235 million (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 6% industry: 22% services: 72% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$5,700 (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
5.8% (1996 est.)
Imports
total value: $131.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery, manufactures, food, fuels partners: US 45%, Caricom nations 18.8%, UK 12.5%, Canada 4.2%, Japan 4.2%, (1994)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
Inflation rate-consumer price index
3.1% (1996)
Labor force
total: 18,172 (June 1995) by occupation: services 69%, manufacturing 31%
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios
25,000 (1993 est.)
Telephone system
good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) domestic: interisland links are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and from there switched to submarine cable or to Intelsat, or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat
Telephones
3,800 (1986 est.)
Television broadcast stations
4
Televisions
9,500 (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate
4.3% (May 1995)
Transportation
Airports
2 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Basseterre, Charlestown
Merchant marine
none
Railways
total: 58 km narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations (1995)
Military and Security
Military branches
Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard
Military expenditures-dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP
NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment points for South American drugs destined for the US