2015 Edition

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 referendum on Nevis to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority vote needed. Nevis continues in its efforts to separate from Saint Kitts.

Area

land

261 sq km

total

261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Coastline

135 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

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

Geographic coordinates

17 20 N, 62 45 W

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

Irrigated land

0.18 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land 19.2%; permanent crops 0.4%; permanent pasture 3.5%

agricultural land

23.1%

forest

42.3%

other

34.6% (2011 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

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

hurricanes (July to October)

Natural resources

arable land

Terrain

volcanic with mountainous interiors

Total renewable water resources

0.02 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

20.99% (male 5,457/female 5,445)

15-24 years

15.1% (male 3,845/female 3,999)

25-54 years

45.01% (male 11,951/female 11,427)

55-64 years

10.79% (male 2,806/female 2,800)

65 years and over

8.1% (male 1,912/female 2,294) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

13.5 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Death rate

7.09 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 98.3% of population

rural: 98.3% of population

total: 98.3% of population

urban: 1.7% of population

rural: 1.7% of population

total: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.2% of GDP (2007)

Ethnic groups

predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Health expenditures

6.4% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

2.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

female

11.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

6.03 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.77 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.99 years (2015 est.)

male

73.09 years

total population

75.52 years

Major urban areas - population

BASSETERRE (capital) 14,000 (2014)

Median age

female

33.9 years (2015 est.)

male

34.2 years

total

34 years

Nationality

adjective

Kittitian, Nevisian

noun

Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)

Net migration rate

1.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

28.4% (2014)

Population

51,936 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

0.76% (2015 est.)

Religions

Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Sanitation facility access

urban: 87.3% of population

rural: 87.3% of population

total: 87.3% of population

urban: 12.7% of population

rural: 12.7% of population

total: 12.7% of population (2007 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2008)

male

12 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.96 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.05 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.83 male(s)/female

at birth

1.02 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.78 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.27% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

32% of total population (2015)

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

17 18 N, 62 43 W

name

Basseterre

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

14 years

Constitution

several previous (preindependence); latest presented 22 June 1983, effective 23 June 1983 (2015)

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Justin Kareem HAWLEY (since 26 May 2015)

FAX

[1] (202) 686-5740

telephone

[1] (202) 686-2636

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by governor general in consultation with prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Samuel W.T. SEATON (since 2 September 2015); note - SEATON was acting Governor General from 20 May to 2 September 2015

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by governor general

head of government

Prime Minister Timothy HARRIS (since 18 February 2015); Deputy Prime Minister Shawn RICHARDS (since 22 February 2015)

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

19 September 1983 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

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

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly (14 seats; 11 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 3 appointed by the governor general; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAM 4, SKNLP 3, CCM 2, PLP 1, NRP 1

elections

last held on 16 February 2015 (next to be held by 2020)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Kenrick Anderson GEORGES

name

"Oh Land of Beauty!"

note

adopted 1983

National holiday

Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

National symbol(s)

brown pelican, Royal Poinciana (Flamboyant) tree; national colors: green, yellow, red, black, white

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]

People's Labour Party or PLP [Timothy HARRIS]

Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Budget

expenditures

$259.3 million (2014 est.)

revenues

$296.3 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

4.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2009)

6.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.28% (31 December 2014 est.)

8.78% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$65 million (2014 est.)

-$52 million (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$156.1 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$158.8 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Economy - overview

The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis depends on tourism; since the 1970s, tourism has replaced sugar as the economy’s traditional mainstay. 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 2009-2013, and the economy returned to growth only in 2014. 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.

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

2.7 (2014 est.)

2.7 (2013 est.)

2.7 (2012 est.)

2.7 (2011 est.)

2.7 (2010 est.)

Exports

$62.9 million (2014 est.)

$58.1 million (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners

US 49.9%, Canada 5.3%, Azerbaijan 4.8%, Bolivia 4.7%, Bangladesh 4.4% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

29.1%

government consumption

10.9%

household consumption

73.5%

imports of goods and services

-42.7%

investment in fixed capital

29.3%

investment in inventories

-0.1%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.7%

industry

24.8%

services

73.5% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$21,500 (2014 est.)

$20,200 (2013 est.)

$19,100 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.1% (2014 est.)

6.2% (2013 est.)

-0.9% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$852 million (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.281 billion (2014 est.)

$1.208 billion (2013 est.)

$1.137 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

21.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

21.2% of GDP (2013 est.)

16.7% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$241.8 million (2014 est.)

$251.3 million (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners

US 39.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 17.8%, Germany 11.8%, China 4.3% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

0.5% (2014 est.)

Industries

tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.8% (2014 est.)

1% (2013 est.)

Labor force

18,170 (June 1995 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$598.4 million (31 December 2011)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

83% of GDP (2013 est.)

144% of GDP (2012 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.094 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$958.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$396.7 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$504.8 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$215.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$193 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

34.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.5% (1997)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

250,700 Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

Electricity - consumption

130.2 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

95.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

4.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

46,200 kW (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

140 million kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,700 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,690 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

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 users

percent of population

34.4% (2009)

total

17,000

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 8, shortwave 0 (2008)

Telephone system

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

general assessment

good interisland and international connections

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

37 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

19,100

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

149 (2014 est.)

total

76,600

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2003)

Airports

2 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2013)

total

2

Merchant marine

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)

total

152

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Basseterre, Charlestown

Railways

narrow gauge

50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2008)

total

50 km

Roadways

paved

163 km

total

383 km

unpaved

220 km (2002)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

13,089 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

13,506

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

10,923 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

10,742

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

422 (2010 est.)

male

380

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)

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