2019 Edition

CIA World Factbook 2019 Archive (Wayback Machine)

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Countries

267

Data Records

66,981

Saint Kitts and Nevis

2019 Edition · 255 data fields

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Introduction

Background

Carib Indians occupied the islands of the West Indies for hundreds of years before the British and French began settlement in 1623. During the course of 17th century, Saint Kitts became the premier base for English and French expansion into the Caribbean. The French ceded the territory to the UK in 1713. At the turn of the 18th century, Saint Kitts was the richest British Crown Colony per capita in the Caribbean, a result of the sugar trade. Although small in size and separated by only 3 km (2 mi) of water, Saint Kitts and Nevis were viewed and governed as different states until the late-19th century, when the British forcibly unified them along with the island of Anguilla. 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.

Geography

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

Highest Point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Lowest Point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment Current Issues

deforestation; soil erosion and silting affects marine life on coral reefs; water pollution from uncontrolled dumping of sewage

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 Western Hemisphere both in terms of area and population; 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

8 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land: 23.1% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Arable Land: 19.2% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Crops: 0.4% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture: 3.5% (2011 est.)
Forest: 42.3% (2011 est.)
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)volcanism: Mount Liamuiga (1,156 m) on Saint Kitts, and Nevis Peak (985 m) on Nevis, are both volcanoes that are part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles, which extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south

Natural Resources

arable land

Population Distribution

population clusters are found in the small towns located on the periphery of both islands

Terrain

volcanic with mountainous interiors

People and Society

Age Structure

0 14 Years: 20.09% (male 5,354 /female 5,311)
15 24 Years: 14.28% (male 3,645 /female 3,936)
25 54 Years: 44.25% (male 12,059 /female 11,437)
55 64 Years: 12.35% (male 3,274 /female 3,283)
65 Years And Over: 9.03% (male 2,236 /female 2,559) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

13 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

5.7% (2016)

Death Rate

7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural: 98.3% of population
Improved Total: 98.3% of population
Improved Urban: 98.3% of population
Unimproved Rural: 1.7% of population
Unimproved Total: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 1.7% of population

Education Expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic Groups

African descent 92.5%, mixed 3%, white 2.1%, East Indian 1.5%, other .6%, unspecified .3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.5% (2018)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<100 (2018)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

<200 (2018)

Hospital Bed Density

4.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

English (official)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female: 78.7 years
Male: 73.7 years
Total Population: 76.2 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

14,000 BASSETERRE (capital) (2018)

Median Age

Female: 35.3 years
Male: 35.7 years
Total: 35.5 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)

Net Migration Rate

1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

22.9% (2016)

Physicians Density

2.52 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

53,094 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.7% (2018 est.)

Religions

Protestant 74.4% (includes Anglican 20.6%, Methodist 19.1%, Pentecostal 8.2%, Church of God 6.8%, Moravian 5.5%, Baptist 4.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.7%, Evangelical 2.6%, Bretheren 1.8%, other .3%), Roman Catholic 6.7%, Rastafarian 1.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, other 7.6%, none 5.2%, unspecified 3.2% (2001 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural: 87.3% of population (2007 est.)
Improved Total: 87.3% of population (2007 est.)
Improved Urban: 87.3% of population (2007 est.)
Unimproved Rural: 12.7% of population (2007 est.)
Unimproved Total: 12.7% of population (2007 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 12.7% of population (2007 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female: 16 years (2015)
Male: 13 years
Total: 14 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15 24 Years: 0.93 male(s)/female
25 54 Years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55 64 Years: 1 male(s)/female
65 Years And Over: 0.87 male(s)/female
At Birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
Total Population: 1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.77 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization: 0.92% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Urban Population: 30.8% of total population (2019)

Government

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 Only: yes
Dual Citizenship Recognized: yes
Residency Requirement For Naturalization: 14 years

Constitution

Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership and assent of the governor general; amendments to constitutional provisions such as the sovereignty of the federation, fundamental rights and freedoms, the judiciary, and the Nevis Island Assembly also require approval in a referendum by at least two thirds of the votes cast in Saint Kitts and in Nevis (2018)
History: several previous (preindependence); latest presented 22 June 1983, effective 23 June 1983

Country Name

Conventional Long Form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Conventional Short Form: Saint Kitts and Nevis
Etymology: Saint Kitts was, and still is, referred to as Saint Christopher and this name was well established by the 17th century (although who first applied the name is unclear); in the 17th century a common nickname for Christopher was Kit or Kitt, so the island began to be referred to as "Saint Kitt's Island" or just "Saint Kitts"; Nevis is derived from the original Spanish name "Nuestra Senora de las Nieves" (Our Lady of the Snows) and refers to the white halo of clouds that generally wreathes Nevis Peak
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 Dr. Thelma Patricia PHILLIP-BROWNE (since 28 January 2016)
Consulate's General: Los Angeles, New York
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

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; 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 Courts: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, traveling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 assigned to Saint Kitts and Nevis; note - the ECSC 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: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an independent body of judicial officials; 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 or 15 seats, depending on inclusion of attorney general; 11 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 3 appointed by the governor general - 2 on the advice of the prime minister and the third on the advice of the opposition leader; members serve 5-year terms)
Election Results: percent of vote by party - SKNLP 39.3%, PAM 27.9% CCM 13.0% NRP 10.8%, PLP 9.0%; seats by party - PAM 4, SKNLP 3, CCM 2, NRP 1, PLP 1; composition as of early 2018, including the attorney general - men 11, women 4, percent of women 26.7%
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!

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 [Mark BRANTLEY] Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY] People's Action Movement or PAM [Shawn RICHARDS] People's Labour Party or PLP [Dr. Timothy HARRIS] Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Economy

Agriculture Products

sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Budget

Expenditures: 291.1 million (2017 est.)
Revenues: 307 million (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

1.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2008: 6.5%
31 December 2009: 6.5%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016: 9.23%
31 December 2017: 9.09%

Current Account Balance

2016: -$102 million
2017: -$97 million

Debt External

31 December 2016: $187.9 million
31 December 2017: $201.8 million

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. Roughly 200,000 tourists visited the islands in 2009, but reduced tourism arrivals and foreign investment led to an economic contraction in the 2009-2013 period, and the economy returned to growth only in 2014. Like other tourist destinations in the Caribbean, Saint Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to damage from natural disasters and shifts in tourism demand.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. The government has made notable progress in 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. Saint Kitts and Nevis is among other countries in the Caribbean that supplement their economic activity through economic citizenship programs, whereby foreigners can obtain citizenship from Saint Kitts and Nevis by investing there.

Exchange Rates

2013: 2.7
2014: 2.7
2015: 2.7
2016: 2.7
2017: 2.7
Currency: East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exports

2016: $53.9 million
2017: $57.4 million

Exports Commodities

machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports Partners

US 49.6%, Poland 15.2%, Turkey 11.6% (2016)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services: 62.5% (2017 est.)
Government Consumption: 25.9% (2017 est.)
Household Consumption: 41.4% (2017 est.)
Imports Of Goods And Services: -60.4% (2017 est.)
Investment In Fixed Capital: 30.8% (2017 est.)
Investment In Inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture: 1.1% (2017 est.)
Industry: 30% (2017 est.)
Services: 68.9% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$964 million (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015: $27,300
2016: $27,600
2017: $28,200

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015: $1.476 billion
2016: $1.518 billion
2017: $1.55 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015: 2.7%
2016: 2.9%
2017: 2.1%

Gross National Saving

2015: 15.4% of GDP
2016: 19.3% of GDP
2017: 19.9% of GDP

Imports

2016: $307.9 million
2017: $335.3 million

Imports Commodities

machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports Partners

US 56.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 6.8%, Cyprus 6.2%, Japan 4% (2016)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

5% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016: -0.3%
2017: 0%

Labor Force

18,170 (June 1995 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

2010: $623.9 million
31 December 2011: $598.4 million

Public Debt

2016: 61.5% of GDP
2017: 62.9% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016: $320.5 million
31 December 2017: $365.1 million

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016: $210.1 million
31 December 2017: $196.1 million

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016: $704.8 million
31 December 2017: $721.5 million

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016: $210.1 million
31 December 2017: $196.1 million

Taxes And Other Revenues

31.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

1997: 4.5%

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 31 (2017 est.)
Total: 16,400

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

Internet Country Code

.kn

Internet Users

Percent Of Population: 75.7% (July 2016 est.)
Total: 39,000

Telephone System

Domestic: interisland links via ECFS; fixed-line teledensity about 33 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 146 per 100 persons (2018)
General Assessment: good interisland and international connections; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) and LTE markets; regulatory development (2018)
International: country code - 1-869; landing points for the ECFS, Southern Caribbean Fiber and the SSCS submarine cables providing connectivity for numerous Caribbean Islands (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 33 (2017 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 17,293

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 146 (2017 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 76,878

Transportation

Airports

2 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M: 1 (2017)
914 To 1 523 M: 1 (2017)
Total: 2 (2017)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

V4 (2016)

Merchant Marine

By Type: bulk carrier 6, container ship 5, general cargo 44, oil tanker 55, other 130 (2018)
Total: 240

Ports And Terminals

Basseterre, Charlestown

Railways

Narrow Gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2008)
Total: 50 km (2008)

Roadways

Paved: 163 km (2002)
Total: 383 km (2002)
Unpaved: 220 km (2002)

Military and Security

Military And Security Forces

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)

Transnational Issues

Disputes International

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/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