2020 Edition

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 17th century, Saint Kitts became the premier base for British 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 necessary two-thirds majority.

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, D.C.

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

Geographic coordinates

17 20 N, 62 45 W

Geography - note

smallest country in the Western Hemisphere in terms of both area and population; the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide (9-mi-wide) channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of baseball-bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its ball-shaped namesake island

Irrigated land

8 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

23.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 19.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.)

forest

42.3% (2023 est.)

other

34.6% (2023 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 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

Age structure

0-14 years

19.2% (male 5,314/female 5,277)

15-64 years

68.1% (male 18,944/female 18,575)

65 years and over

12.7% (2024 est.) (male 3,341/female 3,682)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

3.89 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

8.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

1.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

11.58 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

7.43 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

20 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

5 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

48.1 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

28.1 (2025 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

11% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

African descent 92.5%, mixed 3%, White 2.1%, East Indian 1.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 0.3% (2001 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.87 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

5.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

5.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.1 years

male

75.2 years

total population

77.6 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

14,000 BASSETERRE (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

74 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

38.3 years

male

38.8 years

total

39.1 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Kittitian, Nevisian

noun

Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)

Net migration rate

1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.9% (2016)

Physician density

3.09 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

27,686

male

27,748

total

55,434 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.53% (2025 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

20 years (2015 est.)

male

18 years (2015 est.)

total

19 years (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.91 male(s)/female

at birth

1.02 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

31.1% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

the French name translates as "low land" in English; the reference is probably to the city's location in a valley

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

amendment process

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

history

several previous (pre-independence); 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

explorer Christopher COLUMBUS visited the islands in 1493 and named one for his own patron saint; a common nickname for Christopher during the following centuries was Kit or Kitt, and Saint Kitts is still referred to as Saint Christopher; the name of Nevis is said to derive from the original Spanish name "Las Nieves" (The Snows) and refers to its cloud-topped mountain

former

Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

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

1203 19th St. NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Jacinth HENRY-MARTIN (since 15 September 2023)

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

stkittsnevis@embskn.com Embassy of St.Kitts and Nevis to the USA – and Permanent Mission to the OAS (embassydc.gov.kn)

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

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Marcella LIBURD (since 1 February 2023)

election/appointment process

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

head of government

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance DREW (since 6 August 2022)

Flag

description: divided diagonally from the lower left side by a broad black band with two five-pointed white stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, and the lower is red meaning: green stands for the island's fertility, red for the struggles of the people from slavery, yellow for year-round sunshine, and black for the people's African heritage; 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, ACS, 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 superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and 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 travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice

judge selection and term of office

chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; 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

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

October 2027

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

National Assembly

most recent election date

8/5/2022

number of seats

16 (11 directly elected; 4 appointed)

parties elected and seats per party

St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) (6); Concerned Citizens' Movement (CCM) (3); Peoples Labour Party (PLP) (1); People's Action Movement (PAM) (1)

percentage of women in chamber

31.3%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

in use since 1745

lyrics/music

unknown

title

"God Save the King"

National coat of arms

the coat of arms of Saint Kitts and Nevis features a Carib who represents the original inhabitants of the islands, and a fleur-de-lis and rose that represent the French and English who arrived in the 1620; the shield also features the poinciana (the national flower) and a traditional boat; three hands hold the torch, which represents the quest for freedom: the hand of an African, a European, and a person of mixed ethnicity; pelicans (the national bird) support the shield, with a sugarcane plant and a coconut tree that symbolize the land

National color(s)

green, yellow, red, black, white

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

National symbol(s)

brown pelican, royal poinciana (flamboyant) tree

Political parties

Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM Nevis Reformation Party or NRP People's Action Movement or PAM People's Labour Party or PLP Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts, tropical fruits, root vegetables, vegetables, eggs, pulses, sweet potatoes, watermelons, cucumbers/gherkins, tomatoes (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$281.889 million (2020 est.)

revenues

$262 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$111.685 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$122.386 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$169.221 million (2024 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, tourism-based Caribbean OECS economy; better debt balancing; CARICOM and ECCU member; growing offshore financial and telecommunications hub; environmentally fragile; unique citizenship-driven growth model

Exchange rates

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

2.7 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.7 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.7 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2.7 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

2.7 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$542.983 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$579.568 million (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$504.391 million (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

ships, measuring instruments, beer, electrical transformers, electrical control boards (2023)

Exports - partners

Malta 49%, USA 21%, Turkey 7%, St. Vincent & the Grenadines 5%, Guyana 3% (2023)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.3% (2024 est.)

industry

21.1% (2024 est.)

services

65.5% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.067 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$606.856 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$669.168 million (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$642.934 million (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, cars, jewelry, poultry (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 50%, Italy 11%, China 8%, Japan 2%, UK 2% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.7% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.2% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

2.7% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3.6% (2023 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

62.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.388 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.448 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.465 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

10.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.3% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

1.2% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$29,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$31,000 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$31,300 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

3.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

3.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$293.98 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$286.075 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$294.748 million (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Electricity

consumption

182.455 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

72,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

39.522 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

95% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

2.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

81.454 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

47 (2022 est.)

total

22,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

national state-operated TV network that broadcasts on 2 channels; cable subscription available for local and international channels; national state-operated radio network; mix of state-owned and privately owned broadcasters with about 15 radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.kn

Internet users

percent of population

76% (2022 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

33 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

16,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

119 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

56,600 (2023 est.)

Airports

2 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V4

Heliports

1 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 22, container ship 16, general cargo 85, oil tanker 59, other 159

total

341 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Basseterre, Charlestown

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

2

small

0

total ports

2 (2024)

very small

2

Railways

narrow gauge

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

total

50 km (2008)

Military - note

SKNDF's missions include protecting the country's territorial integrity, assisting the police in combating the illegal narcotic trade and other crimes, and providing humanitarian and disaster relief assistance; the force also has a regional role through the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS); St. Kitts joined the RSS in 1984; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

Military and security forces

St. Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (SKNDF); Regular Force, Coast Guard Force (SKNDF Coast Guard), Reserve Force, Cadet Force Ministry of National Security: the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 200 active Defense Forces (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the SKNDF is lightly armed with equipment from Belgium, the UK, and the US (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (under 18 with written parental permission); no conscription (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

5 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

269,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

269,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

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

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

24 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

200,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

0 cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

15.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

32,900 tons (2024 est.)