Saint Kitts and Nevis

Internet country code

.kn

Internet hosts

51 (2003)

Internet users

10,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Telephone system

general assessment: good interisland and international connections domestic: inter-island links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to submarine cable or to Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat

Telephones - main lines in use

23,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

5,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Budget

revenues: $89.7 million expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (2003 est.)

Currency

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code

XCD

Debt - external

$171 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient

$8 million (2001)

Economy - overview

Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until the 1970s. Although the crop still dominates the agricultural sector, activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy. As tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign exchange, a decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks has eroded government finances. The opening of a 1,000+ bed Marriott hotel in February 2003 was expected to bring in much-needed revenue.

Electricity - consumption

93.26 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

100.3 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Exports

$70 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners

US 61.4%, UK 15.7%, Canada 8.6%, Germany 4.3% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services: 70.7% (2001)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1.9% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$195 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners

US 35.7%, Italy 16.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, UK 6.4%, Denmark 5.2%, Canada 4.4% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force

18,170 (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation

NA

Oil - consumption

710 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

4.5% (1997)

Area

total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) land: 261 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

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, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

17 20 N, 62 45 W

Geography - note

with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-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

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 19.44% permanent crops: 2.78% other: 77.78% (2001)

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

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards

hurricanes (July to October)

Natural resources

arable land

Terrain

volcanic with mountainous interiors

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

Basseterre

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General 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 monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the 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

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 with Westminster-style parliament

Independence

19 September 1983 (from UK)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Political parties and leaders

Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM [Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis is once more trying to separate from the Saint Kitts.

Military branches

Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special Service Unit)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.6% (male 5,675; female 5,422) 15-64 years: 63% (male 12,242; female 12,236) 65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,349; female 1,912) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

18.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 14.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.86 years male: 69.03 years female: 74.86 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1980 est.)

Median age

total: 27.3 years male: 26.5 years female: 28.1 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Net migration rate

-7.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

38,836 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.25% (2004 est.)

Religions

Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity

Airports

2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Basseterre, Charlestown

Railways

total: 50 km narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations during harvest season (2003)