Saint Kitts and Nevis

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

total: 39,000 | percent of population: 75.7% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 203

Telephone system

general assessment: good interisland and international connections | domestic: interisland links via ECFS; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in November 2004; fixed-line teledensity about 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 145 per 100 persons | international: country code - 1-869; connected internationally by the East ECFS and Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cables (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 17,433 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 185

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 76,583 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 146 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Budget

revenues: $370.4 million | expenditures: $333.3 million (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

4.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2009) | 6.5% (31 December 2008) | country comparison to the world: 63

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.24% (31 December 2016 est.) | 9.3% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Current account balance

$-102 million (2016 est.) | $-86.1 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Debt - external

$187.9 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $168 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

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

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - | 2.7 (2016 est.) | 2.7 (2015 est.) | 2.7 (2014 est.) | 2.7 (2013 est.) | 2.7 (2012 est.)

Exports

$53.9 million (2016 est.) | $55.3 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 201

Exports - commodities

machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$900 million (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.463 billion (2016 est.) | $1.4 billion (2015 est.) | $1.321 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 199

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 59.4% | government consumption: 20.3% | investment in fixed capital: 29.6% | investment in inventories: 0% | exports of goods and services: 31.9% | imports of goods and services: -41.2% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1.1% | industry: 29% | services: 69.9% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$26,100 (2016 est.) | $25,300 (2015 est.) | $24,600 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 73

GDP - real growth rate

3.1% (2016 est.) | 4.9% (2015 est.) | 5.1% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Gross national saving

18.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | 16.5% of GDP (2015 est.) | 20.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% | highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$244.4 million (2016 est.) | $247 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

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

6% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.4% (2016 est.) | -2.3% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22

Labor force

18,170 (June 1995 est.) | country comparison to the world: 213

Market value of publicly traded shares

$598.4 million (31 December 2011) | $598.4 million (31 December 2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

65.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | 70.6% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Stock of broad money

$1.077 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $1.121 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Stock of domestic credit

$704.8 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $728.1 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 171

Stock of narrow money

$210.1 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $231.2 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183

Taxes and other revenues

41% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 34

Unemployment rate

4.5% (1997) | country comparison to the world: 59

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

300,000 Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 184

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 185

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 187

Electricity - consumption

193.4 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 190

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Electricity - from fossil fuels

94.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 200

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 177

Electricity - from other renewable sources

6.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity - installed generating capacity

63,200 kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188

Electricity - production

208 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188

Electricity access

population without electricity: 5,232 | electrification - total population: 91% | electrification - urban areas: 100% | electrification - rural areas: 80% (2012)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 190

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,900 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,907 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Area

total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) | land: 261 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 212

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

mean elevation: NA | elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m | highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 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 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

8 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 23.1% | arable land 19.2%; permanent crops 0.4%; permanent pasture 3.5% | 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

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) | 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

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

name: Basseterre | geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W | 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 (2016)

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 | 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

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Thelma Patricia PHILLIP-BROWNE (since 28 January 2016) | chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 | telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 | FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 | consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Executive branch

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 | head of government: Prime Minister Timothy HARRIS (since 18 February 2015); Deputy Prime Minister Shawn RICHARDS (since 22 February 2015) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor general in consultation with prime minister | 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

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 (National Assembly) 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 court(s): 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, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside at 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 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) | elections: last held on 16 February 2015 (next to be held by 2020) | 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

National anthem

name: "Oh Land of Beauty!" | lyrics/music: Kenrick Anderson GEORGES | 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 [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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

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)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.32% (male 5,378/female 5,332) | 15-24 years: 14.54% (male 3,689/female 3,978) | 25-54 years: 44.6% (male 12,070/female 11,441) | 55-64 years: 11.9% (male 3,130/female 3,142) | 65 years and over: 8.64% (male 2,107/female 2,448) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

13.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Death rate

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129

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) | country comparison to the world: 105

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

Health expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 137

Hospital bed density

2.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.9 years | male: 73.5 years | female: 78.4 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 95

Major urban areas - population

BASSETERRE (capital) 14,000 (2014)

Median age

total: 35 years | male: 35.2 years | female: 34.8 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 56

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.9% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 71

Population

52,715 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 207

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.73% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

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)

total: 14 years | male: 13 years | female: 16 years (2015)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 0.94 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 | total population: 1 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.77 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Urbanization

urban population: 32.3% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 1.42% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

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

Airports

2 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 209

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V4 (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 152 | 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) | country comparison to the world: 39

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Basseterre, Charlestown

Railways

total: 50 km | narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2008) | country comparison to the world: 132

Roadways

total: 383 km | paved: 163 km | unpaved: 220 km (2002) | country comparison to the world: 202