Saint Kitts and Nevis

Airports

total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0

Highways

total: 300 km paved: 125 km unpaved: otherwise improved 125 km; unimproved earth 50 km

Ports

Basseterre (Saint Kitts), Charlestown (Nevis)

Railroads

58 km 0.760-meter gauge on Saint Kitts for sugarcane

Telecommunications

good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radio connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin; 2,400 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 4 TV

Branches

Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Agriculture

accounts for 7% of GDP; cash crop - sugarcane; subsistence crops - rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited; most food imported

Budget

revenues: $85.7 million expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of $42.4 million (1993 est.)

Currency

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-88), $10.7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $67 million

Electricity

capacity: 15,800 kW production: 45 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,120 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports

$32.4 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: sugar, clothing, electronics, postage stamps partners: US 53%, UK 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 5%, OECS 5% (1988)

External debt

$43.3 million (1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US

Imports

$100 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: foodstuffs, intermediate manufactures, machinery, fuels partners: US 36%, UK 17%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, Canada 3%, Japan 3%, OECS 4% (1988)

Industrial production

growth rate 11.8% (1988 est.); accounts for 11% of GDP

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (1992)

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $163 million (1992)

National product per capita

$4,000 (1992)

National product real growth rate

4.1% (1992)

Overview

The economy has historically depended on the growing and processing of sugarcane and on remittances from overseas workers. In recent years, tourism and export-oriented manufacturing have assumed larger roles.

Unemployment rate

12.2% (1990)

Area

total area: 269 sq km land area: 269 sq km comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

135 km

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to hurricanes (July to October) international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 22% permanent crops: 17% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 17% other: 41%

Location

Caribbean, in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

negligible

Terrain

volcanic with mountainous interiors

Administrative divisions

14 parishs; 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

Digraph

SC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: (vacant); Minister-Counselor (Deputy Chief of Mission), Charge d'Affaires ad interim Aubrey Eric HART chancery: Suite 608, 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 833-3550

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clement Athelston ARRINDELL (since 19 September 1983, previously Governor General of the Associated State since NA November 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Kennedy Alphonse SIMMONDS (since 19 September 1983, previously Premier of the Associated State since NA February 1980); Deputy Prime Minister Sydney Earl MORRIS (since NA) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister

FAX

(202) 833-3553

Flag

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

House of Assembly

elections last held 29 November 1993 (next to be held by 21 March 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (14 total, 11 elected) PAM 4, SKNLP 4, NRP 1, CCM 2

Independence

19 September 1983 (from UK)

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IMF, INTERPOL, LORCS, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO

Names

conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

National holiday

Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Political parties and leaders

People's Action Movement (PAM), Dr. Kennedy SIMMONDS; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party (SKNLP), Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS; Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Simeon DANIEL; Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Vance AMORY

Suffrage

universal adult at age NA

Type

constitutional monarchy

US diplomatic representation

no official presence since the Charge d'Affaires resides in Saint John's (Antigua and Barbuda)

Birth rate

23.7 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

9.98 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

black African

Infant mortality rate

19.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

20,000 (1981)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.11 years male: 63.14 years female: 69.27 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98%

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

-6.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

40,671 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.72% (1994 est.)

Religions

Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic

Total fertility rate

2.6 children born/woman (1994 est.)