Saint Kitts and Nevis

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

16 (2000)

Internet country code

.kn

Internet users

2,000 (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

28,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: good interisland and international connections domestic: interisland links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: 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

17,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

205 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

10,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Budget

revenues: $64.1 million expenditures: $73.3 million, including capital expenditures of $10.4 million (1997 est.)

Currency

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code

XCD

Debt - external

$115.1 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$5.5 million (1995)

Economy - overview

The economy has traditionally depended on the growing and processing of sugarcane; decreasing world prices have hurt the industry in recent years. Tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking activity have assumed larger roles. Most food is imported. The government has undertaken a program designed to revitalize the faltering sugar sector. It is also working to improve revenue collection in order to better fund social programs. In 1997 some leaders in Nevis were urging separation from Saint Kitts on the basis that Nevis was paying far more in taxes than it was receiving in government services, but the vote on cessation failed in August 1998. In late September 1998, Hurricane Georges caused approximately $445 million in damages and limited GDP growth for the year.

Electricity - consumption

83.7 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

90 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports

$53.2 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners

US 68.5%, UK 22.3%, Caricom countries 5.5% (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $274 million (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5.5% industry: 22.5% services: 72% (1996)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$151.5 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners

US 42.4%, Caricom countries 17.2%, UK 11.3% (1995 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force

18,172 (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation

NA

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 22% permanent crops: 17% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 17% other: 41% (1993 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 territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

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 Capisterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capisterre, 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 in Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Osbert W. LIBURD chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997) 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

FAX

[1] (202) 686-5740

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, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTrO

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 6 March 2000 (next to be held by July 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SKNLP 8, CCM 2, NRP 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.

Military branches

Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard, Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.84% (male 5,909; female 5,654) 15-64 years: 61.37% (male 11,870; female 11,915) 65 years and over: 8.79% (male 1,406; female 2,002) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

18.78 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

9.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 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

16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.01 years male: 68.22 years female: 73.97 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

-10.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

38,756 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.11% (2001 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: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.41 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe

Airports

2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (2000)

Merchant marine

none (2000 est.)

Ports and harbors

Basseterre, Charlestown

Railways

total: 58 km narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations (1995)

Waterways

none