OFFICIAL NAME: Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional Monarchy
AREA: 261 Sq Km (101 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION: 45,100
LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: St. Kitts-Nevis are two islands
located in the northern part of the leeward group of islands
in the Caribbean Sea. The territory consists of the St.
Kitts (Saint Christopher) and Nevis Islands. St. Kitts has
a forest covered mountain range across the central part
of the island which reaches the island's highest point of
Mt. Misery, an extinct volcano, while Nevis is a dominated
by a central peak at 985 metres (3,117 feet). Major Cities
(pop. est.); Basseterre 18,000, Charlestown 1,300 (1995).
Land Use; forested 17%, pastures 3%, agricultural-cultivated
39%, other 41% (1993).
CLIMATE: St. Kitts-Nevis has a tropical climate influenced by
the NE trade winds. There is a steady cool breeze for most of the year
and humidity is low at 71%. Average annual precipitation is 1,375 mm (54
inches) and from May to October rainfall is heavier while temperatures
are a little hotter. Average temperature ranges are from 24 degrees Celsius
(75 degrees Fahrenheit) to 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) all
PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Black Africans
who account for around 86% of the population while around 11% are Mulattoes
who are mixed African and European descent, and 2% are Whites. The principal
ethnic minority are the Indo-Pakistanis.
DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 160 persons per sq km
(414 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 48.9% urban, 51.1% rural (1990).
Sex Distribution; 51.6% male, 48.4% female (1990). Life Expectancy at Birth;
64.0 years male, 71.0 years female (1991). Age Breakdown; 32% under 15,
26% 15 to 29, 19% 30 to 44, 10% 45 to 59, 9% 60 to 74, 4% 75 and over (1990).
Birth Rate; 23.0 per 1,000 (1990). Death Rate; 10.8 per 1,000 (1990). Increase
Rate; 12.2 per 1,000 (1990). Infant Mortality Rate; 22.0 per 1,000 live
RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with 75% of the population Protestant
while 11% are Roman Catholic.
LANGUAGES: The official language is English which is spoken by
most of the population in a Creole dialect.
EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: no formal schooling
1.1%, primary 29.6%, secondary 67.2%, higher 2.1% (1980). Literacy; literate
population aged 15 or over 90.0% (1985).
MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: In 1951 universal adult suffrage
was introduced and the British colony, which included Anguilla, achieved
internal self-government as an associated state of the United Kingdom in
1967. In the same year Anguilla declared its independence which resulted
in British military intervention and its reversion to a British dependent
territory. In 1980 Anguilla formally seceded from St. Kitts-Nevis. On Sept.
19, 1983 the country gained full independence with Dr. Kennedy Simmonds
as its first Prime Minister under a coalition government. The People's
Action Movement (PAM) and Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) coalition were
subsequently reelected in 1984 and 1989. In late 1990 Simeon Daniel, Premier
of Nevis announced that Nevis intended to secede from the federation by
the end of 1992, if approved by the Nevis assembly and confirmed by a plebiscite.
In Sept. 1991 the government announced it was offering a maximum of 3,000
citizenships to Hong Kong immigrants in return for substantial investments.
In April 1992 Deputy Prime Minister Michael Powell was dismissed which
led crowds protesting in the streets of the capital. In June 1992 local
elections resulted in the PAM's coalition partner, the NRP, being defeated
by the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM). Also in 1992 the British government
provided £900,000 for new road projects. In 1993 the government received
development loans from the Kuwaiti Investment Fund for US $6 million and
the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) for $20 million.
In Aug. 1993 the government signed a narcotics-control agreement with the
US and the government amended the Proceeds of Crime Act to allow for the
forfeiture of property if convicted of drug trafficking or money laundering.
On Nov. 29, 1993 following elections the PAM lost its majority in the National
Assembly while supporters of the Labor Party which gained an equal number
of seats, although they gained a grater percentage of the vote, rioted
leading to the imposition of a state of emergency.
CURRENCY: The official currency is the East Caribbean Dollar
(ECD) divided into 100 Cents.
ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $185,000,000 (1993). Public
Debt; USD $39,500,000 (1993). Imports; ECD $302,700,000 (1993). Exports;
ECD $91,500,000 (1993). Tourism Receipts; USD $69,400,000 (1993). Balance
of Trade; ECD -$169,400,000 (1993). Economically Active Population; 17,125
or 39.5% of total population (1980). Unemployed; N/A.
MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the USA
and the UK.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Coconuts, Cotton, Livestock, Sugar, Vegetables.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Electronic Equipment, Sugar Processing,
MAIN EXPORTS: Clothing, Electronic Equipment, Footwear, Sugar.
TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 36 km (22 mi) (1990), passenger-km
0, cargo ton-km N/A. Roads; length 305 km (190 mi) (1987). Vehicles; cars
3,600 (1986), trucks and buses 700 (1986). Merchant Marine; vessels 1 (1990),
deadweight tonnage 550 (1990). Air Transport; N/A.
COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; nil. Weekly & Twice Weekly
Newspapers; total of 2 with a total circulation of 9,000 (1992). Radio;
receivers 26,000 (1994). Television; receivers 12,200 (1994). Telephones;
units 12,200 (1993).
MILITARY: 340 (1994) police and paramilitary personnel.