Saint Kitts and Nevis




                                 Geography


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
Area:
total area:
     269 sq km
land area:
     269 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
     0 km
Coastline:
     135 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
     24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     12 nm
International disputes:
     none
Climate:
     subtropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal
     temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Terrain:
     volcanic with mountainous interiors
Natural resources:
     negligible
Land use:
arable land:
     22%
permanent crops:
     17%
meadows and pastures:
     3%
forest and woodland:
     17%
other:
     41%
Irrigated land:
     NA sq 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


                                  People


Population:
     40,671 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     0.72% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     23.7 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     9.98 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     -6.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     19.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     66.11 years
male:
     63.14 years
female:
     69.27 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     2.6 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Kittsian(s), Nevisian(s)
adjective:
     Kittsian, Nevisian
Ethnic divisions:
     black African
Religions:
     Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic
Languages:
     English
Literacy:
     age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
total population:
     98%
male:
     98%
female:
     98%
Labor force:
     20,000 (1981)


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis




conventional short form:
former:
     Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Digraph:
     SC
Type:
     constitutional monarchy
Capital:
     Basseterre
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
Independence:
     19 September 1983 (from UK)
National holiday:
     Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Constitution:
     19 September 1983
Legal system:
     based on English common law
Suffrage:
     universal adult at age NA
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
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
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
Judicial branch:
     Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
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
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




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
FAX:
     (202) 833-3553
US diplomatic representation:
     no official presence since the Charge d'Affaires resides in Saint
     John's (Antigua and Barbuda)
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


                                  Economy


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.
National product:
     GDP - exchange rate conversion - $163 million (1992)
National product real growth rate:
     4.1% (1992)
National product per capita:
     $4,000 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     2.9% (1992)
Unemployment rate:
     12.2% (1990)
Budget:
revenues:
     $85.7 million
expenditures:
     $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of $42.4 million (1993
     est.)
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)
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)
External debt:
     $43.3 million (1992)




Industrial production:
     growth rate 11.8% (1988 est.); accounts for 11% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
     15,800 kW
production:
     45 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     1,120 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear,
     beverages
Agriculture:
     accounts for 7% of GDP; cash crop - sugarcane; subsistence crops -
     rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully
     exploited; most food imported
Illicit drugs:
     transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
Economic aid:
recipient:
     US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-88), $10.7 million; Western
     (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $67
     million
Currency:
     1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
     East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Railroads:
     58 km 0.760-meter gauge on Saint Kitts for sugarcane
Highways:
total:
     300 km
paved:
     125 km
unpaved:
     otherwise improved 125 km; unimproved earth 50 km
Ports:
     Basseterre (Saint Kitts), Charlestown (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
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


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard
Defense expenditures:
     $NA, NA% of GDP