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 Match 205   DB Rec# - 7,657  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Saint Kitts and Nevis 
Text          : 
                              Saint Kitts and Nevis 
 
                                    Geography 
 
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 
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 or to the edge of the continental margin 
  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: 
    hurricanes (July to October) 
  international agreements: 
    party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous 
    Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    40,992 (July 1995 est.) 
Age structure: 
  0-14 years: 
    35% (female 7,072; male 7,430) 
  15-64 years: 
    57% (female 11,784; male 11,756) 
  65 years and over: 
    8% (female 1,729; male 1,221) (July 1995 est.) 
Population growth rate: 
    0.85% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    23.49 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    9.56 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    -5.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Infant mortality rate: 
    19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    66.51 years 
  male: 
    63.51 years 
  female: 
    69.69 years (1995 est.) 
Total fertility rate: 
    2.56 children born/woman (1995 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 has ever attended school (1980) 
  total population: 
    97% 
  male: 
    97% 
  female: 
    98% 
Labor force: 
    20,000 (1981) 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  conventional long form: 
    Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis 
  conventional short form: 
    Saint Kitts and Nevis 
  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 
    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 
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: 
    NA years of age; universal adult 
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 theWest Indies Associated States since NA November 1981)
 
  head of government: 
    Prime Minister Dr. Kennedy Alphonse SIMMONDS (since 19 September 1983, 
    previously Premier of the West Indies Associated States since NA February 
    1980); Deputy Prime Minister Hugh HEYLIGER (since November 1994) 
  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 15 November 1995); 
    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 (based on Saint Lucia) 
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, GATT, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, 
    IFRCS (associate), IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
 
    UPU, WCL, WHO 
 
                                   Government 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
  chief of mission: 
    Ambassador Erstein Mallet EDWARDS 
  chancery: 
    Suite 608, 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 
  telephone: 
    [1] (202) 833-3550 
  FAX: 
    [1] (202) 833-3553 
US diplomatic representation: 
    no official presence; covered by embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados 
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 traditionally depended on the growing and processing of 
    sugarcane; decreasing world prices have hurt the industry in recent years. 
    Tourism and export-oriented manufacturing have begun to assume larger roles,
 
    although they still only account for 7% and 4% of GDP respectively. Growth 
    in the construction and tourism sectors spurred the economic expansion in 
    1994. Most food is imported. 
National product: 
    GDP - purchasing power parity - $210 million (1994 est.) 
National product real growth rate: 
    4.5% (1994 est.) 
National product per capita: 
    $5,300 (1994 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
    1.6% (1993) 
Unemployment rate: 
    12.2% (1990) 
Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $103.2 million 
  expenditures: 
    $102.6 million, including capital expenditures of $50.1 million (1995 est.) 
Exports: 
    $32.4 million (f.o.b., 1992) 
  commodities: 
    machinery, food, electronics, beverages and tobacco 


  partners: 
    US 50%, UK 30%, CARICOM nations 11% (1992) 
Imports: 
    $100 million (f.o.b., 1992) 
  commodities: 
    machinery, manufactures, food, fuels 
  partners: 
    US 43%, CARICOM nations 18%, UK 12%, Canada 4%, Japan 4%, OECS 4% (1992) 
External debt: 
    $43.3 million (1992) 
Industrial production: 
    growth rate 5.9% (1992 est.) 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    15,800 kW 
  production: 
    45 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    990 kWh (1993) 
Industries: 
    sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, 
    beverages 
Agriculture: 
    accounts for 17% of GDP; cash crop - sugarcane; subsistence crops - rice, 
    yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited 
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 
 
                                     Economy 
Exchange rates: 
    East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976) 
Fiscal year: 
    calendar year 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
  total: 
    58 km on Saint Kitts for sugarcane 
  narrow gauge: 
    58 km 0.760-m gauge 
Highways: 
  total: 
    300 km 
  paved: 
    125 km 
  unpaved: 
    otherwise improved 125 km; unimproved earth 50 km 
Ports: 
    Basseterre, Charlestown 
Merchant marine: 
    none 
Airports: 
  total: 


    2 
  with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 
    1 
  with paved runways under 914 m: 
    1 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    2,400 telephones; good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radio connections and 
    international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    interisland links are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radio; within the islands all 
    calls are local 
  international: 
    international calls are carried by radio to Antigua and Barbuda and there 
    switched to submarine cable or to INTELSAT, or carried to Saint Martin by 
    radio and switched to INTELSAT 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    4 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Branches: 
    Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard 
Defense expenditures: 
    $NA, NA% of GDP 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996