Airports [time series]

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

no major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

300 km total; 125 km paved, 125 km otherwise improved, 50 km unimproved earth

Ports [time series]

Basseterre (Saint Kitts), Charlestown (Nevis)

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

58 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge on Saint Kitts for sugarcane

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 38,090; NA fit for military service

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 10% of GDP; cash crop--sugarcane; subsistence crops--rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited; most food imported

Budget [time series]

revenues $38.1 million; expenditures $68.1 million, including capital expenditures of $31.5 million (1991)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

East Caribbean dollar (plural--dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-88), $10.7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $57 million

Electricity [time series]

15,800 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 1,120 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$32.8 million (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--sugar, clothing, electronics, postage stamps; partners--US 53%, UK 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 5%, OECS 5% (1988)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$26.4 million (1988)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$97.5 million, per capita $2,400; real growth rate 4.6% (1988)

Imports [time series]

$89.6 million (f.o.b., 1989); 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 (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 11.8% (1988 est.); accounts for 17% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

5% (1989)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 [time series]

15% (1989)

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

135 km Contiguous zone: 24 nm; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to hurricanes (July to October)

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

negligible

Note [time series]

located 320 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Terrain [time series]

volcanic with mountainous interiors

Area (Total area) [time series]

269 km2; land area: 269 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Basseterre

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

none known

Constitution [time series]

19 September 1983

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Minister-Counselor (Deputy Chief of Mission), Charge d'Affaires ad interim Erstein M. EDWARDS; Chancery at Suite 540, 2501 M Street NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 833-3550; US--none

Executive branch [time series]

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

19 September 1983 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court 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 Michael Oliver POWELL (since NA) People's Action Movement (PAM), Kennedy SIMMONDS; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party (SKNLP), Lee MOORE; Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Simeon DANIEL; Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Vance AMORY

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Suffrage [time series]

universal adult at age NA House of Assembly--last held 21 March 1989 (next to be held by 21 March 1994); seats--(14 total, 11 elected) PAM 6, SKNLP 2, NRP 2, CCM 1

Government type (Type) [time series]

constitutional monarchy

Birth rate [time series]

24 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

mainly of black African descent

Infant mortality rate [time series]

39 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

20,000 (1981)

Languages (Language) [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

64 years male, 71 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

98% (male 98%, female 98%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Kittsian(s), Nevisian(s); adjective--Kittsian, Nevisian

Net migration rate [time series]

- 10 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

6,700

Population [time series]

40,293 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.6 children born/woman (1991)