Internet country code [time series]

.kn

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

51 (2003)

Internet users [time series]

10,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: good interisland and international connections domestic: inter-island links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: country code - 1-869; 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 - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

23,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

5,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $89.7 million expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (2003 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

XCD

Debt - external [time series]

$171 million (2001)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$8 million (2001)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until the 1970s. Although the crop still dominates the agricultural sector, activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy. As tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign exchange, a decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks has eroded government finances. The opening of a 1,000+ bed Marriott hotel in February 2003 was expected to bring in much-needed revenue.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

93.26 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

100.3 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Exports [time series]

$70 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners [time series]

US 61.4%, UK 15.7%, Canada 8.6%, Germany 4.3% (2003)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services: 70.7% (2001)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

-1.9% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports [time series]

$195 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners [time series]

US 35.7%, Italy 16.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, UK 6.4%, Denmark 5.2%, Canada 4.4% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force [time series]

18,170 (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

NA

Oil - consumption [time series]

710 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA

Unemployment rate [time series]

4.5% (1997)

Area [time series]

total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) land: 261 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

135 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

NA

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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 [time series]

17 20 N, 62 45 W

Geography - note [time series]

with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 19.44% permanent crops: 2.78% other: 77.78% (2001)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards [time series]

hurricanes (July to October)

Natural resources [time series]

arable land

Terrain [time series]

volcanic with mountainous interiors

Administrative divisions [time series]

14 parishes; 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

Capital [time series]

Basseterre

Constitution [time series]

19 September 1983

Country name [time series]

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 [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996) 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

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Independence [time series]

19 September 1983 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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 parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

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. Nevis is once more trying to separate from the Saint Kitts.

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special Service Unit)

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA

Military manpower - military age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 28.6% (male 5,675; female 5,422) 15-64 years: 63% (male 12,242; female 12,236) 65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,349; female 1,912) (2004 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 14.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.86 years male: 69.03 years female: 74.86 years (2004 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Median age [time series]

total: 27.3 years male: 26.5 years female: 28.1 years (2004 est.)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-7.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population [time series]

38,836 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.25% (2004 est.)

Religions [time series]

Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity

Airports [time series]

2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Basseterre, Charlestown

Railways [time series]

total: 50 km narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations during harvest season (2003)