Saint Kitts and Nevis (2001) | Guinea (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 14 parishes; 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 | 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
29.84% (male 5,909; female 5,654) 15-64 years: 61.37% (male 11,870; female 11,915) 65 years and over: 8.79% (male 1,406; female 2,002) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,027,970; female 1,986,300)
15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,358,566; female 2,372,384) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 124,382; female 160,618) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish | rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber |
Airports | 2 (2000 est.) | 15 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total:
261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) land: 261 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 245,857 sq km
land: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Oregon |
Background | 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. | Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has spilled over into Guinea, threatening stability and creating a humanitarian emergency. |
Birth rate | 18.78 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 42.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$64.1 million expenditures: $73.3 million, including capital expenditures of $10.4 million (1997 est.) |
revenues: $395.7 million
expenditures: $472.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (2000 est.) |
Capital | Basseterre | Conakry |
Climate | tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) | generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds |
Coastline | 135 km | 320 km |
Constitution | 19 September 1983 | 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale) |
Country name | conventional long form:
Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis |
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | Guinean franc (GNF) |
Death rate | 9.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $115.1 million (1998) | $3.4 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis | chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY
embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Dr. Osbert W. LIBURD chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY
chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010 |
Disputes - international | none | domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created skirmishes, deaths, and refugees in border areas |
Economic aid - recipient | $5.5 million (1995) | $359.2 million (1998) |
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, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking activity have assumed larger roles. Most food is imported. The government has undertaken a program designed to revitalize the faltering sugar sector. It is also working to improve revenue collection in order to better fund social programs. In 1997 some leaders in Nevis were urging separation from Saint Kitts on the basis that Nevis was paying far more in taxes than it was receiving in government services, but the vote on cessation failed in August 1998. In late September 1998, Hurricane Georges caused approximately $445 million in damages and limited GDP growth for the year. | Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-99, and reform progress was praised in the World Bank/IMF October 2000 assessment. However, fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders has caused major economic disruptions. In addition to direct defense costs, the violence has led to a sharp decline in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff, while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local markets. Multilateral aid - including Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief - and single digit inflation permitted moderate 3.7% growth in 2002. Growth should strengthen in 2003 because of a slowly improving security situation and increased investor confidence. |
Electricity - consumption | 83.7 million kWh (1999) | 735.2 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 90 million kWh (1999) | 790.6 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 45.5%
hydro: 54.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage |
Environment - international agreements | 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 |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | predominantly black some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese | Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10% |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2002), 1,950.56 (2001), 1,746.87 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.83 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997) 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 |
chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003); the prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%, Mamadou Boye BA (UPR) 24.6%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16.6%, |
Exports | $53.2 million (2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco | bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products |
Exports - partners | US 68.5%, UK 22.3%, Caricom countries 5.5% (1995 est.) | South Korea 17.8%, Spain 10.1%, Cameroon 9.7%, Belgium 9.6%, US 9.2%, Ireland 8.6%, France 7.1%, Russia 6.8%, Germany 5% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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 | three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $274 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $18.69 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
5.5% industry: 22.5% services: 72% (1996) |
agriculture: 25%
industry: 37% services: 38% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2000 est.) | 3.7% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 17 20 N, 62 45 W | 11 00 N, 10 00 W |
Geography - note | - | the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands |
Highways | total:
320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (2000) |
total: 30,500 km
paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 32% (1994) |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe | - |
Imports | $151.5 million (2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, manufactures, food, fuels | petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | US 42.4%, Caricom countries 17.2%, UK 11.3% (1995 est.) | France 18.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Italy 8.9%, US 8.2%, Belgium 7.6%, China 5.6%, UK 5.2% (2002) |
Independence | 19 September 1983 (from UK) | 2 October 1958 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.2% (1994) |
Industries | sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages | bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries |
Infant mortality rate | 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 87.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2000 est.) | 6% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTrO | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | 4 (2001) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 950 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis) | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel |
Labor force | 18,172 (June 1995) | 3 million (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | NA | agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 3,399 km
border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km |
Land use | arable land:
22% permanent crops: 17% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 17% other: 41% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 3.6%
permanent crops: 2.44% other: 93.96% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English | French (official), each ethnic group has its own language |
Legal system | based on English common law | based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 6 March 2000 (next to be held by July 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SKNLP 8, CCM 2, NRP 1 |
unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
71.01 years male: 68.22 years female: 73.97 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 49.54 years
male: 48.28 years female: 50.83 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1980 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.9% male: 49.9% female: 21.9% (1995 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Africa |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | none (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard, Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force | Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $154 million (FY02) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 3.3% (FY02) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 2,056,520 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 1,038,428 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 19 September (1983) | Independence Day, 2 October (1958) |
Nationality | noun:
Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian |
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (July to October) | hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season |
Natural resources | arable land | bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish |
Net migration rate | -10.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | 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] | Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 38,756 (July 2001 est.) | 9,030,220 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 40% (1994 est.) |
Population growth rate | -0.11% (2001 est.) | 2.37% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Basseterre, Charlestown | Boke, Conakry, Kamsar |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001) |
Radios | 28,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
58 km narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations (1995) |
total: 1,115 km
standard gauge: 311 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 804 km 1.000-m gauge (2002) |
Religions | Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic | Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7% |
Sex ratio | 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: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
good interisland and international connections domestic: interisland links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone international: 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 |
general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system
domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 17,000 (1997) | 37,000 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 205 (1997) | 21,567 (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997) | 6 low-power stations (2001) |
Terrain | volcanic with mountainous interiors | generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior |
Total fertility rate | 2.41 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 5.9 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.5% (1997) | NA% |
Waterways | none | 1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) |