Saint Kitts and Nevis (2001) | Turks and Caicos Islands (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 | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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: 32.5% (male 3,202; female 3,094)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 6,484; female 5,848) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 321; female 401) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
Airports | 2 (2000 est.) | 8 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total:
261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) land: 261 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British overseas territory. |
Birth rate | 18.78 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 23.51 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: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.) |
Capital | Basseterre | Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) |
Climate | tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry |
Coastline | 135 km | 389 km |
Constitution | 19 September 1983 | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988 |
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: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 9.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $115.1 million (1998) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
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 | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $5.5 million (1995) | $4.1 million (1997) |
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. | The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. Tourism fell by 6% in 2002 but appeared to be picking up at yearend. |
Electricity - consumption | 83.7 million kWh (1999) | 4.65 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) | 5 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | predominantly black some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese | black 90%, mixed, European, or north American 10% |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | the US dollar is used |
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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $53.2 million (2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
Exports - partners | US 68.5%, UK 22.3%, Caricom countries 5.5% (1995 est.) | US, UK |
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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $274 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
5.5% industry: 22.5% services: 72% (1996) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2000 est.) | 4.9% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 17 20 N, 62 45 W | 21 45 N, 71 35 W |
Geography - note | - | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) |
Highways | total:
320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (2000) |
total: 121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $151.5 million (2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, manufactures, food, fuels | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
Imports - partners | US 42.4%, Caricom countries 17.2%, UK 11.3% (1995 est.) | US, UK |
Independence | 19 September 1983 (from UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages | tourism, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 16.87 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2000 est.) | 4% (1995) |
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 | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | 14 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis) | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 18,172 (June 1995) | 4,848 (1990 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | NA | about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
22% permanent crops: 17% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 17% other: 41% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English | English (official) |
Legal system | based on English common law | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas |
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 Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
71.01 years male: 68.22 years female: 73.97 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 74 years
male: 71.82 years female: 76.3 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 has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Central America and the Caribbean |
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 fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard, Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 19 September (1983) | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) |
Nationality | noun:
Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian |
noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (July to October) | frequent hurricanes |
Natural resources | arable land | spiny lobster, conch |
Net migration rate | -10.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 12.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
People - note | - | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US |
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] | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 38,756 (July 2001 est.) | 19,350 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.11% (2001 est.) | 3.14% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Basseterre, Charlestown | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 28,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
58 km narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations (1995) |
0 km |
Religions | Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) |
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: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 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: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 17,000 (1997) | 3,000 (1994) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 205 (1997) | 0 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997) | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic with mountainous interiors | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps |
Total fertility rate | 2.41 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.15 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.5% (1997) | 10% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |