Compare Switzerland (2004) - Saint Kitts and Nevis (2004)

Compare Switzerland (2004) z Saint Kitts and Nevis (2004)

	Switzerland (2004)	Saint Kitts and Nevis (2004)

Administrative divisions	26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich	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
Age structure	0-14 years: 16.8% (male 647,362; female 602,333) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 2,555,089; female 2,503,331) 65 years and over: 15.3% (male 466,615; female 676,137) (2004 est.)	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.)
Agriculture - products	grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs	sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish
Airports	65 (2003 est.)	2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 23 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)	-
Area	total: 41,290 sq km land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km	total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) land: 261 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey	1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.	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.
Birth rate	9.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	18.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $123.2 billion expenditures: $128 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)	revenues: $89.7 million expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (2003 est.)
Capital	Bern	Basseterre
Climate	temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers	tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	135 km
Constitution	revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998; adopted by referendum 18 April 1999; officially entered into force 1 January 2000	19 September 1983
Country name	conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian) local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)	conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Currency	Swiss franc (CHF)	East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Death rate	8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	NA (2000)	$171 million (2001)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44	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	chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Boston	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
Disputes - international	none	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
Economic aid - donor	ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)	-
Economic aid - recipient	-	$8 million (2001)
Economy - overview	Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003.	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	53.43 billion kWh (2001)	93.26 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	34.54 billion kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	24.1 billion kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	68.68 billion kWh (2001)	100.3 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Environment - current issues	air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea	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	German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%	predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
Exchange rates	Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999)	East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 8 December 2004 (next to be held December 2005) election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8%	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
Exports	10,420 bbl/day (2001)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products	machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners	Germany 20.8%, US 11.3%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK 4.9%, Japan 4% (2003)	US 61.4%, UK 15.7%, Canada 8.6%, Germany 4.3% (2003)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the 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
GDP	purchasing power parity - $239.3 billion (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 1.5% industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services: 70.7% (2001)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $32,700 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-0.5% (2003 est.)	-1.9% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	47 00 N, 8 00 E	17 20 N, 62 45 W
Geography - note	landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps	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
Heliports	2 (2003 est.)	-
Highways	total: 71,011 km paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000)	total: 320 km paved: 136 km unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs	a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin	transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity
Imports	289,500 bbl/day (2001)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles	machinery, manufactures, food, fuels
Imports - partners	Germany 32.3%, France 10.8%, Italy 10.7%, US 5.5%, Netherlands 5%, Austria 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2003)	US 35.7%, Italy 16.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, UK 6.4%, Denmark 5.2%, Canada 4.4% (2003)
Independence	1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)	19 September 1983 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	0.4% (2003)	NA
Industries	machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments	sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
Infant mortality rate	total: 4.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	0.6% (2003 est.)	1.7% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC	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
Irrigated land	250 sq km (1998 est.)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)	Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)
Labor force	3.72 million (2003)	18,170 (June 1995)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998)	NA
Land boundaries	total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 10.42% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 88.97% (2001)	arable land: 19.44% permanent crops: 2.78% other: 77.78% (2001)
Languages	German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%	English
Legal system	civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations	based on English common law
Legislative branch	bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2007) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 14	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
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 80.31 years male: 77.51 years female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)	total population: 71.86 years male: 69.03 years female: 74.86 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: female:	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1980 est.)
Location	Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy	Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Map references	Europe	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	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
Merchant marine	total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843 GRT/1,050,914 DWT by type: bulk 15, cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, container 3, petroleum tanker 2, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Netherlands 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 1 registered in other countries: 182 (2004 est.)	none
Military branches	Land Forces, Air Force	Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special Service Unit)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$2.548 billion (FY01)	NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1% (FY01)	NA
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,890,091 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 1,606,391 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 45,654 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)	Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Nationality	noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss	noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Natural hazards	avalanches, landslides, flash floods	hurricanes (July to October)
Natural resources	hydropower potential, timber, salt	arable land
Net migration rate	4.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-7.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004)	-
Political parties and leaders	Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties	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 pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	7,450,867 (July 2004 est.)	38,836 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA
Population growth rate	0.54% (2004 est.)	0.25% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Basel	Basseterre, Charlestown
Radio broadcast stations	AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)	AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)
Railways	total: 4,533 km standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,004 km 1.000-m gauge (974 km electrified); 46 km 0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2003)	total: 50 km narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations during harvest season (2003)
Religions	Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)	Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	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.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)	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 - main lines in use	5.419 million (2002)	23,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	6.172 million (2003)	5,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)	1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)
Terrain	mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes	volcanic with mountainous interiors
Total fertility rate	1.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)	2.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	3.7% (2003 est.)	4.5% (1997)
Waterways	65 km note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003)	-

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