Saint Kitts and Nevis

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Saint Kitts and Nevis,Template:Efn officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis,Template:Efn<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is an island country consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles. With Template:Convert of territory, and roughly 48,000 inhabitants, it is the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere, in both area and population, as well as the world's smallest sovereign federation.<ref name="cia.gov">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The country is a Commonwealth realm, with Charles III as king and head of state.<ref name="cia.gov"/><ref name="britannica.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The capital city is Basseterre, located on the larger island of Saint Kitts.<ref name="cia.gov"/> Basseterre is also the main port for passenger entry (via cruise ships) and cargo. The smaller island of Nevis lies approximately Template:Cvt to the southeast of Saint Kitts, across a shallow channel called The Narrows.<ref name="cia.gov"/>

The British dependency of Anguilla was historically also a part of this union, which was known collectively as Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. However, Anguilla chose to secede from the union in 1967, and remains a British overseas territory.<ref name="cia.gov"/>

Saint Kitts and Nevis were among the first islands in the Caribbean to be colonised by Europeans. Saint Kitts was home to the first British and French Caribbean colonies, and thus has also been titled "The Mother Colony of the West Indies".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is also the most recent British territory in the Caribbean to become independent, gaining independence in 1983.

EtymologyEdit

File:Nevispeak1.jpg

Clouds covering Nevis Peak

The Kalinago, the pre-European inhabitants of Saint Kitts, called the island {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, roughly translating as 'fertile land'.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

It is thought that Christopher Columbus, the first European to see the islands in 1493, named the larger island {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, after Saint Christopher, his patron saint and that of travellers. New studies suggest that Columbus named the island {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Saint James), and that the name {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} was in fact given by Columbus to the island now known as Saba, Template:Cvt northwest. Saint Kitts was well documented as {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} by the 17th century.<ref name="cia.gov"/> The first English colonists kept the English translation of this name, and dubbed it St. Christopher's Island. In the 17th century, a common nickname for Christopher was Kit(t); hence, the island came to be informally referred to as Saint Kitt's Island, later further shortened to Saint Kitts.<ref name="cia.gov"/>

Columbus gave Nevis the name {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Saint Martin).<ref name=":0" /> The current name Nevis is derived from a Spanish name {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, meaning "Our Lady of the Snows", a reference to the 4th-century Catholic miracle of a summertime snowfall on the Esquiline Hill in Rome.<ref name="cia.gov"/> It is not known who chose this name for the island, but it is thought that white clouds which usually wreath the top of Nevis Peak reminded someone of the miracle.<ref>Template:Cite Catholic Encyclopedia</ref><ref name="cia.gov"/>

Today, the Constitution refers to the state as both Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Christopher and Nevis; the former is the one most commonly used, but the latter is generally used for diplomatic relations. Passports list the nationality of citizens as St. Kitts and Nevis.<ref name="samplepassportpic1">https://web.archive.org/web/20220810105128/https://best-citizenships.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/skn.jpg
https://archive.today/20230729090230/https://best-citizenships.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/skn.jpg</ref>

HistoryEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also

File:Spanish capture of St Kitts.jpg

The Spanish capture of Saint Kitts in 1629 by Fadrique de Toledo, 1st Marquis of Villanueva de Valdueza

Pre-colonial periodEdit

The earliest known inhabitants of Saint Kitts and Nevis were pre-ceramic, pre-agricultural peoples who arrived as early as 3000 BCE. These groups, often referred to as "Archaic people," were hunter-gatherers who migrated down the archipelago from Florida.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Due to the absence of pottery and other durable artifacts, their cultural affiliations remain uncertain.<ref>See for example Nevis Heritage excavation reports, 2000–2002 Template:Webarchive, Department of Archaeology, University of Southampton. Retrieved 8 August 2006.</ref> Around 100 BCE, the islands saw the arrival of the Saladoid people, a ceramic-using, agricultural society that migrated northward from the Orinoco River region in present-day Venezuela. They introduced agriculture and pottery to the islands and established settled communities.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" />

By approximately 800 CE, the Igneri people, associated with the Arawak linguistic group, had settled on the islands.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> The Igneri were known for their peaceful nature and religious practices, and they continued the agricultural traditions of their predecessors.<ref name=":2" />

Around 1300 CE, the Kalinago people, also known as the Island Caribs, migrated to Saint Kitts and Nevis.<ref name=":4">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":5">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Renowned for their seafaring skills and warrior culture, the Kalinago displaced the Igneri and established dominance over the islands. They named Saint Kitts "Liamuiga," meaning "fertile land," and Nevis "Oualie," meaning "land of beautiful waters."<ref name="Hubbard">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" />

European arrival and early colonial period (1493–1700)Edit

Christopher Columbus was the first European to sight the islands in 1493.<ref name="thecommonwealth.org">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="britannica.com"/> The first settlers were the English in 1623, led by Thomas Warner, who established a settlement at Old Road Town on the west coast of St Kitts after achieving an agreement with the Carib chief Ouboutou Tegremante.<ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp<ref name="britannica.com"/> The French later also settled on St Kitts in 1625 under Pierre Belain d'Esnambuc.<ref name="britannica.com"/> As a result, both parties agreed to partition the island into French and English sectors. From 1628 onward the English also began settling on Nevis.<ref name="britannica.com"/>

The French and English, intent on exploitation of the island's resources,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> encountered resistance from the native Caribs (Kalinago), who waged war during the first three years of the settlements' existence.<ref>Cobley, 1994, p. 28.</ref><ref name=cobley27>Cobley, 1994, p. 27.</ref> The Europeans resolved to rid themselves of this problem. An ideological campaign was waged by colonial chroniclers, dating back to the Spanish, as they produced literature which denied the Kalinagos' humanity (a literary tradition carried through the late-seventeenth century by such authors as Jean-Baptiste du Tertre and Pere Labat).<ref name=cobley27 /> In 1626 the Anglo-French settlers joined forces to massacre the Kalinago at a place that became known as Bloody Point, allegedly to preempt a Carib plan to expel or kill all European settlers.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Thereafter, the English and French established large sugar plantations which were worked by imported African slaves. This made the planter-colonists rich, but drastically altered the islands' demographics as black slaves soon came to outnumber Europeans.<ref name="thecommonwealth.org"/><ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp

A Spanish expedition of 1629 sent to enforce Spanish claims destroyed the English and French colonies and deported the settlers back to their respective countries. As part of the war settlement in 1630, the Spanish permitted the re-establishment of the English and French colonies.<ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp Spain later formally recognised Britain's claim to St Kitts with the Treaty of Madrid (1670), in return for British cooperation in the fight against piracy.<ref name="SP 108/470">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

As Spanish power declined, Saint Kitts became a key base for English and French expansion in the Caribbean. From St Kitts the British settled the islands of Antigua, Montserrat, Anguilla and Tortola, and the French settled Martinique, the Guadeloupe archipelago and Saint Barthélemy. During the late 17th century, France and England fought for control over St Kitts and Nevis, fighting wars in 1667,<ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp 1689–90<ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp and 1701–13. The French renounced their claim to the islands with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.<ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp<ref name="britannica.com"/> The islands' economy, already shattered by war, was further harmed by natural disasters: In 1690 an earthquake destroyed Jamestown, capital of Nevis, forcing the construction of a new capital at Charlestown. Further damage was caused by a hurricane in 1707.<ref name=Vincent>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp

British colonial period (1700–1983)Edit

The colony had recovered by the turn of the 18th century, and St Kitts had become the richest British Crown Colony per capita in the Caribbean as result of its slave-based sugar industry by the close of the 1700s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The 18th century also saw Nevis, formerly the richer of the two islands, being eclipsed by St Kitts in economic importance.<ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp<ref name=Vincent/>Template:Rp Alexander Hamilton, the future U.S. secretary of the Treasury, was born on Nevis in 1755 or 1757.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

File:BrimstoneHill01.jpg

The fortress on Brimstone Hill, focus of the successful French invasion of 1782

As Britain became embroiled in war with its American colonies, the French decided to use the opportunity to re-capture St Kitts in 1782; however St Kitts was given back and recognised as British territory in the Treaty of Versailles (1783).<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref name="thecommonwealth.org"/>

The African slave trade was terminated within the British Empire in 1807, and slavery outlawed completely in 1834. A four-year "apprenticeship" period followed for each slave, in which they worked for their former owners for wages. On Nevis 8,815 slaves were freed, while St Kitts freed 19,780.<ref name=Vincent/>Template:Rp<ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp

Saint Kitts and Nevis, along with Anguilla, were federated in 1882. In the first few decades of the 20th century economic hardship and lack of opportunities led to the growth of a labour movement; the Great Depression prompted sugar workers to go on strike in 1935.<ref name="Paravisini104">Paravisini-Gebert, p.104</ref> The 1940s saw the founding of the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Labour Party (later renamed the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party, or SKNLP)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> under Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw. Bradshaw later became Chief Minister and then Premier of the colony from 1966 to 1978; he sought to gradually bring the sugar-based economy under greater state control.<ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp The more conservative-leaning People's Action Movement party (PAM) was founded in 1965.<ref name=N1>Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, pp576-578 Template:ISBN</ref>

After a brief period as part of the West Indies Federation (1958–62), the islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967.<ref name="britannica.com"/> Residents of Nevis and Anguilla were unhappy with St Kitts's domination of the federation, and Anguilla unilaterally declared independence in 1967.<ref name="thecommonwealth.org"/><ref name="britannica.com"/> In 1971 Britain resumed full control of Anguilla, but it was formally separated in 1980.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=Hubbard/>Template:Rp<ref name="britannica.com"/> Attention then focused on Nevis, with the Nevis Reformation Party seeking to safeguard the smaller island's interests in any future independent state. Eventually it was agreed that the island would have a degree of autonomy with its own Premier and Assembly, as well as the constitutionally-protected right to unilaterally secede if a referendum on independence resulted in a two-thirds majority in favour.<ref>See section 3 and 4 about Nevis Island Legislature and Administration in The Saint Christopher and Nevis Constitution Order 1983. Published online by Georgetown University Template:Webarchive and also by University of the West Indies Template:Webarchive. Retrieved 8 August 2006.</ref><ref name=DD>Nevis (St Kitts and Nevis), 18 August 1977: Separation from St Kitts Template:Webarchive Direct Democracy Template:In lang</ref>

Post independence era (1983–present)Edit

File:TimothyHarris.jpg

Timothy Harris, Prime Minister 2015–2022

St Kitts and Nevis achieved full independence on 19 September 1983.<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref name="thecommonwealth.org"/> Kennedy Simmonds of the PAM, Premier since 1980, duly became the country's first Prime Minister. St Kitts and Nevis opted to remain within the British Commonwealth, at that time retaining Queen Elizabeth as Monarch, represented locally by a Governor-General.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Kennedy Simmonds went on to win elections in 1984, 1989 and 1993, before being unseated when the SKNLP returned to power in 1995 under Denzil Douglas.<ref name="thecommonwealth.org"/><ref name="britannica.com"/>

In Nevis, growing discontent with their perceived marginalisation within the federation<ref>General Election in St Kitts and Nevis 3 July 1995: The Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group. Commonwealth Observer Group, Commonwealth Secretariat, 1995. Template:ISBN, p.3.</ref> led to a referendum to separate from St Kitts in 1998, which though resulting a 62% vote to secede, fell short of the required two-thirds majority to be legally enacted.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Dead link</ref><ref name="thecommonwealth.org"/><ref name="britannica.com"/>

In late-September 1998, Hurricane Georges caused approximately $458,000,000 in damages and limited GDP growth for the year and beyond. Meanwhile, the sugar industry, in decline for years and propped up only by government subsidies, was closed completely in 2005.<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2012, Saint Kitts and Nevis was declared free of malaria, according to the World Health Organization.

The 2015 Saint Kitts and Nevis general election was won by Timothy Harris and his recently formed People's Labour Party, with backing from the PAM and the Nevis-based Concerned Citizens' Movement under the 'Team Unity' banner.<ref name=CE>Team Unity wins St Kitts and Nevis 2015 general election Template:Webarchive Caribbean Elections, 17 February 2015</ref>

In June 2020, Team Unity coalition of the incumbent government, led by Prime Minister Timothy Harris, won general elections by defeating Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In snap general elections held in August 2022, the SKNLP again won, and Terrance Drew became the fourth prime minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

PoliticsEdit

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File:Government House, Basseterre.jpg

Government House, Basseterre, is the official residence of the Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

File:Saint Kitts and Nevis Government building 2.JPG

Government headquarters of Saint Kitts and Nevis

File:The Museum of Nevis History - Alexander Hamilton birthplace.jpg

The Nevis Island Assembly

Saint Kitts and Nevis is a sovereign, democratic, and federal state.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is a Commonwealth realm,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a constitutional monarchy with the King of Saint Christopher and Nevis, Charles III, as its head of state.<ref name="cia.gov"/> The King is represented in the country by a Governor-General, who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party of the House, and the cabinet conducts affairs of state.Template:Citation needed

St. Kitts and Nevis has a unicameral legislature, known as the National Assembly. It is composed of fourteen members: eleven elected representatives (three from the island of Nevis) and three senators, who are appointed by the Governor-General.<ref name="cia.gov"/> Two of the senators are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, and one, on the advice of the leader of the opposition. Unlike in other countries, the senators do not constitute a separate senate or upper house of parliament, but sit in the National Assembly alongside representatives. All members serve five-year terms. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet answer to the Parliament. Nevis also maintains its own semi-autonomous assembly.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Foreign relationsEdit

Template:Further

Saint Kitts and Nevis has no major international disputes. Saint Kitts and Nevis is a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the Organisation of American States (OAS).<ref name="cia.gov"/>

Template:Anchor

St Kitts & Nevis entered the OAS system on 16 September 1984.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Agreements which impact on financial relationshipsEdit

Template:Anchor

Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994Edit

At a CARICOM meeting, representative of St. Kitts and Nevis Kennedy Simmons signed the Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994, on 6 July 1994.<ref name="ird.gov.tt">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The representatives of seven CARICOM countries signed similar agreements at Sherbourne Conference Centre, St. Michael, Barbados.<ref name="ird.gov.tt"/> The countries whose representatives signed the treaties in Barbados were: Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.<ref name="ird.gov.tt"/> This treaty covered income, residence, tax jurisdictions, capital gains, business profits, interest, dividends, royalties and other areas.Template:Citation needed

FATCAEdit

On 30 June 2014, St. Kitts and Nevis signed a Model 1 agreement with the United States of America in relation to Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

MilitaryEdit

Template:Further Saint Kitts and Nevis has a defence force of 300 personnel. It is mostly involved in policing and drug trade interception.Template:Citation needed

Human rightsEdit

Template:See also Male homosexuality has been legal in St. Kitts and Nevis since 29 August 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2011, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis said it had "no mandate from the people" to abolish the criminalisation of homosexuality among consenting adults.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Administrative divisionsEdit

The federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is divided into fourteen parishes, nine of them on Saint Kitts and five on Nevis.

Template:Map of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Parishes of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Name	Capital	Area (km²)	2022	2011	2001	1991			Population density per km² (2022)
Name	Capital	Area (km²)	Population<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation				CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Population density per km² (2022)
Christ Church Nichola Town	Nichola Town	17.97	2,064	1,922	2,061	1,664	114.9
Saint Anne Sandy Point	Sandy Point Town	12.74	2,969	2,626	3,167	3,077	233.0
Saint George Basseterre	Basseterre	28.60	13,652	12,635	13,251	12,605	477.3
Saint John Capisterre	Dieppe Bay Town	24.25	2,972	2,962	3,248	2,936	122.6
Saint Mary Cayon	Cayon	14.72	3,341	3,435	3,423	3,249	227.0
Saint Paul Capisterre	Saint Paul Capisterre	12.66	2,468	2,432	2,453	2,130	194.9
Saint Peter Basseterre	Monkey Hill	19.74	5,667	4,670	3,541	2,656	287.1
Saint Thomas Middle Island	Middle Island	23.55	2,657	2,535	2,395	2,257	112.8
Trinity Palmetto Point	Trinity	14.69	2,348	1,701	1,678	1,250	159.8
Saint Kitts	Basseterre	168.92	38,138	34,918	35,217	31,824	225.8
Saint George Gingerland	Market Shop	18.7	2,323	2,496	2,564	2,086	124.2
Saint James Windward	Newcastle	31.5	2,290	2,038	1,806	1,493	72.7
Saint John Figtree	Figtree	21.7	4,416	3,827	2,901	2,191	203.5
Saint Paul Charlestown	Charlestown	3.6	1,888	1,847	1,790	1,411	524.4
Saint Thomas Lowland	Cotton Ground	18.2	2,265	2,069	2,047	1,613	124.5
Nevis	Charlestown	93.7	13,182	12,277	11,108	8,794	140.7
Saint Kitts and Nevis total	Basseterre	262.62	51,320	47,195	46,325	40,618	195.4

GeographyEdit

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File:Saint Kitts and Nevis-CIA WFB Map.png

A map of Saint Kitts and Nevis

File:Stkitts-view-lookingatsea.jpg

A view of Nevis island from the southeastern peninsula of Saint Kitts

The capital city is Basseterre, located on the larger island of Saint Kitts.<ref name="cia.gov"/> Basseterre is also the main port for passenger entry (via cruise ships) and cargo. The smaller island of Nevis lies approximately Template:Cvt to the southeast of Saint Kitts, across a shallow channel called The Narrows.<ref name="cia.gov"/> The islands of Sint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten and Anguilla lie to the north-northwest of the country. To the east and northeast are Antigua and Barbuda, and to the southeast is the small uninhabited island of Redonda (part of Antigua and Barbuda) and the island of Montserrat.

The country consists of two main islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, separated at a distance of 2 miles (3 km) by The Narrows strait.<ref name="britannica.com"/> Both are of volcanic origin, with large central peaks covered in tropical rainforest.<ref name="cia.gov"/> The majority of the population live along the flatter coastal areas.<ref name="cia.gov"/> St Kitts contains several mountain ranges (the North West Range, Central Range and South-West Range) in its centre, where the highest peak of the country, Mount Liamuiga Template:Convert can be found.<ref name="britannica.com"/> Along the east coast can be found the Canada Hills and Conaree Hills. The land narrows considerably in the south-east, forming a much flatter peninsula which contains the largest body of water, the Great Salt Pond. To the southeast, in The Narrows, lies the small isle of Booby Island. There are numerous rivers descending from the mountains of both islands, which provide fresh water to the local population. Nevis, the smaller of the two main islands and roughly circular in shape, is dominated by Nevis Peak Template:Convert.<ref name="cia.gov"/>

Saint Kitts and Nevis contains two terrestrial ecoregions: Leeward Islands moist forests and Leeward Islands dry forests.<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">Template:Cite journal</ref> The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.55/10, ranking it 121st globally out of 172 countries.<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Flora and faunaEdit

The national flower is Delonix regia. Common plants include palmetto, hibiscus, bougainvillea, and tamarind. Pinus species are common in the dense forests of islands, and are usually covered by various species of ferns.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The national bird is the brown pelican.<ref name="CIA" /> 176 species of bird have been reported from the country.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ClimateEdit

By the Köppen climate classification, St Kitts has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) and Nevis has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am).<ref name="climate-data">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mean monthly temperatures in Basseterre varies little from Template:Convert to Template:Convert. Yearly rainfall is approximately Template:Convert, although it has varied from Template:Convert to Template:Convert in the period 1901–2015.<ref name="climate" />

Template:Weather box

National parksEdit

St. Kitts and Nevis have two national parks: Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park and Central Forest Reserve National Park. Brimstone Hills Fortress was officially designated a National Park in 1985, and it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Central Forest Reserve was designated a National Park by the government on 23 October 2006, and officially gazetted on 29 March 2007.

DemographicsEdit

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File:Downtown Basseterre, St. Kitts.jpg

Downtown Basseterre, St Kitts

PopulationEdit

The population of Saint Kitts and Nevis is around 53,000 (July 2019 est.)<ref name="cia.gov"/> and has remained relatively constant for many years.<ref name="britannica.com"/> At the end of the nineteenth century there were 42,600 residents, the number slowly rising to a little over 50,000 by the mid-twentieth century.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Between 1960 and 1990, the population dropped from 50,000 to 40,000, before rising again to its current level. Approximately three-quarters of the population live on Saint Kitts, 15,500 of them in Basseterre. Other large settlements include Cayon (population 3,000) and Sandy Point Town (3,000), both on Saint Kitts, and Gingerland (2,500) and Charlestown (1,900), both on Nevis.Template:Citation needed It ranks number 209 on the list of countries and dependencies by population.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Racial and ethnic groupsEdit

The population is primarily Afro-Caribbean (92.5%), with significant minorities of European (2.1%) and Indian (1.5%) descent (2001 estimate).<ref name="cia.gov" />

EmigrationEdit

Template:As of, there were Template:UN Population inhabitants; their average life expectancy is 76.9 years. Emigration has historically been very high, so high that the total estimated population in 2007 was little changed from that in 1961.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Emigration from St Kitts and Nevis to the United States:<ref name="CIA">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

1986–1990: 3,513
1991–1995: 2,730
1996–2000: 2,101
2001–2005: 1,756
2006–2010: 1,817

LanguagesEdit

English is the sole official language. Saint Kitts Creole is also widely spoken.Template:Citation needed

ReligionEdit

Template:Pie chart

Most inhabitants (82%) are Christians, most of whom belong to Anglican, Methodist, and other Protestant denominations.<ref name="cia.gov"/> Roman Catholics are pastorally served by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John's–Basseterre, and Anglicans by the Diocese of the North East Caribbean and Aruba.Template:Citation needed

Hinduism is the largest non-Christian religion, followed by 1.82% of the population;<ref name="2011Census"/> these are primarily Indo-Kittitians and Indo-Nevisians.Template:Citation needed

According to the 2011 census, 17 per cent of the population is Anglican, 16 per cent Methodist, 11 per cent Pentecostal, 7 per cent Church of God, 6 per cent Roman Catholic, 5 per cent each Baptist, Moravian, Seventh-day Adventist, and Wesleyan Holiness, 4 per cent "Other", and 2 per cent each Brethren, evangelical Christian, and Hindu.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

CultureEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also

Music and festivalsEdit

File:MongoosePlay.jpg

The Mongoose Play, a popular production of folk theatre and music

Saint Kitts and Nevis is known for a number of musical celebrations including Carnival (18 December to 3 January on Saint Kitts). The last week in June features the St Kitts Music Festival, while the week-long Culturama on Nevis lasts from the end of July into early August.<ref>Cameron, pg.502</ref>

Additional festivals on the island of Saint Kitts include Inner City Fest, in February in Molineaux; Green Valley Festival, usually around Whit Monday in village of Cayon; Easterama, around Easter in village of Sandy Point; Fest-Tab, in July or August in the village of Tabernacle; and La festival de Capisterre, around Independence Day in Saint Kitts and Nevis (19 September), in the Capisterre region. These celebrations typically feature parades, street dances and salsa, jazz, soca, calypso and steelpan music.Template:Citation needed

The 1985 film Missing in Action 2: The Beginning was filmed in Saint Kitts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

MediaEdit

Template:See also

SportsEdit

Template:See also

Cricket is common in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Top players can be selected for the West Indies cricket team. The late Runako Morton was from Nevis. Saint Kitts and Nevis was the smallest country to host 2007 Cricket World Cup matches,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which were played at the Warner Park Stadium.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Rugby and netball are also common in Saint Kitts and Nevis as well.Template:Citation needed

The St Kitts and Nevis national football team, also known as the "Sugar Boyz", has experienced some international success in recent years, progressing to the semi-final round of qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in the CONCACAF region. Led by Glence Glasgow, they defeated the US Virgin Islands and Barbados before they were outmatched by Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. Atiba Harris is the first footballer from the country to play in Major League Soccer and arguably the most famous footballer from the country. He is the current President of the SKNFA. Despite not representing the country, Marcus Rashford is of descent,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> as is Cole Palmer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The national team achieved its greatest success of the modern era when it qualified for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup defeating the Curaçao national football team and the French Guiana national football team in a penalty shootout in the preliminary round. It was drawn into Group A with Jamaica, the United States, and Trinidad & Tobago, but lost all three games.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The St Kitts and Nevis Billiard Federation, SKNBF, is the governing body for cue sports across the two islands. The SKNBF is a member of the Caribbean Billiards Union (CBU) with the SKNBF President Ste Williams holding the post of CBU Vice-president.Template:Citation needed

Kim Collins is the country's foremost track and field athlete. He has won gold medals in the 100 metres at both the World Championships in Athletics and Commonwealth Games, and at the 2000 Sydney Olympics he was the country's first athlete to reach an Olympic final. He and three other athletes represented St Kitts and Nevis at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The four by one hundred metre relay team won a bronze medal at the 2011 world championships.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Jason Rogers, Antoine Adams, and Brijesh Lawrence ran the other three relay legs with Collins.Template:Citation needed

American writer and former figure skater and triathlete Kathryn Bertine was granted dual citizenship in an attempt to make the 2008 Summer Olympics representing St Kitts and Nevis in women's cycling. Her story was chronicled online at ESPN.com as a part of its E-Ticket feature entitled "So You Wanna Be An Olympian?" She ultimately failed to earn the necessary points for Olympic qualification.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

St Kitts and Nevis had two athletes ride in the time trial at the 2010 UCI Road World Championships: Reginald Douglas and James Weekes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

EconomyEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

File:Basseterre from sea 2.JPG

The capital, Basseterre

Saint Kitts and Nevis is a twin-island federation whose economy is characterised by its dominant tourism, agriculture, and light manufacturing industries.<ref name="cia.gov"/> Sugar was the primary export from the 1940s on, but rising production costs, low world market prices, and the government's efforts to reduce dependence on it have led to a growing diversification of the agricultural sector. In 2005, the government decided to close down the state-owned sugar company, which had experienced losses and was a significant contributor to the fiscal deficit.<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref name="cia.gov"/>

St Kitts and Nevis is heavily dependent upon tourism to drive its economy, a sector which has expanded significantly since the 1970s.<ref name="cia.gov"/><ref name="britannica.com"/> In 2009 there were 587,479 arrivals to Saint Kitts compared to 379,473 in 2007, an increase of just under 40% in a two-year period; however, the tourist sector declined during the Great Recession and then rebounded slowly.<ref name="cia.gov"/> In the 21st century, the government has sought to diversify the economy via agriculture, tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking.<ref name="cia.gov"/>

In July 2015, St Kitts & Nevis and the Republic of Ireland signed a tax agreement to "promote international co-operation in tax matters through exchange of information." The agreement was developed by the OECD Global Forum Working Group on Effective Exchange of Information, which consisted of representatives from OECD member countries and 11 other countries in the Caribbean and other parts of the world.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

TransportEdit

Template:Further

File:St. Kitts Airport Terminal from side.jpg

Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport on St Kitts

File:Vance Amory International Airport, Nevis.JPG

Vance W. Amory International Airport on Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis has two international airports. The larger one is Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport on the island of Saint Kitts with service outside to the Caribbean, North America, and Europe. The other airport, Vance W. Amory International Airport, is located on the island of Nevis and has flights to other parts of the Caribbean.

The St Kitts Scenic Railway is the last remaining running railroad in the Lesser Antilles.

Economic citizenship by investmentEdit

Template:See also St. Kitts and Nevis allows foreigners to obtain the status of St. Kitts and Nevis citizen by means of a government sponsored investment programme called Citizenship-by-Investment.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="cia.gov"/> Established in 1984, St. Kitts and Nevis's citizenship programme is the oldest prevailing economic citizenship programme of this kind in the world. However, while the programme is the oldest in the world, it only catapulted in 2006 when Henley & Partners, a global citizenship advisory firm, became involved in the restructuring of the programme to incorporate donations to the country's sugar industry.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Citizenship-by-Investment Programmes have been criticised by some researchers due to the risks of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> According to the official website of St. Kitts and Nevis's Citizenship-by-Investment Programme, they offer multiple benefits, including citizenship for life that can be passed down for generations, no residency or language requirements, and citizenship in a financially favourable country.<ref name=ciu2023julybenefits>St. Kitts and Nevis Government. (2023, July 27). Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC). Ciu.Gov.Kn. Retrieved July 28, 2023, from https://ciu.gov.kn/investment-options/sustainable-island-state-contribution-sisc/.
https://web.archive.org/web/20230728101553/https://ciu.gov.kn/investment-options/sustainable-island-state-contribution-sisc/</ref> Applicants who are vetted and successfully attain citizenship are eligible to apply for a Saint Kitts and Nevis passport.<ref name=HenleyRightToPassport>Henley & Partners Holdings Ltd. (2023). St. Kitts and Nevis. Henleyglobal.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20230929173136/https://www.henleyglobal.com/citizenship-investment/st-kitts-nevis
"The Certificate of Registration confers citizenship status and once it has been issued, the applicant is entitled to apply for a passport"</ref>

To qualify for citizenship under the investment programme, each candidate must complete a vetting process which includes several background and due diligence checks, an interview, and other various legal requirements. This is followed by a qualifying investment into the country.<ref name=pressrelease2023 /> The applicant must make at least a minimum investment in either approved real estate; or a donation, known as the Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) into the Federal Consolidated Fund; or a donation to an Approved Public Benefactor.<ref name=pressrelease2023 /><ref name=ciu2023julybenefits /><ref name=CBIoptions2023July />

The official website of St. Kitts and Nevis's Citizenship-by-Investment Programme lists the following investment options:

An investment in designated real estate with a minimum value of US$400,000, plus the payment of government fees and other fees and taxes.<ref name=pressrelease2023>St. Kitts And Nevis Government Press Release. (2023, July 27). St Kitts and Nevis announces further monumental changes to its Citizenship by Investment Programme. St. Kitts And Nevis Government. Retrieved July 28, 2023, from https://ciu.gov.kn/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SKN-Press-Release-SKN-CBI-July_2023_Final.pdf.
https://web.archive.org/web/20230728095706/https://ciu.gov.kn/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SKN-Press-Release-SKN-CBI-July_2023_Final.pdf</ref><ref name=CBIoptions2023July>St. Kitts and Nevis Government. (2023, July). CBI Options. Retrieved July 29, 2023, from https://ciu.gov.kn/investment-options/
https://web.archive.org/web/20230729072552/https://ciu.gov.kn/investment-options/</ref><ref name=handbook1>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=henleysite1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A contribution to the Federal Consolidated Fund, or to an Approved Public Benefactor, of at least US$250,000, inclusive of all government fees but exclusive of due diligence fees which are the same as the real estate option.<ref name=pressrelease2023 /><ref name=ciu2023julybenefits />

EducationEdit

Template:See also There are eight publicly administered high and secondary level schools in St. Kitts and Nevis, and several private secondary schools. Education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16.<ref name="britannica.com"/>

Notable peopleEdit

Paul Bilzerian (born 1950), financier convicted of securities fraud
Edmund Wickham Lawrence (born 1932), the third governor-general of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Warrington Phillip (born 1968), former first-class cricketer and convicted murderer
Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh, also known as SAS, businessman and convicted felon

NotesEdit

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ReferencesEdit

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SourcesEdit

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External linksEdit

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Government

Saint Kitts & Nevis official government site
Saint Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program
Saint Kitts & Nevis official Investment Promotion Agency
Saint Kitts & Nevis St Kitts Financial Services Regulatory Commission
Saint Kitts & Nevis Citizenship Program

General information

Department of Statistics, Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis

Maps

Tourism

Nevis Tourism Authority – official site
Saint Kitts Tourism Authority – official site

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Saint Kitts and Nevis

Contents

EtymologyEdit

HistoryEdit

Pre-colonial periodEdit

European arrival and early colonial period (1493–1700)Edit

British colonial period (1700–1983)Edit

Post independence era (1983–present)Edit

PoliticsEdit

Foreign relationsEdit

Agreements which impact on financial relationshipsEdit

Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaty 1994Edit

FATCAEdit

MilitaryEdit

Human rightsEdit

Administrative divisionsEdit

GeographyEdit

Flora and faunaEdit

ClimateEdit

National parksEdit

DemographicsEdit

PopulationEdit

Racial and ethnic groupsEdit

EmigrationEdit

LanguagesEdit

ReligionEdit

CultureEdit

Music and festivalsEdit

MediaEdit

SportsEdit

EconomyEdit

TransportEdit

Economic citizenship by investmentEdit

EducationEdit

Notable peopleEdit

See alsoEdit

NotesEdit

ReferencesEdit

SourcesEdit

External linksEdit