SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS GEOGRAPHY Total area: 269 km2; land area: 269 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 135 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 24 nm; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: subtropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) Terrain: volcanic with mountainous interiors Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land 22%; permanent crops 17%; meadows and pastures 3%; forest and woodland 17%; other 41% Environment: subject to hurricanes (July to October) Note: located 320 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico PEOPLE Population: 40,293 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991) Birth rate: 24 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: - 10 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 39 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 71 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (1991) Ethnic divisions: mainly of black African descent Nationality: noun--Kittsian(s), Nevisian(s); adjective--Kittsian, Nevisian Religion: Anglican, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic Language: English Literacy: 98% (male 98%, female 98%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) Labor force: 20,000 (1981) Organized labor: 6,700 GOVERNMENT Long-form name: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis Type: constitutional monarchy Capital: Basseterre Administrative divisions: 14 parishs; 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 Independence: 19 September 1983 (from UK) Constitution: 19 September 1983 Legal system: based on English common law National holiday: Independence Day, 19 September (1983) Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clement Athelston ARRINDELL (since 19 September 1983, previously Governor General of the Associated State since NA November 1981); Head of Government--Prime Minister Dr. Kennedy Alphonse SIMMONDS (since 19 September 1983, previously Premier of the Associated State since NA February 1980); Deputy Prime Minister Michael Oliver POWELL (since NA) Political parties and leaders: People's Action Movement (PAM), Kennedy SIMMONDS; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party (SKNLP), Lee MOORE; Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Simeon DANIEL; Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Vance AMORY Suffrage: universal adult at age NA Elections: House of Assembly--last held 21 March 1989 (next to be held by 21 March 1994); seats--(14 total, 11 elected) PAM 6, SKNLP 2, NRP 2, CCM 1 Communists: none known Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IMF, INTERPOL, OAS, OECS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO Diplomatic representation: Minister-Counselor (Deputy Chief of Mission), Charge d'Affaires ad interim Erstein M. EDWARDS; Chancery at Suite 540, 2501 M Street NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 833-3550; US--none 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 ECONOMY Overview: The economy has historically depended on the growing and processing of sugarcane and on remittances from overseas workers. In recent years, tourism and export-oriented manufacturing have assumed larger roles. GDP: $146.6 million, per capita $3,195; real growth rate 2.1% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.0 (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 15% (1989) Budget: revenues $46.6 million; expenditures $49.1 million, including capital expenditures of $7.1 million (1990) Exports: $24.6 million (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--sugar, clothing, electronics, postage stamps; partners--US 53%, UK 22%, Trinidad and Tobago 5%, OECS 5% (1988) Imports: $117.2 million (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--foodstuffs, intermediate manufactures, machinery, fuels; partners--US 36%, UK 17%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, Canada 3%, Japan 3%, OECS 4% (1988) External debt: $26.4 million (1988) Industrial production: growth rate 11.8% (1988 est.); accounts for 17% of GDP Electricity: 15,800 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 1,120 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages Agriculture: accounts for 10% of GDP; cash crop--sugarcane; subsistence crops--rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fishing potential not fully exploited; most food imported Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-88), $10.7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $57 million Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural--dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1--2.70 (fixed rate since 1976) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Railroads: 58 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge on Saint Kitts for sugarcane Highways: 300 km total; 125 km paved, 125 km otherwise improved, 50 km unimproved earth Ports: Basseterre (Saint Kitts), Charlestown (Nevis) Civil air: no major transport aircraft Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radio connections and international link via Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin; 2,400 telephones; stations--2 AM, no FM, 4 TV DEFENSE FORCES Branches: Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard Manpower availability: males 15-49, 38,090; NA fit for military service Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP