Country Profile: St Kitts and Nevis

Last reviewed: 12 February 2008

Country information

Map of St Kitts & Nevis

ST KITTS AND NEVIS TODAY

Country Facts

Area: 261 sq km; 104 sq miles
Population: 42,696 with 31,515 on St Kitts and 11,181 on Nevis
Capital City: Basseterre (15 000)
People: More than 90% of the population are of African descent. The rest is predominantly of European, or mixed European and African, descent.
Languages: English
Religion(s): Principally Anglican, with Roman Catholic and Evangelical Protestant minorities
Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD) GBP1.00 = 5.33 XCD, 1 EUR = 3.60 XCD
Major Political Parties: St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP); People's Action Movement (PAM); Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM); Nevis Reformation Party (NRP).
Government: St Kitts and Nevis is a federation. Its Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II, is represented in St Kitts and Nevis 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. St Kitts and Nevis has a unicameral legislature: the House of Assembly comprises eleven elected members and three appointees. Nevis has its own 5-seat island administration and is guaranteed representation in the House of Assembly.
Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor-General HE Sir Cuthbert Montraville Sebastian GCMG OBE.
Prime Minister/Premier: Dr The Hon Denzil Douglas
Foreign Minister: Dr The Hon Denzil Douglas
Membership of international groupings/organisations: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTO.

DID YOU KNOW?

People on St Kitts are called Kittitians, while on Nevis they are called Nevisians.

HEALTH

Life Expectancy: 70 years (2003)
Infant Mortality Rate:17.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2003)

The population enjoys almost 100% immunisation coverage, access to safe water and good sanitation. The Government has placed special emphasis on primary health care services, particularly those targeted toward the prevention of illness and the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits.

HIV/AIDS

The incidence of HIV/AIDS infection in the Caribbean is second only to that of sub-Saharan Africa. The Government of St Kitts and Nevis announced in January 2004 that World Bank HIV/AIDS projects would be implemented.

A UK-CARICOM Forum on Reducing Stigma and Discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDs in the Caribbean was held in St Kitts in November 2004. Stakeholders from throughout the region attended the Forum. Participants included the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Dr Peter Piot; the Director of the Caribbean Commission on Health and Development, Sir George Alleyne; Mr Edwin Carrington, CARICOM Secretary-General and DfID Minister Gareth Thomas MP. The aim of the Forum was to accelerate the process of reducing HIV/AIDs-related stigma and discrimination through persons identified as 'Champions for Change'. The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS has taken this work forward in the private sector. The campaign is starting to gain ground in government and the media, but public attitudes are slow to change. Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis takes the lead on HIV/AIDS in the regional grouping, CARICOM.

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