St. Kitts and Nevis

At a Glance

Official Name: Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis

Continent: South America

Area: 104 square miles (269 sq km)

Population: 38,756

Capital City: Basseterre

Largest City: N/A

Unit of Money: East Caribbean dollar

Major Languages: English

Literacy: 90%

Land Use: 22% arable land, 78% other

Natural Resources: Sugar cane

Government: Constitutional monarchy

Defense: N/A

The Place

St. Kitts and Nevis is a country of 2 islands in the Lesser Antilles island chain of the eastern Caribbean Sea. The country lies at the northern end of the Antilles, west of the island country of Antigua and Barbuda. St. Kitts and Nevis islands are volcanic in origin. The highest point is Mount Liamuiga on St. Kitts, which reaches a height of 3,792 feet (1156 meters). It is a dormant volcano with a crater 745 feet (227 meters) deep. Nevis, the greener and less settled of the two islands, is separated from St. Kitts by a 2-mile channel. St. Kitts and Nevis has a typical Caribbean climate with high temperatures, strong breezes, and moderate rainfall. This 104 square-mile-(269 square-kilometer-) country has long been a popular vacation destination for tourists who come, mainly to St. Kitts, for beaches, sun, and mineral springs.

The People

Almost all the people of St. Kitts and Nevis are descendants of black Africans brought to the islands by British sugar plantation owners in the 17th century. About 65% of the country's people live in villages along the coasts. Most rural inhabitants work on small farms, sugar cane estates, or large coconut farms. About 35% of the people live in urban areas. Basseterre, the capital of St. Kitts, is the chief urban center. Charlestown is the largest town on Nevis. The government runs a nationwide health-care system that provides basic care. Life expectancy is 68 years. Most people live in wooden houses and wear western-style clothing. Children must attend school from the ages of 5 to 17.