Carib Indians occupied the islands of the West Indies for hundreds of years before the British and French began settlement in 1623. During the course of the 17th century, Saint Kitts became the premier base for English and French expansion into the Caribbean. The French ceded the territory to the UK in 1713. At the turn of the 18th century, Saint Kitts was the richest British Crown Colony per capita in the Caribbean, a result of the sugar trade. Although small in size and separated by only 3 km (2 mi) of water, Saint Kitts and Nevis were viewed and governed as different states until the late-19th century, when the British forcibly unified them along with the island of Anguilla. In 1967, the island territory of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla became an associated state of the UK with full internal autonomy. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. The remaining islands achieved independence in 1983 as Saint Kitts and Nevis. In 1998, a referendum on Nevis to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority vote needed.
land: 261 sq km
water: 0 sq km
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
arable land: 19.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 3.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 42.3% (2018 est.)
other: 34.6% (2018 est.)
54,817 (2023 est.)
noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
African descent 92.5%, mixed 3%, White 2.1%, East Indian 1.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 0.3% (2001 est.)
English (official)
Protestant 75.6% (includes Anglican 16.6%, Methodist 15.8%, Pentecostal 10.8%, Church of God 7.4%, Baptist 5.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Wesleyan Holiness 5.3%, Moravian 4.8%, Evangelical 2.1%, Brethren 1.7%, Presbyterian 0.3%), Roman Catholic 5.9%, Hindu 1.8%, Jehovah’s Witness 1.4%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other 5%, none 8.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)
0-14 years: 19.4% (male 5,338/female 5,298)
15-64 years: 68.54% (male 18,958/female 18,615)
65 years and over: 12.05% (2023 est.) (male 3,146/female 3,462)
total dependency ratio: 41.7
youth dependency ratio: 28
elderly dependency ratio: 13.7
potential support ratio: 7.3 (2021)
total: 38.1 years (2023 est.)
male: 38.3 years
female: 37.8 years
0.59% (2023 est.)
12.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
population clusters are found in the small towns located on the periphery of both islands
urban population: 31.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
14,000 BASSETERRE (capital) (2018)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
total: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 77.3 years (2023 est.)
male: 74.9 years
female: 79.8 years
1.76 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.87 (2023 est.)
NA
improved: urban: 98.3% of population
rural: 98.3% of population
total: 98.3% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population
rural: 1.7% of population
total: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)
5.4% of GDP (2020)
2.77 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
4.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)
improved: urban: 87.3% of population
rural: 87.3% of population
total: 87.3% of population
unimproved: urban: 12.7% of population
rural: 12.7% of population
total: 12.7% of population (2017 est.)
22.9% (2016)
total: 8.84 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 1.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 3.89 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
NA
57.2% (2023 est.)
2.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total: 17 years
male: 16 years
female: 19 years (2015)
deforestation; soil erosion and silting affects marine life on coral reefs; water pollution from uncontrolled dumping of sewage
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
agricultural land: 23.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 19.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 3.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 42.3% (2018 est.)
other: 34.6% (2018 est.)
urban population: 31.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 8.05 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.24 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 0.1 megatons (2020 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 32,892 tons (2015 est.)
municipal: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 200,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
high-income, tourism-based Caribbean OECS economy; better debt balancing; CARICOM and ECCU member; growing offshore financial and telecommunications hub; environmentally fragile; unique citizenship-driven growth model
$1.261 billion (2021 est.)
$1.272 billion (2020 est.)
$1.488 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
-0.88% (2021 est.)
-14.53% (2020 est.)
4.05% (2019 est.)
$26,500 (2021 est.)
$26,700 (2020 est.)
$31,200 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
$964 million (2017 est.)
1.2% (2021 est.)
-1.17% (2020 est.)
-0.33% (2019 est.)
agriculture: 1.1% (2017 est.)
industry: 30% (2017 est.)
services: 68.9% (2017 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 41.4% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 25.9% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 30.8% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 62.5% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -60.4% (2017 est.)
coconuts, tropical fruit, roots/tubers, vegetables, sweet potatoes, pulses, watermelons, carrots/turnips, eggs, tomatoes
tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
1.55% (2021 est.)
18,170 (June 1995 est.)
4.5% (1997)
NA
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
revenues: $286 million (2020 est.)
expenditures: $324 million (2020 est.)
1.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
62.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
61.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
15.03% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
calendar year
-$61.009 million (2021 est.)
-$78.456 million (2020 est.)
-$25.045 million (2019 est.)
$408.471 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$383.152 million (2020 est.)
$598.343 million (2019 est.)
United States 56%, Italy 19%, Canada 4%, Germany 3%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3% (2021)
broadcasting equipment, recreational boats, electrical plugs and sockets, measuring instruments, electrical transformers (2021)
$441.192 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$432.584 million (2020 est.)
$602.385 million (2019 est.)
United States 50%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, China 5%, Jamaica 4%, Germany 4% (2021)
refined petroleum, ships, cars, poultry, valves, jewelry (2021)
$337.533 million (31 December 2021 est.)
$373.502 million (31 December 2020 est.)
$362.798 million (31 December 2019 est.)
$201.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$187.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
2.7 (2021 est.)
2.7 (2020 est.)
2.7 (2019 est.)
2.7 (2018 est.)
2.7 (2017 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
installed generating capacity: 71,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 175.34 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 40 million kWh (2019 est.)comparison rankings:
fossil fuels: 96.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 1,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
1,743 bbl/day (2015 est.)
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
268,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 268,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
71.96 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
V4
2 (2021)
2
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
total: 50 km (2008)
narrow gauge: 50 km (2008) 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists
total: 383 km (2002)
paved: 163 km (2002)
unpaved: 220 km (2002)
total: 282 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 9, container ship 11, general cargo 64, oil tanker 46, other 152
major seaport(s): Basseterre, Charlestown
manyapis