Saint Kitts and Nevis - Country Code 1-869
IDD Code: 011
Country Code: 1-869
ISO: KN
ISO3: KNA
Helpful Information About Saint Kitts and Nevis
Time
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Capital: Basseterre
Time Zone
UTC-04:00
Time Difference
Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis is ()
Daylight Savings Time
Saint Kitts and Nevis does not follow DST
Weather
Country Map
Country Flag
About Saint Kitts and Nevis Country NameSaint Kitts and Nevis
ContinentNorth America
Lat/Long17.35782200, -62.78299800
BackgroundCarib Indians occupied the islands of the West Indies for hundreds of years before the British began settlement in 1623. 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. Nevis continues in its efforts to separate from Saint Kitts.
Population52,329 (July 2016 est.)
LanguagesEnglish (official)
ReligionsAnglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Ethnic GroupsPredominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
Economy
EconomyThe economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis depends on tourism; since the 1970s, tourism has replaced sugar as the economy’s traditional mainstay. Roughly 200,000 tourists visited the islands in 2009, but reduced tourism arrivals and foreign investment led to an economic contraction in 2009-2013, and the economy returned to growth only in 2014. Like other tourist destinations in the Caribbean, Saint Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to damage from natural disasters and shifts in tourism demand.
Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry after several decades of losses. To compensate for lost jobs, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy, such as export-oriented manufacturing and offshore banking. The government has made notable progress in reducing its public debt, from 154% of GDP in 2011 to 83% in 2013, although it still faces one of the highest levels in the world, largely attributable to public enterprise losses. Saint Kitts and Nevis is among other countries in the Caribbean that supplement their economic activity through economic citizenship programs, whereby foreigners can obtain citizenship from Saint Kitts and Nevis by investing there.
Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry after several decades of losses. To compensate for lost jobs, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy, such as export-oriented manufacturing and offshore banking. The government has made notable progress in reducing its public debt, from 154% of GDP in 2011 to 83% in 2013, although it still faces one of the highest levels in the world, largely attributable to public enterprise losses. Saint Kitts and Nevis is among other countries in the Caribbean that supplement their economic activity through economic citizenship programs, whereby foreigners can obtain citizenship from Saint Kitts and Nevis by investing there.
GDP$955 million (2016 est.)
CurrencyDollar
Communications
Internet TLD.kn
Internet Users39,000
Land Lines19,748
Mobile Phones73,000
Broadcast MediaThe government operates a national TV network that broadcasts on 2 channels; cable subscription services provide access to local and international channels; the government operates a national radio network; a mix of government-owned and privately owned broadcasters operate roughly 15 radio stations (2007)