A 2-mile channel separates St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Kitts is 23 miles long and represents an area of 68 square miles. It is linked by statehood to its sister island, Nevis, as a fully independent democracy, but, as with all members of the Commonwealth of Nations, the British Crown maintains an historic and visible presence with a resident Governor General. The population of St. Kitts is approximately 35,000 of which 15,000 live in the Federation's capital, Basseterre. This quaint town is surrounded by lush green sugar cane fields with the backdrop of expansive volcanic mountains topped with tropical rainforests.
International debt is negligible and the credit rating is the best in the region.
While EC is the currency of choice, the US dollar is accepted throughout the island as are American Express, VISA, and MasterCard. Royal Bank of Canada, ScotiaBank, and Barclays have branches encircling the clocktower in Basseterre with ATM availability. The villa telephone use is restricted to local calling area. International calls must go through the operator using a credit card. There are several ATMs around the island.