Saint Kitts and Nevis

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (, also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis),Both the names Saint Christopher and Saint Kitts are given in the Constitution of Saint Christopher and Nevis. is a federal nation made up of two small islands in the Caribbean Sea. It is the smallest independent country in the Western Hemisphere.

The capital city is Basseterre. It is on the main island of St Kitts, also called Saint Christopher. The island of Nevis has some rights of self-government and two seats in the federal parliament.

St Kitts and Nevis is about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago.

The headquarters of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank is in St Kitts. That bank controls the East Caribbean dollar.

History and politics
The two islands were part of the Leeward Islands Colony from 1871 to 1956, and of the West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962.

The Islands, plus Anguilla, got limited self-government in 1967.  Anguilla objected and the Metropolitan Police were sent there in 1968 to stop rioting. Until 19 December 1980 the official name of St Kitts and Nevis was Saint Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla.The Saint Christopher and Nevis Constitution Order 1983, S.I.1983:881 Section 2

St Kitts and Nevis became an independent Commonwealth realm in 1983, Anguilla has stayed a British overseas territory.

In 1970, a movement to make Nevis separate from St Kitts started.

In 1983, the constitution set up a 15-member National Assembly.  The Assembly is unicameral, that is, it only has one chamber.  3 members of the Assembly are appointed by the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.  The other members are elected.  If the Speaker decides to stand for re-election he is automatically elected, without a contest.

In 2023 Terrance Drew said that he planned a public consultation on whether St Kitts and Nevis should become a republic. 

 Nevis 
Nevis is responsible for its own internal affairs.  There is an eight-member Nevis Island Assembly, and an Island administration headed by the premier.

Geography

The country has two main islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis. The highest peak, at 1,156 metres, is Mount Liamuiga. There is also a smaller island named Booby Island.  No one lives on Booby Island.

The islands are of volcanic origin.  There are large central peaks covered in tropical rainforest.  People do not live on the steeper slopes leading to these peaks. Most of the people on both islands live closer to the sea. There are many rivers coming from the mountains of both islands.  These give fresh water to the people.  St. Kitts also has one small lake.

Parishes
The federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is divided into fourteen parishes.  There are nine divisions on Saint Kitts and five on Nevis.

NameNumber ofpeopleCapitalOther villages and townsSaint Thomas Lowland, Nevis2,035Cotton Ground Westbury
 Barnes Ghaut
 Jessup
 Stuart'sSaint John Figtree, Nevis2,922Figtree Bath
 Church Ground
 Brown Hill
 Brown's Pasture
 Pembroke
 Bush Hill
 St. Peter's Hill
 Cole HillSaint George Gingerland, Nevis2,568Market Shop Chicken Stone
 Taylors Pasture
 Zetlands
 Hull Ground
 Rawlins
 Crook's Ground
 Rices
 Buck's Hill
 Sheriffs
 Holmes Hill
 Fenton Hill
 Stony Hill
 Webb's Ground
 Harris
 Zion
 New RiverSaint Paul Charlestown, Nevis1,820Charlestown CraddocksSaint James Windward, Nevis1,836Newcastle Rawlins
 Fountain
 Scarborough
 Camps
 Rick's
 Brick Kiln
 White Hall
 Butler's
 Burnaby
 Mt. Lily
 Spring Hall
 Eden BrowneSaint George Basseterre, Saint Kitts13,220Basseterre Bird Rock
 Frigate BayTrinity Palmetto Point, Saint Kitts1,692Palmetto Point Mattingley
 Camps
 West Farm
 Boyds
 Conphipps
 Challengers
 Stone FortSaint Thomas Middle Island,
Saint Kitts2,332Middle Island Franklands
 Old Road Town
 Verchilds
 Lamberts
 Conyers
 Godwin's Ghaut
 Half Way Tree
 New GuineaSaint Anne Sandy Point, Saint Kitts3,140Sandy Point Town Fig Tree
 La Vallée
 Sir Gillee'sSaint Paul Capesterre, Saint Kitts2,460Saint Paul Capesterre Cranston
 Newton Ground
 Belmont EstateSaint John Capesterre, Saint Kitts3,181Dieppe Bay Town
and
SaddlersThe northern part of Saint John Capesterre was once ruled by France with its capital in Dieppe bay Town. The southern part was British with its capital in Saddlers. When Britain took control of the entire island in 1713, the parish got 2 capitals, although Dieppe Bay Town is often given superiority Parson's
 Harriss'
 Belle View
 TabernacleChrist Church Nichola Town,
Saint Kitts2,059Nichola Town Mansion
 Borryeux
 Molyneux
 Phillips'Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Kitts3,374Cayon Lodge
 Ottley's
 Little Italy
 Spooner's
 KeysSaint Peter Basseterre. Saint Kitts3,472Monkey Hill New Road
 Saint Peter's
 Stapleton
 Parry's
 Ogee's
 Morgan Heights
 La Fontaine
 Conaree

Cities and Towns
These are some of the more important cities and towns in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
NameNumber ofpeopleFeatureBasseterre16,696Capital of Saint George Basseterre and of Saint Kitts and NevisCayon788Capital of Saint Mary CayonCharlestown1,538Capital of Saint Paul Charlestown and of NevisDieppe Bay Town592Capital of Saint John Capesterre and first town ever founded in the Caribbean by FranceGingerland2,568Capital of Saint George Gingerland and largest town on NevisNewcastle493Location of Nevis' airportOld Road Town1,647First town ever founded in the Caribbean by BritainSandy Point Town3,140Capital of Saint Anne Sandy Point and second largest town in Saint Kitts and Nevis

Sports
Cricket is popular in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Many local cricketers have played for the West Indies. Keith Arthurton and Derick Parry, for example, are from Nevis. Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest country on Earth to ever host a World Cup event. It was one of the host venues of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

The St. Kitts and Nevis national football team, also known as the "Sugar Boyz", has had some international success. They went to the semifinal round of qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in the CONCACAF region. Led by Glence Glasgow they defeated U.S. Virgin Islands and Barbados.  They then lost to Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Billiard Federation, SKNBF, is the governing body for cue sports across the two islands.

Kim Collins is the country's best known track and field athlete. He has won gold medals in the 100 metres at both the World Championships in Athletics and Commonwealth Games. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics he was the country's first athlete to reach an Olympic final. He and three other athletes represented St. Kitts and Nevis at the 2008 Summer Olympics. The four by one hundred metre relay team won a bronze medal in the 2011 world championships.

American writer and former figure skater and triathlete Kathryn Bertine was given dual citizenship.  She tried to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics representing St. Kitts and Nevis in women's cycling. She did not make enough points to go the Olympics.ESPN – So You Wanna Be An Olympian? at sports.espn.go.com

St. Kitts and Nevis had two athletes ride in the time trial at the 2010 UCI Road World Championships.  Athletes included Reginald Douglas and James Weekes.UCI Road World Championship Time Trial Results

Related pages
 List of rivers of Saint Kitts and Nevis
 Saint Kitts and Nevis at the Olympics
 Saint Kitts and Nevis national football team

 Other websites 

 Official website of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis 

References


Category:English-speaking countries
Category:Caribbean Community
Category:Commonwealth realms