St Kitts and Nevis Info, Profile and Overview

Saint Kitts and Nevis

St Kitts and Nevis: Island Duo and Smallest Country of the Americas

St Kitts was first discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493 and was settled by Caribs, however the British came to the St Kitts Island in 1623 and to Nevis in 1628. The French also established its garrisons in St Kitts in 1627 and following a century long rivalry the British finally gained control of the islands in 1782. The Islands along with Anguilla were united 1882 and joined the West Indies Federation. This association continued till 1962 when St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla became an associated state of the UK. Anguilla was the first to declare its independence from British and from the federation in 1980 and St Kitts and Nevis declared independence from the British in 1983. The two islands have since remained in an uneasy association since then and Nevis tried to secede in an 1998 referendum but failed short of the 2/3 vote required to secede.

St Kitts and Nevis Facts and Figures:

· National Name:

· Capital:

· Total area:

· Population:

· Currency:

· Languages:

· Ethnicity/ Races:

· Religion:

· GDP (Per Capita):

· Life Expectancy:

· Literacy:

St Kitts and Nevis Geography and Climate:
St Kitts and Nevis is an Island pair located in the Caribbean Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean. St Kitts is the larger of the two Islands and taken as a whole St Kitts and Nevis the smallest country in the Americas and also the least populated. St Kitts or St Christopher and Nevis are composed of volcanic rocks and the islands are the summits of a submerged mountain range. Being located close to the Equator this island country is also prone to periodic hurricane strikes.

St Kitts and Nevis experience tropical marine climate with moderate temperatures and low humidity with small variations in temperature. Although the islands are struck by frequent hurricanes rainfall is not very high and ranges from 16 inches in the coastal regions to 60 inches in the central mountain areas.

St Kitts and Nevis Culture and Cuisine:
The culture of the island pair of St Kitts and Nevis is multidimensional. It has been influenced by the original Caribbean culture as well as the colonial culture of its past controllers, most notably the British while the French culture is less pronounced. The inhabitants of St Kitts and Nevis are intensely religious as reflected from the several historic Anglican churches that remain on the island. Apart from Anglicans most of the population are Christians while a minority are also Rastafarians and Bahai followers.

St Kitts and Nevis abound in Seafood’s and fruits. Goat cuisine is preferred and goat water stew is the island nation’s most popular dish. Other favourite dishes include breadfruit, green papaya and dumplings in tomato stew. St Kitts and Nevis Islanders enjoy their drink and rum is drunk along merrily. Brinley Gold Company manufactures rum in varied flavours like mango, coffee and vanilla, which is not to be missed.

St Kitts and Nevis Economy:
St Kitts and Nevis is a tourist paradise and tourism and financial services are the two major drivers of the Island’s economy. The country offers complete secrecy and as a result over 17,000 companies are registered in St Kitts and Nevis. The country had a thriving sugar plantation scene previously but it has now receded considerably and the government to boost the local economy is aggressively promoting the considerable tourism potential of the country.

St Kitts and Nevis Tourist Attractions:
St Kitts and Nevis has an ideal location in the Caribbean Sea to offer unmitigated pleasure to the tourists. The Brimstone Hill fortress is a wonderful national park and the best of the Island’s tourist attractions. No wonder it is called “the Gibraltar of the east”. If you are in the mood for drink and dance then make sure you visit Chevy’s Calypso Bar right on Pinney’s Beach.

Other St Kitts and Nevis Places to See:

View Saint Kitts and Nevis News