Friday, July 17, 2009

Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis),[2] located in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island nation in the West Indies. It is the smallest sovereign nation in the Americas, in both area and population.

The capital city and headquarters of government for the federated state is Basseterre on the larger island of Saint Kitts. The smaller state of Nevis lies about 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Saint Kitts, across a shallow channel called "The Narrows".

Historically, the British dependency of Anguilla was also a part of this union, which was then known collectively as Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. Saint Kitts and Nevis are geographically part of the Leeward Islands. To the north-northwest lie the islands of Saint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, and Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten. To the east and northeast are Antigua and Barbuda, and to the southeast is the small uninhabited island of Redonda, and the island of Montserrat, which currently has an active volcano (see Soufrière Hills.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis were amongst the first islands in the Caribbean to be settled by Europeans. Saint Kitts was home to the first British and French colonies in the Caribbean.

Contents

Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis1
Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis


Motto: "Country Above Self"
Anthem: O Land of Beauty!
Royal anthem: God Save the Queen
Capital
(and largest city)
Basseterre
17°18′N 62°44′W / 17.3°N 62.733°W / 17.3; -62.733
Official languages English
Demonym Kittitian (or, alternately, Kittian), Nevisian
Government Parliamentary democracy and Federal constitutional monarchy
- Monarch Queen Elizabeth II
- Governor-General Sir Cuthbert Sebastian
- Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas
Independence
- from the United Kingdom 19 September 1983
Area
- Total 261 km2 (207th)
101 sq mi
- Water (%) negligible
Population
- July 2005 estimate 42,696 (209th)
- Density 164/km2 (64th)
424/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2008 estimate
- Total $750 million[1]
- Per capita $14,169[1]
GDP (nominal) 2008 estimate
- Total $555 million[1]
- Per capita $10,483[1]
HDI (2007) 0.825 (high) (54th)
Currency East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zone (UTC-4)
Drives on the left
Internet TLD .kn
Calling code +1-869

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