The World Factbook (1982)/St. Christopher-Nevis

by the Central Intelligence Agency

ST. CHRISTOPHER-NEVIS

(See reference map III)

LAND

261 km²; 40% arable, 10% pasture, 17% forest, 33% wasteland and built on

WATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 3 nm

Coastline: 135 km

PEOPLE

Population: 52,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 0.8%

Ethnic divisions: mainly of African Negro descent

Nationality: noun—Kittsian(s), Nevisian(s); adjective—Kittsian, Nevisian

Religion: Church of England, other Protestant sects, Roman Catholic

Language: English

Literacy: about 88-90%

Labor force: 30,000 (1979 est.)

Organized labor: 6,700

GOVERNMENT

Official name: State of St. Christopher-Nevis

Type: dependent territory with full internal autonomy as a British "Associated State"; Anguilla formally seceded in May 1967 and reverted to British crown colony status on 19 December 1980

Capital: Basseterre

Political subdivisions: 10 districts

Legal system: based on English common law; constitution of 1960; highest judicial organ is Court of Appeal of Leeward and Windward Islands

Branches: legislative, 10-member popularly elected House of Assembly; executive, Cabinet headed by Premier

Government leaders: Premier Kennedy A. SIMMONDS; Governor Clement A. ARRINDELL

Suffrage: universal adult suffrage

Elections: at least every five years; most recent 18 February 1980

Political parties and leaders: St. Christopher-Nevis Labor Party (SKLP), Lee Moore; People's Action Movement (PAM), Kennedy Simmonds; Nevis Reformation Party (NRP), Simeon Daniel

Voting strength (February 1980 election): SKLP won 4 seats in the House of Assembly, PAM won 3, NRP won 2

Communists: none known

Member of: CARICOM, ISO

ECONOMY

GDP: $33 million (1980 est.), $672 per capita; 3.3% real growth in 1980

Agriculture: main crops—sugar on St. Christopher, cotton on Nevis

Major industries: sugar processing, tourism

Electric power: 12,000 kW capacity (1981); 30 million kWh produced (1981), 603 kWh per capita

Exports: $20 million (f.o.b., 1980 est.); sugar

Imports: $43 million (c.i.f., 1980 est.); foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel

Major trade partners: exports—50% US, 35% UK; imports—21% UK, 17% Japan, 11% US (1973)

Aid: economic—bilateral commitments including Ex-Im (1970-79) from Western (non-US) countries, $14.6 million; no military aid

Budget: (1980 prelim.) revenues, $20 million; expenditures, $24 million

Monetary conversion rate: 2.70 East Caribbean dollars=US$1

COMMUNICATIONS

Railroads: 57 km, narrow gauge (0.760 m) on St. Christopher for sugarcane

Highways: 300 km total; 125 km paved, 125 km otherwise improved, 50 km unimproved earth

Ports: 2 minor (1 on each island)

Civil air: no major transport aircraft

Airfields: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: good interisland VHF/UHF/SHF radio connections and international link via Antigua and St. Martin; about 2,400 telephones (5.0 per 100 popl.); 2 AM and 5 TV stations