Saint Kitts and Nevis ( Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis) is a country in Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago. Saint Kitts and Nevis geographic coordinates 17 20 N, 62 45 W; area 261 sq km; area comparative 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC; land boundaries 0 km; coastline 135 km; maritime claims 20; climate tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May; terrain volcanic with mountainous interiors; elevation extremes Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m; natural resources arable land; land use 77.78% (2001); irrigated land NA sq km; natural hazards hurricanes (July to October); environment current issues NA; environment international agreements none of the selected agreements; geography note with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the ce;

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First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis is once more trying to separate from the Saint Kitts. government type constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament; capital Basseterre; administrative divisions 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point; independence 19 September 1983 (from UK); national holiday Independence Day, 19 September (1983); constitution 19 September 1983; legal system based on English common law; suffrage 18 years of age; universal;

people

Saint Kitts and Nevis population 38,958 (July 2005 est.); age structure 8.3% (male 1,328/female 1,887) (2005 est.); median age 28.38 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 0.38% (2005 est.); birth rate 18.12 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 8.47 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate -5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 16.25 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 75.16 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 2.33 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate NA; hiv people with aids NA; hiv deaths NA; nationality Kittitian, Nevisian; ethnic groups predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese; religions Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic; languages English; literacy 98% (1980 est.);

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