Saint Kitts and Nevis

(Saint Kitts and Nevis), Saint Christopher and Nevis , state-in on the islands of the same name in the east. including the Caribbean Sea; belong to the group Leeward Islands (Mal. Antilles). Pl. 261 km². Capital - Buster . The islands were discovered by X. Columbus in 1493. In 1623, an English settlement was founded on St. West Indies); in 1624 - French. Since 1625, together with Fr. Anguilla is a colony of Great Britain, which became for it the base for the conquest of other islands in the region, for which it is called the "cradle of the Caribbean". Since September 19 (national holiday) 1983 - an independent state Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis . Part of the British Commonwealth. The head of state is the Queen of Great Britain, represented by the Governor General; legislative power in the National assembly.
Islands of volcanic origin, mountainous (the highest point is Mizeri volcano, 1155 m). The climate is tropical trade winds; humid and hot. Wed-mon. temperatures 18–32 °С, precipitation from 1500 mm per year at low. up to 3700 mm in the mountains. Frequent hurricanes. The slopes of the mountains are occupied by sakh plantations. cane and cotton, higher - shrubs and small mountain rainforests.
Population 39 thousand people. (2001), ch. arr. blacks (descendants of slaves imported from Africa) and mulattos. Official English language. B.ch. believers are Protestants. The economy relies on villages. supply and service foreign tourists(great beaches, sometimes with black volcanic sand). A third of cultivated land is occupied by sugar. cane, Nevis grows cotton, coconut palm, pineapples. Production of raw sugar, molasses, cotton and coconut oil, copra, small production of light, farm. prom. Intern. airport. Fortress, in which in the XVIII-XIX centuries. there was an English garrison and where Thomas Warner, the founder of the British West Indies, is buried; the underwater ringing of church bells in the city of Jamestown, flooded as a result of the 1960 earthquake; remnants of Indian settlements. Cash unit - East Caribbean dollar.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, or Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, Island state in the West Indies, in the northern part of the Lesser Antilles. Includes the islands of St. Kitts (or St. Christopher, area 168 sq. km) and Nevis (93 sq. km). The capital is Baster (18 thousand people, 1999).
Nature. The islands are of volcanic origin. The island of St. Kitts stretches for 37 km from the northwest to the southeast. In the same direction along its central axis, strongly dissected peaked mountains stretch with the highest point of the country - the extinct volcano Liamuiga (former Misery, 1156 m) in the north, in the crater of which the lake is located. The southeastern tip of the island of St. Kitts forms a peninsula, which is a flat plain. Its coastline is uneven, forming many bays with sandy beaches. The island of Nevis, separated from St. Kitts by the Narrows Strait, approx. 3 km, has a rounded shape and is a mountain with the peak of Nevis (985 m), over which fog constantly rises. A strip of sandy beaches stretches along the coast. The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Both islands are cut by numerous streams.
The tropical climate of the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis is formed under the influence of the trade winds and is characterized by average monthly temperatures of approx. 26 ° C. In rare cases, the temperature drops to 18 ° C and rises to 32 ° C. Ocean breezes moderate the heat. There is no rainy season. Precipitation is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. The average annual rainfall is 700–1400 mm, with more falling in the mountains. The islands are in the zone of passage of tropical typhoons, which sometimes cause significant damage.
The mountain slopes in the interior of the islands are covered with dense, intertwined lianas, tropical rainforests, which in the upper parts of the slopes are replaced by meadow vegetation, and in their lower parts they are flattened and replaced by plantations. There are many brightly flowering and fruit plants in the forests (mango, tamarind, avocado, bananas, papaya, breadfruit, etc.). There are groves of cinnamon and coconut palms. Plantations of sugar cane and other agricultural crops are widespread on the fertile soils of the lower parts of the slopes and on the plains. Numerous tropical birds and butterflies have found shelter in the forests, monkeys are found. Many seabirds nest on the coast, including pelicans. The waters abound with fish.
In general, natural and climatic conditions favor the creation of resorts and the development of the tourism business.
Population. In 2004, 38.8 thousand people lived in the country, and approx. 80% on St. Kitts. Children and adolescents under the age of 15 make up 30% of the island's population, the age group from 15 to 65 years old - 61%, over 65 years old - 9%. The birth rate is estimated at 19.06 per 1000 of the population, the death rate is 9.38 per 1000, emigration is 11.85 per 1000, and the population decline is 0.22%. The population is dominated by the descendants of African slaves brought at the dawn of the colonial period to work on plantations. Among believers, Protestants (Anglicans and Methodists) predominate, there are Catholics. The official language is English.
State structure. The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the Queen of Great Britain, who is represented by the Governor General. Legislative power is exercised by a unicameral parliament (National Assembly with a term of office of 5 years) consisting of 14 members (11 elected by the population: 8 from St. Kitts and 3 from Nevis; 3 - appointed by the Governor General: 1 - on the recommendation of the leader of the opposition, 2 on the advice of the Prime Minister). All citizens of the country who have reached the age of 18 are endowed with the right to vote. The executive power is represented by the government, headed by the prime minister - a deputy of the National Assembly, who has the support of a majority in parliament, who is appointed by the governor general. Cabinet ministers are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible to Parliament.
Nevis has a legislature, the Nevis Island Assembly. Five deputies are elected by the population, and three are appointed. In accordance with the constitution, Nevis has the right to secede from Saint Kitts.
The main political parties are the Labor Party, the Movement of Concerned Citizens (on the island of Nevis), the Reform Party of Nevis, the People's Action Movement (on the island of St. Kitts), the United National Movement (on the island of Nevis, advocates secession from St. Kitts). In the March 2000 elections, the Labor Party won the majority of seats in Parliament and formed the government.
Economy. Traditionally, the main sectors of the economy were agriculture (focused mainly on the cultivation of sugar cane) and servicing foreign tourists. In connection with the decline in world sugar prices in recent years, tourism has begun to play an important role in the country's economy (the country is visited by about 250 thousand tourists a year), the production of some export industrial goods and offshore banking. According to estimates, the total GDP in 1998 amounted to 244 million dollars, and per capita - 6,000 thousand dollars. The structure of GDP is dominated by the service sector (more than 70%), the share of industry is more than 20%, agriculture - approx. 6%.
The main agricultural crops on the island of St. Kitts are sugar cane and cotton, on the island of Nevis - cotton, coconut palm and sugar cane. Cultivated also, coffee tree, bananas, pineapples, peanuts, yams, rice. Animal husbandry is developed - goats and sheep are bred. Fishing is also a traditional occupation. However, agricultural production provides no more than half of domestic food needs.
The manufacturing industry is poorly developed and is represented mainly by small enterprises producing raw sugar, copra, cottonseed and coconut oil, alcoholic beverages, textiles, shoes, medicines, electrical equipment, and, in recent years, electronics.
Transport links on the islands are well developed and provide for the tourism business and the needs of sugar production. Length highways more than 300 km, of which about a third are paved. narrow gauge Railway on the island of St. Kitts with a length of approx. 60 km connects sugarcane plantations with a sugar processing plant. The main seaports are Baster on St. Kitts and Charlestown on Nevis. There is no own merchant fleet. There are two airports in the country: international Golden Rock in the vicinity of the capital and Newcastle on the island of Nevis.
Imports are almost four times more valuable than exports. The trade deficit is covered by income from tourism and remittances from citizens working abroad. They export sugar, molasses, cotton, cotton and coconut oil, drinks, tobacco products, fruits. They import machinery, oil products, food, industrial products. The main foreign trade partners are the USA, Great Britain and the countries of the Caribbean Community.
There is a government radio and television service. The People's Action Movement party's weekly "Democrat" (3,000 copies) and the newspaper of the Trade Union and Workers' Union of St. Kitts and Nevis "Labor Spokesman" (6,000, published twice a week) are published.
Education system. School education is free and compulsory for children aged 5 to 16. In the early 1990s, there were 10.3 thousand students in public schools (23 primary and 7 secondary). In addition, 1.3 thousand studied in private schools. The country has a branch of the University of the West Indies, technical and pedagogical colleges.
Story. The original inhabitants of St. Kitts were Caribbean Indians. Christopher Columbus landed on this island during his second voyage to the New World in 1493 and named it "San Cristobal" (English name "Saint Christopher"), but Europeans settled there only at the beginning of the 17th century. The first English settlement in the West Indies appeared in 1623 on St. Kitts, and the French founded a settlement on this island the following year. Soon the local population was ousted from the island.
Initially, tobacco plantations were established on the island of St. Kitts, but later their owners switched to growing high-quality sugar cane that brings high incomes. During the 17th and 18th centuries between Great Britain and France there was a struggle for the possession of the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis. From 1625 they were part of the English colony, but in 1664-1689 and in 1782-1783 they came under the control of France. However, under the Versailles Treaty of 1783, the French had to cede these islands to the British. From 1871 they were part of the English colony of the Leeward Islands (in 1882 Anguilla, or Anguilla, was attached to them), and in 1958-1967 - the West Indies Federation. In 1967, Saint Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla received the status of a "state associated with Great Britain" with internal self-government. Questions of foreign policy and defense remained within the competence of Great Britain. In 1980, Anguilla seceded from the federation of three islands. On September 19, 1983, the independent state of Saint Kitts and Nevis was proclaimed as part of the Commonwealth, led by Great Britain. Nevis is endowed with the constitutional right to secede from St. Kitts with the consent of more than two-thirds of the population of the island to this act. However, in a referendum in 1998, only 62% of the inhabitants of Nevis voted for independence.
The Labor Party was the leader in the country until 1980, when a coalition of the People's Action Movement and the Nevis Reform Party won the majority of seats in parliament. They held power until July 1995, when the Labor Party again won the election. The government she formed took a course to stop the transit of drugs and prevent related crime. In addition, the revival of the sugar industry, the development of tourism and the growth of export manufacturing industries were envisaged. The Labor Party retained its influence after the 2000 parliamentary elections.

Encyclopedia Around the World. 2008 .

SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS

FEDERATION SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
A state in the eastern part of the Caribbean Sea, consisting of two islands of the Leeward Islands group: St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Nevis. St. Kitts Island crosses Mountain chain, the highest point of which is Mount Liamiuga (1315 m). The area of ​​the country is about 267 km2.
The country's population (according to 1998 estimates) is about 42,300 people. Ethnic groups: Africans - 90%, Europeans. Language: English (official), Patois (local dialect based on French). Religion: Anglicans, Catholics. The capital is Basseterre. Largest cities: Basseterre (18500 people), Chalston (1250 people). The state system is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, represented by the Governor General Sir Clement Athelston Errindel (in office since September 19, 1983). The head of government is Prime Minister D. Dougdas (in office since 1995). Currency unit- East Caribbean dollar. Average life expectancy (for 1998): 64 years - men, 70 years - women. The birth rate (per 1,000 people) is 22.9. Mortality rate (per 1000 people) - 8.5.
Christopher Columbus landed on the islands in 1493 and named one of them St. Christopher - in honor of his patron saint. In 1623 and 1628 the islands passed into the possession of Great Britain. Several times in the 17th and 18th centuries, the island of St. Kitts was captured by France, and only in 1783, according to the Treaty of Paris, did it become the full possession of Great Britain. In 1967, the state received the right to self-government in the Commonwealth of Nations. On September 19, 1983, the independence of the country was proclaimed. Saint Kitts and Nevis is a member of the UN, IMF, FAO, WHO, UNESCO, Organization of American States, British Commonwealth of Nations.
Tourists are attracted by the picturesque nature of the islands and the beaches of the Caribbean coast.

Encyclopedia: cities and countries. 2008 .

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis or the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis is a state in the West Indies located on the islands of Saint Kitts (St. Christopher) and Nevis. total area states 261.6 sq. km, including the area of ​​the island of St. Kitts (St. Christopher) 168.4 sq. km. The population of the country is 42.3 thousand people, mainly of African origin (86%). The official language is English. The islands are dominated by Protestantism (Anglicanism and Methodism). The capital is the city of Baster on the island of St. Kitts.
Saint Kitts and Nevis is part of the British Commonwealth. According to the 1982 constitution, the Queen of Great Britain is considered the head of state. (cm. Great Britain) Elizabeth II, represented by the Governor General. Legislative power in the country is exercised by the National Assembly, which consists of 11 deputies elected for a term of five years. Residents of the island of Nevis elect a local authority - the Assembly of the island of Nevis. Executive power in the state is exercised by the government, which since 1995 has been headed by Prime Minister D. Douglas.
The islands of St. Kitts and Nevis are of volcanic origin, mountainous (height up to 1155 m). The climate is tropical and hot. Fluctuations in average monthly temperatures are insignificant - 18-24 °С. Precipitation will fall from 700 to 1200 mm per year. The islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493. From the beginning of the seventeenth century, France and England tried to take possession of St. Kitts and Nevis. In 1623, the first English settlement in the West Indies was founded on St. Kitts, and in 1624 a French outpost appeared on the island. For the British and French, this island became the base for the colonization of the West Indies, for which it is called the cradle of the Caribbean. Formally, in 1625 St. Kitts was annexed to the British crown. In 1628, the British captured Nevis. The Indians were ousted from the islands by 1629, and the colonialists began to import blacks from Africa to work on the plantations. France twice established its control over St. Kitts, and only in 1783 the islands were finally assigned to Great Britain. Since September 19, 1983, Saint Kitts and Nevis has been an independent state.
The basis of the economy of the islands is agriculture and servicing foreign tourists. The area of ​​cultivated land is 8 thousand hectares. A third of cultivated land is occupied by sugar cane; cotton, coconut palm, and pineapples are grown on the island of Nevis. The population is traditionally engaged in fishing. St. Kitts and Nevis are half provided with their own food. The industry is represented by small enterprises for the processing of agricultural products, the production of alcoholic beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, medicines, and the assembly of electrical equipment. Ten percent of the working population is unemployed. The length of roads on the islands is 198 km, on St. Kitts a narrow-gauge railway 58 km long was laid to serve sugar cane plantations. Three kilometers from Basseterre is located international Airport Golden Rock. The country exports sugar and molasses (40% of exports, mainly to the UK and Canada (cm.

Nevis Island (area 93 sq. km) lies south of St. Christopher, approximately 350 km southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The Indians called this island Wali ("Land of beautiful waters"), and the first British settlers - Dulcina ("Sweet"). It received its modern name from the light hand of Christopher Columbus, who in 1493 named it Nuestra Señora de Las Nevis ("Virgin of the Snow" - Columbus considered that this peak, hidden by clouds, was covered with snow). Since the 18th century, the island of Nevis has been known as the "Queen of the Caribbean", becoming one of the most fashionable resort areas on the planet over the past 100 years. Fertile soil and warm climate made it possible to form here the richest plantation estate, which, along with prosperity and peace, allowed the islanders to survive the earthquake and tsunami of 1680 quite calmly, which almost completely destroyed its capital, Jamestown. Intensive clearing of forests for plantations has led to the fact that many areas of the once green island have become noticeably deserted ( East Coast, for example, almost completely lost its forests and even part of the coral reefs), but with the fading of the sugar industry, the island gradually began to regain its natural charm, becoming one of the most colorful places in the region. Moreover, unlike its northern neighbor, farmland is not visible on the island at all, which further enhances its natural charm.

Charlestown

Most Big city, educational and commercial center on the island, Charlestown lies in the very middle west coast islands, between Fort Charles and Fort Black Rocks. The city is famous as real museum colonial architecture under open sky- many small, but very well-preserved buildings of the 17th-19th centuries form its central part. Some of them are now turned into museums, making Charlestown good place for studying local history. Numerous earthquakes, which repeatedly caused considerable damage to city blocks, led to the formation of a special architectural style here - most of the city's old houses are built on a stone foundation, but with wooden structures on the upper floors - such a "composite" is much more resistant to seismic activity.

The city center is quite compact - most of the historic districts are concentrated around the Cotton Ginnery Mall, which houses most of Charlestown's retail outlets, and main street Maine. Usually, all city tours begin with a visit to the Nevis Historical Museum, which occupies a Georgian building on the very site where the American statesman Alexander Hamilton was born in 1757 (the Hamilton house itself was destroyed by an earthquake in 1840). In addition to Hamilton's portraits, the museum contains a collection of photographs from the period and displays of Nevis culture and history. Another object very popular with guests of the island - the Horatio Nelson Museum lies in the southern part of the city, next to the Government House. The famous British admiral stayed on Nevis in the 80s of the XVIII century, fell in love with the niece of the governor of the island Fanny Nisbet and married her. The museum's collection largely consists of various utensils painted with portraits of the admiral, ceramic sculptures, and a few personal objects of Nelson. However, it contains the largest collection of Nelson memorabilia in the Western Hemisphere, as well as a rather interesting exhibition dedicated to the influence of the "Mistress of the Seas" on the fate of the Caribbean.

A short walk east of the city center, on Governmentment Road, is the small and largely forgotten Jewish Cemetery, which is a simple grassy field dotted with horizontal gravestones inscribed in Hebrew, English and Portuguese. The oldest graves date back to 1684-1768, when up to 25% of the free population on Nevis were Sephardic Jews. A path that runs around the cemetery, commonly known to locals as the Juish Walk, leads from the cemetery to a nearby gray stone building (built in 1684), which scientists believe was the site of the first synagogue in the Caribbean. The memorial square, which lies a little closer to the city center, was created in honor of the citizens of the island who died on the fronts of the world wars.

The Bat House, a short walk south of downtown Charleston, is an old hotel dating back to 1778 (one of the oldest inns in the Leeward Islands). The complex was built over thermal spring, whose healing qualities of mineral water were the main attraction of the island in the colonial years, when rich tourists came here even from Europe. Today it is still in operation, however, in order to swim in the hot waters of Hot Springs, you need to bring your own towel and other accessories, since there are no facilities on this moment there is no. Stretching between Market Road and the coast of Gallows Bay, Charlestown Market is a real commercial center and is open from Tuesday to Thursday and on Saturday mornings, when it seems that all the inhabitants of the city gather here.

Also noteworthy are the Court House (1825), the luxuriously finished building of the Public Library (XVIII century), the Alexandra Hospital building, the Nevis Philatelic Bureau (the stamps produced on the island are widely known among collectors all over the world), Eva Wilkin's studio, the Eden building -Brown Great House, Grave Park with its cricket fields, as well as Newcastle Pottery and a whole block of craft workshops south of Prince Charles Street. Some of the old plantation buildings, framing almost the entire perimeter of the city, have now been converted into cozy boarding houses, among which the Nisbet Hotel is the most famous.

The chaotic landscape of the area, which has received for quite understandable reasons the name Gingerland ("country of ginger"), stretches south from the walls of Eden Brown Great House, skirting almost all South coast islands and even part of the western. This area is famous for the greatest concentration of old sugar plantations, the calm charm of green hills and gently sloping seashores. The main attractions here are the Fig Tree Church (1680, the wedding place of Nelson and Fanny Nisbet), the Nevis Botanical Gardens (open from Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 16.30) near the Montpellier Hotel, where terraces of purple orchids are interspersed with groves tropical trees, as well as the once formidable Fort Charles (XVII-XIX centuries), which guarded the southwestern part of the island.

The coast north of Charleston is adorned with a string of small forts and fortified settlements, the largest of which is Fort Black Rocks, and the most colorful is Fort Ashby, which was built tentatively in 1702. It is Fort Ashby that is considered the only surviving site of the old capital of the island - Jamestown, washed into the sea by an earthquake and tidal wave in 1680. Located almost on the very shore of the luxurious Pinni beach, it has preserved several of its old guns and partially restored walls.

Basseterre 15:19 27°C
partly cloudy

Hotels

Hotels are located almost along the entire coast. The choice of vacation destination is huge: from standard all-inclusive chain hotels to completely exotic options like former sugar plantations turned into hotels. The planters' houses have been converted into luxurious rooms.

Most of the hotel rooms are in the form of tiny villas, where the pool and amenities are located on the terrace. You can take a bath and look at the sea. Such hotel room can be purchased as a property, but it will not be possible to live in it completely, since it will still be part of the hotel. You can come for a month, but the hotel will share the proceeds with you.

Attractions

Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest country in the Southern Hemisphere in terms of area and population. The locals have preserved the pastoral way of life. And nature has its original beauty. Volcanoes of Saint Kitts and Nevis topped the list natural beauties Forbes. There really is something to see here.

Brimestone Hill Fortress National Park is located 13 kilometers from the capital Baster. Its basis is the main British fort of the West Indies of the XVIII century with the same name. It is located on top of an extinct volcano. The park offers fantastic views of the ocean and nearby islands.

The old part of Old Road Town is an interesting historical landmark. On the surrounding rocks you can see the petroglyphs of the natives, which to this day have not been able to decipher.

Museums

The National Museum in Basseterre is the main one in the country. A traditional historical museum, where archaeological artifacts are stored in a compartment with commemorative exhibits of British colonization.

Climate of Saint Kitts and Nevis: Tropical, Persistent sea breezes. Seasonal temperature fluctuations. Rainy season (May to November).

Resorts

The island of St. Kitts is crowded and touristy, the island of Nevis is calm, suitable for lovers of secluded relaxation. The Caribbean coast of St. Kitts is the most crowded and lively, coupled with a beautiful beach strip and infrastructure there are a lot of places for entertainment and active rest. Popular beaches: Banana Bay, Grange Bay, Pump Bay, Bay Tate.

The Atlantic part of the island is a bit wild, built up with cheap hotels and surf camps. There are more waves, which means more opportunities for outdoor activities. Turtles lay their eggs on Turtle Beach, but you cannot visit it at this time: animal rights activists and the police close it so that tourists do not disturb the animals.

Popular places in Nevis: Pinney Beach, which is famous for its golden sand and majestic coconut palms. Atlantic coast- a favorite place for extreme lovers. The waters of the Atlantic are more turbulent than those of its northern neighbor.

Leisure

Entertainment on the islands is standard: relaxing on the beach, swimming in the sea (or ocean) waters and contemplating the local beauties. Thanks to the comfortable climate, it is pleasant to be here all year round.

You can dilute the beach idleness with excursions, sports or diving.

Terrain Saint Kitts and Nevis: Volcanic, mountainous.

Transport

You can fly here by making a transfer in London or New York(need a transit visa) or take a charter flight from Antigua and Barbuda. The distance between the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis is only two kilometers, so you can get there in ten minutes by speedboat. In cities, you can travel by taxi and bus or rent a car (or motorbike) and explore the island on your own.

Standard of living

All year round the temperature here is comfortable +26, there are no heavy rains, but there are devastating hurricanes. Agriculture is the main occupation of the local people. Both islands are covered with palm trees, fruits, palm and coconut oil, sugar and tobacco products are exported. True, imports exceed exports by four times. The local sugar industry fund supports the population, invests in education and health care.

Tourism is the main source of income, there really is something to see on the islands. For investing in local industry or real estate, you can get citizenship of this country. Everything is very simple: it is enough to invest 300 thousand dollars in the sugar industry fund and in six months you will have a new homeland. A nice bonus of a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis is the opportunity to travel without a visa in many countries of the world (including Europe and the UK).

Saint Kitts and Nevis has resources like: : Arable land.

Cities

The capital of the country is the city of Baster, founded in 1627. 11 thousand inhabitants live here. The city center has retained its colonial charm; there is a clock on the main square. In guidebooks, they call it the "local Big Ben". The telephone booths are painted red to commemorate England's colonial heritage.

The main city of the island of Nevis, Charlestown, is more calm and provincial than the capital city of Baster. The old center is somewhat reminiscent of a European suburb, and residential buildings are at a great distance from each other. You don’t immediately understand where the city ends.

St. Kitts is an island about which the average Russian tourist knows little. Or rather, it is unlikely to say where he is. Some will speculate that somewhere in the tropics. And they will be right. But this island is not just paradise. Unlike Eden, from which a person was once expelled, one can settle in St. Kitts forever. For a fee, of course. In this article we will tell you about the program economic citizenship operating in this country. Yes, the small Saint Kitts with the even smaller island of Nevis is an independent state that is part of the British Commonwealth, headed by the Queen of Great Britain. It's easy to guess that official language here - English, which simplifies the communication of tourists with the local population. The currency is the East Caribbean dollar, which is divided into 100 cents.

Where is located

The main island of Saint Kitts and Nevis, a photo taken from the air, is like two pearls on the endless expanse of the ocean. Two pieces of land form a federation. Moreover, Nevis has the right to freely withdraw from it. St. Kitts until recently was called St. Christopher. From this, on old maps you can also find a different name for the state. Saint Christopher and Nevis is the smallest state in the Western Hemisphere. And the population in it is the smallest - fifty thousand people. Below we will describe the original method used by the government of the confederation to raise this figure. Where is Saint Kitts and Nevis located? On the world map, it must be sought in the Caribbean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles (Windward) Islands archipelago. All borders of this state are maritime. Saint Kitts and Nevis is adjacent to the same dwarf powers. In the east, the islands border on in the north - with overseas territory France Saint Barthelemy, in the northwest - with the special municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Sint Eustatius, and, finally, in the southeast - with Montserrat.

Geography

The main island, St. Kitts, is located north of Nevis and is separated from it by the three-kilometer strait The Narrows. The state can be called mountainous. St. Kitts stretches from southeast to northwest for thirty-seven kilometers. Its entire area is dissected by mountain ranges. The highest point of the island (and the whole dwarf country) is an extinct volcano Liamiuga (one thousand one hundred and fifty-five meters above sea level). In the southeastern tip, the relief drops and forms a flat plain occupied by salt lakes. Coastline here is uneven, replete with bays and sandy beaches. The neighboring island of Nevis has an almost circular outline. It is composed of rocks of ancient eruptions. The most high point of this island is the volcano Nevis (almost a thousand meters above sea level). The state is surrounded on all sides by coral reefs. Therefore, tourists on the beaches can enjoy the tranquility of the turquoise lagoons.

Climate

It is determined by the tropical latitudes in which the island of St. Kitts is located. The weather here is wonderful and practically does not change at any time of the year. The islands can certainly be called the dream of Eden come true. The night temperature never drops below eighteen degrees, and on summer days it does not rise above thirty. These are the most comfortable conditions for recreation. But do not forget about the second name that the Small Antilles- Windward. The dwarf state lies in the path of tropical hurricanes. They do not occur every year and are most likely from August to October. The rest of the time, warm trade winds blow over St. Kitts and Nevis. The amount of precipitation does not depend on the season, but on the altitudinal zone. In the mountains, rain falls from 2000 to 3700 millimeters per year. On the coastal plains, the amount of precipitation is half that. As such " wet season' is missing here. But most tourists prefer to come to rest to the tropical islands in winter - from November to April.

Brief history of the state

The island of St. Kitts, like neighboring Nevis, was discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus. However, his expedition, busy searching for India, did not colonize these islands. England did it for them. In 1623, she founded the first colonial settlement in the West Indies on St. Christopher. The French also tried to "stake out" no man's territory and founded their own fort. None of the Europeans asked the opinion of the local population: in 1626, English and French troops jointly staged a massacre, destroying about four thousand Indians. In this regard, the river, on the banks of which the massacre took place, is now called Bloody. In the northwest of St. Kitts, Fort Brimstone has been preserved, from where the British seized land in the Caribbean. This fortress is called the Gibraltar of the tropical seas. In 1783, France, according to the Treaty of Versailles, ceded all rights to the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis to Great Britain. The state gained independence in September 1983. But the Queen of Great Britain continues to be the nominal head of the country.

How to come to the dwarf state of the Caribbean

In old reference books, you can read that tourists from the CIS need a visa to be admitted to the island of St. Kitts. This information is outdated. In June 2013, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced a diplomatic achievement. From now on, Russian citizens can visit tropical islands without a visa. However, the total travel time should not exceed three months. However, you can extend your stay on the spot. With myself Russian tourist you need to have a set of documents: international passport, which will not expire in the next six months, a bank card statement, which indicates your solvency, and return tickets. The lion's share of tourists arrive and leave the island by plane. It is necessary to pay a certain amount in order to leave the hospitable dwarf state without any problems. When departing from the Golden Rock international hub, you will need to pay an airport tax (forty-one Caribbean dollars for each person over twelve years old) and an environmental tax (4 EC$).

Nature

The island state, located on only two hundred and sixty square kilometers, contains everything that a tourist dreams of in dreams of the tropics. On the slopes of the mountains there are plantations of cotton and sugar cane. Even higher - virgin jungle with creepers, cinnamon and breadfruit, mango, tamarind, bananas, papaya, avocados. In some places the mountain peaks are covered with meadows. The island of St. Kitts in the north is a hilly plain occupied by farmland. On Nevis, especially in its western part, there are many coconut groves. Monkeys live in the rainforests of the two islands, but there are no dangerous predators. The silence of the jungle is announced by the cries of tropical birds, huge butterflies flutter everywhere. The water area, owned by the state, will certainly be of interest to divers and fishing enthusiasts. Although the coastal regions appear to be arid, overgrown with bushes, there are many rivers and streams on the islands.

Beaches

St. Kitts is an island whose coast is covered with an interesting black color. But on its southeastern outskirts there is a flat peninsula, composed of oceanic sediments. Therefore, the beaches here are golden. The coast of the island of Nevis is the epitome of dreams about relaxing by the tropical sea. Resort areas dwarf state satisfy all requests. St. Christopher (St. Kitts) has a lot of entertainment - golf clubs, nightlife, casinos. The capital of the state, the city of Baster, is especially famous for its evening life. On the island of Nevis, all conditions are created for a measured and a relaxing holiday. It's good to spend here romantic evening, walking along the promenade, sunbathe in the shade of palm trees. But if you wish, you can find entertainment on Nevis. Entertainment establishments are concentrated in the main city and the administrative center of the island - Charlestown. The sea near the beaches is always calm and serene, because the shores are protected from storms by a wall of coral reefs. The entry into the water is gentle, which is safe for swimming children.

Tourist infrastructure

The backbone of the economy of the dwarf state has long been the export of sugar cane. But in recent years, this industry has been pushed back from the first place by tourism. All conditions are created here for foreign travelers. The island of St. Kitts has especially succeeded in pleasing vacationers. Reviews of tourists claim that its entire coast is occupied by luxury hotels and expensive magnificent villas. Buying property in is easy. There are no restrictions for foreigners, as in some countries. The staff of hotel complexes and restaurants is very kind and strives to fulfill any wish of customers. Like the reviews say, to their dialect in English gotta get used to it. Even the British do not always understand the locals. The chefs of St. Kitts have fully mastered European cuisine, and the Nevis culinary school gravitates towards the traditional local recipe. The number of serious crimes on the islands is quite low. But, tourists warn, pickpocketing is common, so it's best to keep valuables in your room safe.

Saint Kitts Tours

Of course, the sea and the beach are the main attractions of the dwarf state. But there are others. If you are relaxing on the island of Nevis, do not be too lazy to climb the peak of the same name. The height of this volcano is nine hundred and eighty-five meters above sea level. The reward for your work will be an unparalleled view of the two islands. And you can go down through the side vents of the volcano Hurricane Hill or Saddle Hill. Transport links in the country are well developed. There is even a narrow gauge railway here. Nevis also has an airport - Newcastle.

For ecotourists, the island of St. Kitts is of interest. Its attractions are not only natural. Going on a trip to the Golden Rock Plantation and Brimstone Hill Fortress, you can see the old British fort. In its barracks there is a museum, whose exposition tells about the colonial history and the traditional way of life of the islanders. On Nevis, you should visit the Historical Museum and the House of Entertainment on the islands - these are leisurely boat trips along the strait and lagoons, cycling, horseback riding. The country has a casino, many golf clubs.

Events

The population of the dwarf state is the descendants of African slaves who settled the islands after the almost total extermination of the indigenous people - the Indians. Therefore, the main religion is Christianity. The colonial period made its own adjustments to the religion of the locals. Most of them are Anglicans or Methodist Protestants. But there are also a large number of Catholics. The main colorful events are also connected with religion. The island of St. Kitts reviews recommend visiting at Christmas time. The twenty-fifth of December is celebrated here very beautifully. And on the second of January, a colorful festival takes place on the island. The beginning of Great Lent, Good Friday, the Resurrection of the Lord and Pentecost are also celebrated on a large scale. Of the secular holidays, special mention should be made of the birthday of the British Queen, which falls on June 12, Emancipation from Slavery (the first Monday of August) and Independence Day (the nineteenth of September).

Island of St. Kitts: Citizenship

Many tourists, having arrived in this paradise country, simply fall in love with it. But you can stay permanently, replenishing fifty thousand of the population of a dwarf state. When global demand for cane sugar fell, the government of Saint Kitts and Nevis launched a program with the eloquent title of Citizenship by Investment. Anyone who makes a voluntary contribution to the country's Sugar Fund receives a passport of an island power without any problems. The amount of investment donations depends on the number of dependents in the applicant's family and ranges from two hundred and fifty to four hundred and fifty thousand US dollars. Some more amount (but not more than ten percent of the main fee) will be required to pay various government fees and notarial deeds. What is the citizenship of Saint Kitts and Nevis? Firstly, it is visa-free entry to one hundred and twenty states. Citizenship is inherited by children from their parents. You do not need to renounce citizenship of the country of your birth.

Citizenship through real estate

There is another way to get the coveted passport of the state. The islands of St. Kitts and Nevis have been overgrown with luxury housing in the last decade. On the shores and even on the shallow bottom of the lagoons, luxurious villas are being built on stilts that are just waiting for their customers. Have you dreamed of your own house by the sea? And not some Barents or Laptev, but the Caribbean? If you purchase real estate for an amount not less than four hundred thousand US dollars, the citizenship of Saint Kitts and Nevis will be a nice bonus for you. This way, reviews assure, is more profitable if you want to settle on the islands. After five years, you can sell your property without losing your citizenship. But there is a great danger of losing money due to online scams. The government of the country, in order to prevent this, has published on its website an official list of all dealers who have the right to purchase real estate in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Square: 269.4 sq. km

Administrative-territorial division: 14 districts (9 on the island of St. Kitts, 5 on the island of Nevis)

Capital: Buster

Official language: English

Currency unit: East Caribbean dollar

Population: 42.6 thousand (2005)

Population density per sq. km: 158 people

Share of urban population: 41 %

Ethnic composition of the population: blacks - descendants of African slaves brought in the early years of colonization to work on plantations, mulattoes, Indians, immigrants from the USA

Religion: Christianity dominates (Protestants: Anglicans and Methodists)

The basis of the economy: agriculture, foreign tourism

Employment: in the service sector, St. 80%; in agriculture - approx. 10 %; in industry - 5%

GDP: 248 million USD (2002)

GDP per capita: 5820 USD

Form of government: federalism

Form of government: a constitutional monarchy

Legislature: unicameral parliament

Head of State: British monarch, represented by a governor general

Head of the government: Prime Minister

Party structures: multi-party system

Fundamentals of government

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (another name is also found in the literature: the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis) is an independent state within the Commonwealth. The current Constitution was adopted on June 22, 1983, and entered into force on September 19 of the same year. It consists of a preamble and one hundred and twenty articles divided into eleven chapters. Six applications also have the force of law.

Amendments to the Constitution are adopted by Parliament with a two-thirds majority; amendments to certain provisions require approval by referendum.

According to the Constitution, the head of state is the British monarch, represented by a governor general. The current governorship is Sir Cuthbert Montreville Sebastian.

Legislative power is vested in a unicameral parliament to the National Assembly, or National Assembly. There are fourteen seats in parliament - three deputies are appointed by the governor general (two - on the recommendation of the prime minister, one - on the recommendation of the leader of the opposition; the leader of the second largest party becomes the official head of the opposition), the rest are elected in single-member districts (eight - from St. Kitts and three from Nevis). All adult citizens of the state have the right to vote. The term of office of parliamentarians is five years.

Executive power is exercised by the government. The government cabinet is formed from members of the National Assembly and is responsible to it. The prime minister is appointed by the governor general, usually the leader of the party that won the last election.

The smaller island of Nevis (93.2 square kilometers) participates in the formation of federal authorities, but at the same time it has its own parliament, which includes eight deputies (five are elected by the population, three are appointed), and an administration independent of the center. The island has the right to secede from St. Kitts and create independent state if at least two-thirds of the island's registered voters vote in favor of such a decision. (The question of secession was last raised in 1997, but the referendum held in accordance with the Constitution did not bring the required number of votes.)

Judicial system

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is a member of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. The main court here is also Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, which is represented high court And Court of Appeal.

Judges of the High Court are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of public service commissions, whose members make the final decision after consultation with Judicial and Legal Service Commission.

Prosecutions are carried out by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission.

The lowest level of the judicial system is the magistrates' courts.

Leading political parties

There are several political parties. The most numerous of them are: the Labor Party of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Reform Party of Nevis, the United National Movement (on Nevis), the Movement of Concerned Citizens (on Nevis), the Popular Action Movement (on St. Kitts).

Labor Party of Saint Kitts and Nevis(LPKN) is one of the oldest, it was created within the framework of the League of Workers in 1932. It occupies a moderate center-left position. At the beginning of 2008 is the ruling. LPKN leader Denzil Llewellyn Douglas was first elected to Parliament in 1989, where he formally led the opposition the same year. In July 1995, he was appointed prime minister and formed a government in which he himself took key positions: minister of finance and planning, national security, foreign affairs and information. After the elections of 2000 and 2005 stayed on as prime minister.

Nevis Reform Party(TPN) was established in 1970 with the aim of getting Fr. Nevis from the federation of Saint Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla. Since 2006 - the ruling party of Nevis.

United National Movement(OND) also advocates secession from St. Kitts.

Movement of Concerned Citizens(DOG) was founded in 1965 and occupies a centre-right position. Until 2006, she was the ruling party of Nevis.

Prime Minister

Since 1995 - Denzil Llewellyn Douglas (LPKN)

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