Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Coat of arms of Saint Kitts and Nevis Flag Coat of arms
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 language(s)		English
Ethnic groups (2000)		Black 90.4% Mulatto 5.0% East Indian 3.0% White 1.0% Other 0.6%
Demonym		Kittitian (or, Alternatively, Kittian); Nevisian; Kitti-Nevi (for citizens born on one island, but have parents who were born on the other one)
Government		Parliamentary democracy and Federal constitutional monarchy
-	Monarch	Elizabeth II
-	Governor-General	Sir Cuthbert Sebastian
-	Prime Minister	Dr. Denzil Douglas
Legislature		National Assembly
Independence
-	from the United Kingdom	19 September 1983
Area
-	Total	261 km2 (207th) 104 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	51,300 (209th)
-	Density	164/km2 (64th) 424/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2011 estimate
-	Total	$100000 million[1]
-	Per capita	$15,573[1]
GDP (nominal)		2011 estimate
-	Total	$715 million[1]
-	Per capita	$12,728[1]
HDI (2007)		0.838 (high) (62nd)
Currency		East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zone		(UTC-4)
Drives on the		left
ISO 3166 code		KN
Internet TLD		.kn
Calling code		+1-869
1	Or "Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis".
2	hdr.undp.org

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (ⁱ/seɪnt ˌkɪts ænd ˈniːvɪs/; also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis),^[2] located in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island state in the West Indies. It is the smallest sovereign state 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 island 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 Sint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten and Anguilla. 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 among the first islands in the Caribbean to be settled by Europeans. Saint Kitts was home to the first English and French colonies in the Caribbean, and thus has also been titled "The Mother Colony of the West Indies".

Etymology[link]

Saint Kitts was named "Liamuiga" by the Kalinago Indians who inhabited the island. This name, roughly translated, in English means "fertile land," a testimony to the island's rich volcanic soil and high productivity .

Nevis's pre-Columbian name was "Oualie," which translates to "land of beautiful waters," presumably referring to the island's many freshwater springs and hot volcanic springs.

Christopher Columbus, upon sighting what we now call Nevis in 1498, gave that island the name San Martin (Saint Martin). However, the confusion of numerous, poorly charted small islands in the Leeward Island chain, meant that the name ended up being accidentally transferred to another island, the one which we now know as the French/Dutch island Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten.

The current name "Nevis" is derived from a Spanish name Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (The original name was the archaic Spanish "Noestra Siñora delas Neves"), by a process of abbreviation and anglicization. This Spanish name means Our Lady of the Snows. It is not known who chose this name for the island, but it is a reference to the story of a fourth-century Catholic miracle: a snowfall on the Esquiline Hill in Rome. Presumably the white clouds which usually wreathe the top of Nevis Peak reminded someone of the story of a miraculous snowfall in a hot climate. The island of Nevis, upon first British settlement was referred to as "Dulcina," a name meaning "sweet one." Its original Spanish name, "Nuestra Señora de las Nieves," was eventually kept however, though it was soon shortened to "Nevis."

There is some disagreement over the name which Columbus gave to St. Kitts. For many years it was thought that he named the island San Cristobal, after his patron saint Saint Christopher, the saint of travelling. However, new studies suggest that Columbus named the island Sant Yago (Saint James). The name "San Cristobal" was apparently given by Columbus to the island now known as Saba, 20 miles northwest. It seems that "San Cristobal" came to be applied to the island of St. Kitts only as the result of a mapping error. No matter the origin of the name, the island was well documented as "San Cristobal" by the 17th century. The first English colonists kept the English translation of this name, and dubbed it "St. Christopher's Island." In the 17th century Kit, or Kitt, was a common nickname for the name Christopher, and so the island was often informally referred to as "Saint Kitt's island," which was further shortened to "Saint Kitts."

Today, the Constitution refers to the state as both "Saint Kitts and Nevis" and "Saint Christopher and Nevis," but the former is the one most commonly used.

History[link]

Battle of Saint Kitts, 1782, as described by an observer in a French engraving titled "Attaque de Brimstomhill".

Five thousand years prior to European arrival, the island was settled by Native Americans. The latest arrivals, the Kalinago peoples, arrived approximately three centuries before the Europeans. The islands were made known to the Europeans by a Spanish expedition under Columbus in 1493. In 1538, French Huguenots established a settlement on St. Kitts but the settlement was destroyed by the Spanish soon afterwards and the survivors were deported. In 1623, an English settlement was established, which was soon followed by French settlements, the island being divided by agreement. Dissimilar to many other islands, the local Kalinago people on the island allowed Europeans to colonise Saint Kitts. In 1626, the Anglo-French settlers massacred the Kalinago.

The island of Nevis was colonised in 1628 by English settlers from Saint Kitts. From there, Saint Kitts became the premier base for English and French expansion, as the islands of Antigua, Montserrat, Anguilla and Tortola for the English, and Martinique, the Guadeloupe archipelago and St. Barts for the French were colonised from it.

A Spanish expedition, sent to enforce Spanish claims, occupied both islands and deported the English and French settlers back to their respective countries in 1629. However, they soon returned and re-established their colonies. During the late 17th and early 18th century, France and Spain battled for control over the island until it was ceded to the British in 1713.

Although small in size, and separated by only 2 miles (3 km) of water, the two islands were viewed and governed as different states until the late 19th century, when they were forcibly unified along with the island of Anguilla by the British. To this day relations are strained, with Nevis accusing Saint Kitts of neglecting its needs.

Saint Kitts and Nevis, along with Anguilla, became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. Anguillians rebelled, and their island was allowed to separate from the others in 1971. St. Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. It is the newest sovereign state in the Americas. In August 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from St. Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed.^[3] In late September 1998, Hurricane Georges caused approximately $458,000,000 in damages and property and limited GDP growth for the year and beyond. Georges was the worst hurricane to hit the region in the century.

Politics[link]

The country is an independent Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state, represented in St. Kitts and Nevis by a Governor-General, who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party of the House, and the cabinet conducts affairs of state.

St. Kitts and Nevis has a unicameral legislature, known as the National Assembly. It is composed of fourteen members: eleven elected Representatives (three from the island of Nevis) and three Senators who are appointed by the Governor-General. Two of the senators are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, and one on the advice of the leader of the opposition. Unlike in other countries, senators do not constitute a separate Senate or upper house of parliament, but sit in the National Assembly, alongside representatives. All members serve five-year terms. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are responsible to the Parliament.

Saint Kitts and Nevis is a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Administration[link]

Parishes of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is divided into fourteen parishes: nine divisions on Saint Kitts and five on Nevis.

v t e Parishes of Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts Christ Church Nichola Town · Saint Anne Sandy Point · Saint George Basseterre · Saint John Capisterre · Saint Mary Cayon · Saint Paul Capisterre · Saint Peter Basseterre · Saint Thomas Middle Island · Trinity Palmetto Point Nevis Saint George Gingerland · Saint James Windward · Saint John Figtree · Saint Paul Charlestown · Saint Thomas Lowland

Geography[link]

Map of Saint Kitts and Nevis

View of Nevis from St. Kitts

The country has two main islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis. The highest peak, at 1,156 metres, is Mount Liamuiga. There is also a smaller uninhabited island named Booby Island.

The islands are of volcanic origin, with large central peaks covered in tropical rainforest; the steeper slopes leading to these peaks are mostly uninhabited. The majority of the population on both islands lives closer to the sea where the terrain flattens out. There are numerous rivers descending from the mountains of both islands, which provide fresh water to the local population. St. Kitts also has one small lake.

Economy[link]

Saint Kitts and Nevis is a twin-island federation whose economy is characterised by its dominant tourism, agriculture and light manufacturing industries. Sugar was the primary export from the 1640s on, but rising production costs, low world market prices, and the government's efforts to reduce dependence on it have led to a growing diversification of the agricultural sector. In 2005, the government decided to close down the state-owned sugar company, which had experienced losses and was a significant contributor to the fiscal deficit. Former sugar plantations still dominate the St. Kitts landscape, however many of the cane fields are being burned to make room for land development, especially on the northern side of the island, in the parishes of Saint John Capisterre and Christchurch. The agricultural, tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore-banking sectors are being developed and are now taking larger roles in the country's economy. The growth of the tourism sector has become the main foreign exchange earner for Saint Kitts and Nevis. The country has also developed a successful apparel assembly industry and one of the largest electronics assembly industries in the Caribbean.

St. Kitts is dependent on tourism to drive its economy. Tourism to the island has been expanding since 1978. In 2009 there were 587,479 arrivals to Saint Kitts compared to 379,473 in 2007. This growth represents an increase of just under 40% in a 2 year period. As tourism grows the demand for vacation property increases in conjunction.

St Kitts & Nevis also acquires foreign direct investment from their citizenship by investment program, outlined in their Citizenship Act of 1984. Interested parties can acquire Citizenship if they pass the government's background checks and make an investment into an approved real estate development.

Education[link]

There are eight publicly administered high/secondary level schools in St Kitts-Nevis, and several private secondary schools.

Public high/secondary schools[link]

• Cayon High School (CHS)
• Basseterre High School (BHS)
• Washington Archibald High School (WAHS)
• Verchilds High School (VHS)
• Charles E. Mills Secondary School (CEMS)
• Charlestown Secondary School (CSS)
• Gingerland Secondary School (GSS)
• Saddlers Secondary School (SSS)

Private high/secondary schools[link]

• St Theresa's Convent School and St. Joseph's School, which merged in 2010 to form the Immaculate Conception Catholic School (ICCS) – Kindergarten to Grade 11 (or 5th form) – the traditional Caribbean final secondary school grade.
• Lyn Jeffers Secondary School
• Lyn Jeffers Primary School
• Saint Christopher Preparatory school
• Montessori Academy.

Demographics[link]

African descent 75.1%, Afro-European 12.3%, mulatto 5.3%, East Indian and Afro-East Indian 5%, Other 3.3%, South Asian ethnic groups 3%^[4]

As of July 2000^[update], there were 42,696 inhabitants; their average life expectancy was 72.4 years. Emigration has historically been very high, and high levels of such in the country has resulted in a continuous decrease in the country's population by about 25% since its peak of about 51,100 in 1960.^{[citation needed]}

Emigration from St. Kitts & Nevis to the United States:^[5]

• 1986–1990: 3,513
• 1991–1995: 2,730
• 1996–2000: 2,101
• 2001–2005: 1,756
• 2006–2010: 1,817

Emigration from St. Kitts & Nevis to the United Kingdom:^[6]

• The 2001 Census showed 7,091 Saint Kitts and Nevis born people in the UK, with almost 20,000 of direct descent.

v t e Largest cities or towns of Saint Kitts and Nevis http://www.geonames.org/KN/largest-cities-in-saint-kitts-and-nevis.html
	Rank	City name	Parish	Pop.
Basseterre Charlestown	1	Basseterre	Saint George Basseterre	12,920
	2	Charlestown	Saint Paul Charlestown	1,538
	3	Saddlers	Saint John Capesterre	986
	4	Cayon	Saint Mary Cayon	788
	5	Sandy Point Town	Saint Anne Sandy Point	780
	6	Mansion	Christ Church Nicola Town	690
	7	Dieppe Bay Town	Saint John Capesterre	592
	8	Monkey Hill	Saint Peter Basseterre	592
	9	Boyds	Trinity Palmetto Point	591
	10	Gingerland	Saint George Gingerland	493

Culture[link]

Saint Kitts and Nevis is known for a number of musical celebrations including Carnival (18 December to 3 January on Saint Kitts). The last week in June features the St Kitts Music Festival, while the week-long Culturama on Nevis lasts from the end of July into early August.^[7]

Additional festivals on the island of Saint Kitts include Inner City Fest, in February in Molineaux; Green Valley Festival, usually around Whit Monday in village of Cayon; Easterama, around Easter in village of Sandy Point; Fest-Tab, in July or August in the village of Tabernacle; and La festival de Capisterre, around Independence Day in Saint Kitts and Nevis (19 September), in the Capisterre region. These celebrations typically feature parades, street dances and salsa, jazz, soca, calypso and steelpan music.

The 1985 film Missing in Action 2: The Beginning was filmed in Saint Kitts.^[8]

Sports[link]

Cricket is common in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Top players are contributed to the West Indies cricket team. The lateRunako Morton , was from Nevis. Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest country on Earth to ever host a World Cup event^{[citation needed]}; it was one of the host venues of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

The St. Kitts and Nevis national football team, also known as the "Sugar Boyz", has experienced some international success in recent years, progressing to the semifinal round of qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in the CONCACAF region. Led by Glence Glasgow they defeated U.S. Virgin Islands and Barbados before they were outmatched by Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Billiard Federation – SKNBF, is the governing body for cue sports across the two islands. The SKNBF is a member of the Caribbean Billiards Union – CBU, with the SKNBF President Ste Williams holding the post of CBU Vice President.

Kim Collins is the country's foremost track and field athlete. He has won gold medals in the 100 metres at both the World Championships in Athletics and Commonwealth Games, and at the 2000 Sydney Olympics he was the country's first athlete to reach an Olympic final. He and three other athletes represented St. Kitts and Nevis at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The four by one hundred metre relay team won a bronze medal in the 2011 world championships.

American writer and former figure skater and triathlete Kathryn Bertine was granted dual citizenship in an attempt to make the 2008 Summer Olympics representing St. Kitts and Nevis in women's cycling. Her story was chronicled online at ESPN.com as a part of its E-Ticket feature entitled "So You Wanna Be An Olympian?" She ultimately failed to earn the necessary points for Olympic qualification.^[9]

St. Kitts and Nevis had two athletes ride in the time trial at the 2010 UCI Road World Championships. Athletes included Reginald Douglas and James Weekes.^[10]

See also[link]

	Geography portal
	North America portal
	Caribbean portal
	Commonwealth realms portal

	Book: Saint Kitts and Nevis
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Outline of Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Index of Saint Kitts and Nevis-related articles
• Caribbean Sea
• Commonwealth of Nations
• Leeward Islands

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Find more about Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Definitions and translations from Wiktionary
	Images and media from Commons
	Learning resources from Wikiversity
	News stories from Wikinews
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
	Textbooks from Wikibooks

Government

• Ministry of Finance
• Saint Kitts & Nevis official government website

General information

• Saint Kitts and Nevis entry at The World Factbook
• Saint Kitts and Nevis from OCB Libraries GovPubs
• Saint Kitts and Nevis at the Open Directory Project
• Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program

Maps

• Google Maps satellite photo of Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Maps of Saint Kitts, Nevis, and their respective capitals
• Wikimedia Atlas of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Tourism

• Nevis Tourism Authority – Official Site
• Saint Kitts and Nevis travel guide from Wikitravel
• Saint Kitts Music Festival – Official Website of the annual Music Festival
• Saint Kitts Tourism Authority – Official Site
• Grey's Island Excursions- Shore Excursions on St. Kitts

Other

• Hosted at the University of the West Indies – Articles and materials on Nevis secession
• Human Development Report 2006
• Saint Kitts Anglican Churches
• StKittsNevis.com
• Saint Kitts Paper Money

News

• Sknvibes.com - Online News Website
• Cmvlive.com
• Newz Chronicles Express

v t e Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts · Nevis Politics Monarchy · Governor-General · Prime Minister · Parliament · Elections · Political parties · Premier of Nevis · Foreign relations · Law enforcement · Military · Coat of arms · Flag · Nevisian independence · Judiciary History Kalinago genocide · Battle of Saint Kitts, 1629 · Battle of Saint Kitts, 1782 · Siege of Brimstone Hill · Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla · Hurricane Georges · West Indies Federation · Slavery · Piracy Geography Islands · Parishes · Towns and villages · Climate · Rivers · Volcanoes · Wildlife · Brimstone Hill Fortress Economy Communications · Transport · Airports · Companies Culture Demographics · Saint Kitts Creole · Education · Music · Sports · Football · Rugby union · Cricket · Religion · Anthem Outline · Index

Articles Related to Saint Kitts and Nevis    Geographic locale Lat. and Long. 17°18′N 62°44′W / 17.3°N 62.733°W / 17.3; -62.733 (Basseterre) v t e Countries and territories of the Caribbean   Sovereign states Commonwealth Realms Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Grenada Jamaica Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Commonwealth republics Dominica Trinidad and Tobago Other republics Cuba Dominican Republic Haiti   Dependencies and other areas by parent state United Kingdom Anguilla British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands Netherlands Aruba Bonaire Curaçao Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten France Guadeloupe Martinique Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin United States Bajo Nuevo Bank Navassa Island Puerto Rico Serranilla Bank U.S. Virgin Islands v t e Countries and dependencies of North America Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Colombia San Andrés and Providencia Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador France Guadeloupe Martinique Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Iceland Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Netherlands Bonaire Saba Sint Eustatius Panama St. Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States Dependencies Denmark Greenland France Clipperton Island St. Barthélemy St. Martin St. Pierre and Miquelon Netherlands Aruba Curaçao Sint Maarten United Kingdom Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands United States Navassa Island Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Venezuela Isla Aves   International membership v t e Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Members Antigua and Barbuda · Dominica · Grenada · Montserrat · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines Associate members Anguilla · British Virgin Islands Financial institutions Eastern Caribbean Central Securities Registry · Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange · East Caribbean dollar · Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Other institutions Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court v t e Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat (Secretary-General) Nations Members Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas1 Barbados Belize Dominica Grenada Guyana Haiti1 Jamaica Montserrat2 St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago Associate members Anguilla Bermuda Cayman Islands British Virgin Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Observers Aruba Colombia Curaçao Dominican Republic Mexico Puerto Rico Sint Maarten Venezuela Institutions CSME CDEMA CMO CMO CXC CCJ CFC CEHI CARDI REPAHA ACCP CARICAD CFNI CCC CRITI Related organizations Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States 1 Member of the Community but not of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). 2 British overseas territory awaiting entrustment to join the CSME. v t e Members of the Commonwealth of Nations Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda Australia Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Belize Botswana Brunei Cameroon Canada Cyprus Dominica Fiji (suspended) The Gambia Ghana Grenada Guyana India Jamaica Kenya Kiribati Lesotho Malawi Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Nauru New Zealand Nigeria Pakistan Papua New Guinea Rwanda St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Sri Lanka Swaziland Tanzania Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu Uganda United Kingdom Vanuatu Zambia Dependencies Australia Ashmore and Cartier Islands Australian Antarctic Territory Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Coral Sea Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Norfolk Island New Zealand Cook Islands Niue Ross Dependency Tokelau United Kingdom Akrotiri and Dhekelia Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Guernsey Isle of Man Jersey Montserrat Pitcairn Islands St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Source: Commonwealth Secretariat - 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Rhodesia then declared itself a republic in 1970. v t e English-speaking world Click on a coloured region to get related article:   Countries and territories where English is the national language or the native language of the majority. Africa Saint Helena Americas Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda The Bahamas Barbados Bermuda British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands Dominica Falkland Islands Grenada Guyana Jamaica Montserrat Saba Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands United States United States Virgin Islands Europe Guernsey Ireland Isle of Man Jersey United Kingdom Oceania Australia New Zealand Norfolk Island   Countries and territories where English is an official language, but not the majority language. Africa Botswana Cameroon Ethiopia Eritrea Gambia Ghana Kenya Lesotho Liberia Malawi Mauritius Namibia Nigeria Rwanda Sierra Leone Somaliland South Africa South Sudan Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Americas Belize Puerto Rico Asia Hong Kong India Malaysia Pakistan Philippines Singapore Europe Gibraltar Malta Oceania American Samoa Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Cook Islands Fiji Guam Kiribati Marshall Islands Micronesia Nauru Niue Northern Mariana Islands Palau Papua New Guinea Pitcairn Islands Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tuvalu Vanuatu

Nevis Oualie
Coat of arms of Nevis
Motto: "Country Above Self"
Anthem: O Land of Beauty! Royal anthem: God Save the Queen
Capital		Charlestown 17°20′N 62°45′W / 17.333°N 62.75°W / 17.333; -62.75
Largest city		Charlestown, Nevis
Official language(s)		English
Demonym		Nevisian
Government		Parliamentary democracy and Federal constitutional monarchy
-	Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
-	Premier	Joseph Parry
-	Deputy Governor-General[1]	Eustace John
-	President, Nevis Island Assembly	Marjorie Morton
Independence		Part of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
-	from the United Kingdom	19 September 1983
Area
-	Total	93 km2 (207th) 35.9 sq mi
Population
-	2006 census	12,106[2]
-	Density	130/km2 ((Not ranked)) 99/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2009 estimate
-	Total	$726 million[3]
-	Per capita	$13,429[3]
GDP (nominal)		2009 estimate
-	Total	$557 million[3]
-	Per capita	$10,315[3]
HDI (2007)		0.825 (high) (54th)
Currency		East Caribbean Dollar ($) (XCD)
Time zone		-4 (UTC-4)
Date formats		dd-mm-yyyy (CE)
Drives on the		Left
Internet TLD		.kn
Calling code		+1-869
1	Airport Vance W. Amory International Code IATA: NEV, ICAO: TKPN 4,002 ft. (1,220 m)
2	Caribbean portal

The east coast of Nevis, partially protected by coral reefs. Long Haul Bay in the foreground.

Main Street, Charlestown, Nevis.

Part of the west coast of Nevis including the location of Nelson's Spring.

Nevis ( /ˈniːvɪs/) is an island in the Caribbean Sea. It is located near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago about 350 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The 93 km² island is part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. The capital of Nevis is Charlestown.

Nevis and the island of Saint Kitts to the northwest form the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The two islands are separated by a shallow two-mile (3.22 km) channel known as "The Narrows". Nevis is conical in shape with a volcanic peak known as Nevis Peak at its center. The island is fringed on its western and northern coastlines by sandy beaches that are composed of a mixture of white coral sand with brown and black sand which was eroded and washed down from the volcanic rocks that make up the island. The gently-sloping coastal plain (0.6 miles/1 km wide) has natural freshwater springs as well as non-potable volcanic hot springs, especially along the western coast.

The island was named Oualie ("Land of Beautiful Waters") by the Caribs and Dulcina ("Sweet Island") by the early British settlers. The name, Nevis, is derived from the Spanish, Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (which means Our Lady of the Snows); the name first appears on maps in the 16th century.^[4] Nevis is also known by the sobriquet "Queen of the Caribees", which it earned in the 18th century, when its sugar plantations created much wealth for the British.

Nevis is of particular historical significance to Americans because it was the birthplace and early childhood home of Alexander Hamilton. For the British, Nevis is the place where Horatio Nelson was stationed as a young sea captain, and is where he met and married a Nevisian, Frances Nisbet, the young widow of a plantation-owner.

The majority of the approximately 12,000 citizens of Nevis are of primarily African descent. English is the official language, and the literacy rate, 98 percent, is one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere.