STATISTICS: SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS

Saint Kitts and Nevis Official name: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis{1}. Form of government: constitutional monarchy with one legislative house (National Assembly ). Chief of state: British Monarch represented by Governor-General. Head of government: Prime Minister. Capital: Basseterre Official language: English. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = EC$2.70; 1 = EC$4.60. Demography Population (1998): 42,300. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 406.7, persons per sq km 157.0. Urban-rural (1995): urban 42.9%; rural 57.1%. Sex distribution (1990): male 51.56%; female 48.44%. Age breakdown (1990): under 15, 32.5%; 15-29, 25.6%; 30-44, 18.9%; 45-59, 10.1%; 60-74, 8.9%; 75 and over, 4.0%. Population projection: (2000) 43,000; (2010) 50,000. Doubling time: 67 years. Ethnic composition (1991): black 94.9%; mixed/white/Indo-Pakistani 5.1%. Religious affiliation (1995): Protestant 84.6%, of which Anglican 25.2%, Methodist 25.2%, Pentecostal 8.4%, Moravian 7.6%; Roman Catholic 6.7%; other 8.7%. Major towns (1994): Basseterre 12,605; Charlestown 1,411. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1995): 20.2{3} (world avg. 25.0); (1983) legitimate 19.2%; illegitimate 80.8%. Death rate per 1,000 population (1995): 9.8{3} (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1995): 10.4{3} (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1996): 2.5. Marriage rate per 1,000 population: n.a. Divorce rate per 1,000 population: n.a. Life expectancy at birth (1996): male 63.8 years; female 70.1 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1985): diseases of the circulatory system 443.2, of which cerebrovascular disease 220.5, diseases of pulmonary circulation and other heart disease 122.7; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 95.5. National economy Budget (1996). Revenue: EC$208,300,000 (tax revenue 68.9% of which taxes on international transactions 37.4%, income taxes 15.7%, consumption taxes 14.4%; nontax revenue 26.7%). Expenditures: EC$231,700,000 (current expenditure 85.9%; development expenditure 14.1%). Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): sugarcane 203,740, coconuts 1,700, tropical fruit 1,500, sweet potatoes 250, onions 141; sea island cotton is grown on Nevis; livestock (number of live animals; 1996) 17,000 sheep, 13,000 goats, 3,000 pigs; roundwood, n.a.; fish catch (1995) 220. Mining and quarrying: excavation of sand for local use. Manufacturing (1996): raw sugar 20,249; molasses 6,000{4}; carbonated beverages 47,000 hectolitres{5}; beer 17,200 hectolitres{5}; other manufactures include electronic components, garments, footwear, and batik. Construction (value added; 1994): EC$57,000,000. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 86,000,000 (86,000,000); coal, none (none); crude petroleum, none (none); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) none (32,000); natural gas, none (none). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$240,000,000 (U.S.$5,870 per capita). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1980) 3.7; average annual income per wage earner (1994) EC$9,940 (US$3,681); sources of income: n.a.; expenditure (1978){6}: food, beverages, and tobacco 55.6%, household furnishings 9.4%, housing 7.6%, clothing and footwear 7.5%, fuel and light 6.6%, transportation 4.3%, other 9.0%. Public debt (external, outstanding; 1995): U.S.$54,000,000. Population economically active (1980): total 17,125; activity rate of total population 39.5% (participation rates: ages 15-64, 69.5%; female 41.0%; unemployed 4.5%). Land use (1994): forested 17%; meadows and pastures 3%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 39%; other 41%. Tourism (1995): receipts from visitors U.S.$63,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad U.S.$5,100,000. Foreign trade{7} Imports (1995): EC$359,000,000 (basic and miscellaneous manufactures 35.3%, machinery 27.7%, food 17.1%, chemicals and chemical products 8.3%). Major import sources: United States 42.4%; Caricom countries 17.2%, of which Trinidad and Tobago 9.8%; United Kingdom 11.3%. Exports (1995): EC$99,000,000 (machinery and transport equipment [mostly electronic good] 47.1%, sugar 39.3%). Major export destinations (1994): United States 46.6%; United Kingdom 26.4%; Caricom countries 9.3%, of which Antigua and Barbuda 2.6%. Transport Transport. Railroads (1995){8}: length 22 mi, 36 km. Roads (1995): total length 193 mi, 310 km (paved 43%). Vehicles (1991): passenger cars 3,700; trucks and buses 2,200. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 1; total deadweight tonnage 550. Air transport: passenger arrivals (1992) 123,195{9}; passenger departures, n.a.; cargo handled, n.a.; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 2. Education and health Educational attainment (1980). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 1.1%; primary education 29.6%; secondary 67.2%; higher 2.1%. Literacy (1990): total population age 15 and over literate 25,500 (90.0%); males literate 13,100 (90.0%); females literate 12,400 (90.0%). Health (1995): physicians (1992) 39 (1 per 1,057 persons); hospital beds 276 (1 per 142 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births 25.1{4}. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 2,234 (vegetable products 76%, animal products 24%); 92% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel: in July 1997 the National Assembly approved a bill creating a 50-member army. {1} Both Saint Christopher and Nevis and the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis are officially acceptable, variant, short- and long-form names of the country. {2} Includes 4 nonelective seats. {3} Based on year of registration rather than year of occurrence. {4} 1994. {5} 1991. {6} Weights of consumer price index components. {7} Imports f.o.b. in balance of trade and c.i.f. in commodities and trading partners. {8} Light railway serving the sugar industry on Saint Kitts. {9} Saint Kitts airport only.