St Kitts and Nevis 

Introduction

The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis is a two-island federal state in the Leeward Islands group of the eastern Caribbean. It has a population of 39,349 on a land area of 262 sq km. 

St Kitts and Nevis is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is HM Queen Elizabeth II represented by a governor-general. The head of government is the prime minister. 

Cabinet is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister. 

The National Assembly is unicameral, comprising 11 members elected to represent single-member constituencies and three appointees – two on the advice of the prime minister and one on the advice of the leader of the opposition. The members are elected for terms of up to five years. 

Nevis has a single island authority that is a local government within the federation. 

St Kitts has 14 parishes that are the administrative units, namely: Christ Church Nichola Town; St Anne Sandy Point; St George Basseterre; St George Gingerland; St James Windward; St John Capesterre; St John Figtree; St Mary Cayon; St Paul Capesterre; St Paul Charlestown; St Peter Basseterre; St Thomas Lowland; St Thomas Middle Island; and Trinity Palmetto Point.  

Summary

There is no local government on St Kitts. The 14 parishes are administrative structures of the federal government. Nevis enjoys its own island-wide authority, the Nevis Island Assembly, comprising five members. In 2005 it was estimated that there were 10,000 internet users, representing 25.5 per cent of the population.

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