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Saint Kitts and Nevis is a twin island country with a total landmass of just 270 square kilometres (104 sq mi). The island of St. Kitts, the larger of the two, is 180 square kilometres (68 sq mi) in size and is located at latitude 17.30 N, and longitude 62.80 W. Nevis is 93 square kilometres (36 sq mi) and located at latitude 17.10 N, longitude 62.35 W, approximately 3 km south-east of St. Kitts. The islands are about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago. The islands are volcanic and mountainous. [1]
The island of St. Kitts is composed almost exclusively of volcanic rocks of andesite or dacite mineralogy. Its geology is similar to that of other volcanic islands in the Lesser Antillean Archipelago. The islands are the summits of a submerged mountain range which forms the eastern boundary of what is known as the Caribbean Tectonic Plate. St. Kitts is oriented northwest–southeast, about 80 km long and 16 km wide. The entire island archipelago is geologically young, having begun to form probably less than 50 million years ago, during the Miocene era. Volcanic activity occurred along the ridges of this arc during the Miocene era and has continued since.
Nevis is a volcanic island that began its formation in mid-Pliocene times (approximately 3.45 million years ago). However, the island comprises a number of discrete eruptive centers that range in age from mid-Pliocene to Pleistocene, these prevent any single model of the island's geological evolution. The geology of Nevis can be subdivided into four informal units: Volcanic of the eruptive centers, volcanigenic rocks - pyroclastics and lahars, fluviatile and lacustrine deposits, and raised beaches.
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 261 km2 (Saint Kitts 168 km2; Nevis 93 km2)
land: 261 km2
water: 0 km2
Area - comparative: two thirds the size of the island of Barbados
Coastline: 135 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nautical miles (370 km) or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nautical miles (22 km)
contiguous zone: 24 nautical miles (44 km)
exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles (370 km)
Climate: tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Extreme points:
Northernmost point: Unnamed headland at Dieppe Bay Town, Saint Kitts
Southernmost point: Devil's Cave, Saint John Figtree Parish, Nevis
Westernmost point: Western cape of Saint Kitts, Saint Anne Sandy Point Parish
Easternmost point: Eastern cape of Nevis, Saint James Windward Parish
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Natural resources: arable land
Land use:
arable land: 19.44%
permanent crops: 2.78%
other: 77.78% (2005)
Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to October)
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
By the Köppen climate classification, St. Kitts has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) and Nevis has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am). [2] Mean monthly temperatures in Basseterre varies little from 23.9 °C (75.0 °F) to 26.6 °C (79.9 °F). Yearly rainfall is approximately 2,400 millimetres (90 in), although it has varied from 1,356 millimetres (53.4 in) to 3,183 millimetres (125.3 in) in the period 1901–2015. [3]
Climate data for Saint Kitts and Nevis (1991–2015) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.9 (75.0) | 23.8 (74.8) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.7 (76.5) | 25.5 (77.9) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.3 (79.3) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.0 (78.8) | 25.4 (77.7) | 24.4 (75.9) | 25.3 (77.5) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 150 (5.9) | 102 (4.0) | 99 (3.9) | 153 (6.0) | 219 (8.6) | 181 (7.1) | 214 (8.4) | 232 (9.1) | 222 (8.7) | 289 (11.4) | 286 (11.3) | 225 (8.9) | 2,372 (93.3) |
Source: Climate Change Knowledge Portal [3] |
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Saint Kitts and Nevis, officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is an island country consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles. With 261 square kilometres (101 sq mi) of territory, and roughly 48,000 inhabitants, it is the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere, in both area and population, as well as the world's smallest sovereign federation. The country is a Commonwealth realm, with Charles III as King and head of state.
Transport in Saint Christopher and Nevis includes normal road traffic, public buses, taxis, ferries, airports, and one railway.
Saint Kitts, officially Saint Christopher, is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. Saint Kitts and the neighbouring island of Nevis constitute one country: the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Saint Kitts and Nevis are separated by a shallow 3-kilometre (2 mi) channel known as "The Narrows".
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Basseterre is the capital and largest city of Saint Kitts and Nevis with an estimated population of 14,000 in 2018. Geographically, the Basseterre port is located at 17°18′N62°44′W, on the south-western coast of Saint Kitts Island, and it is one of the chief commercial depots of the Leeward Islands. The city lies within Saint George Basseterre Parish.
Saint Anne Sandy Point is one of 14 administrative parishes that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is the smallest parish on St. Kitts in terms of area, at just 5 square miles (13 km2). It is located on the main island of Saint Kitts and the parish capital is Sandy Point Town.
Saint George Basseterre is one of 14 administrative parishes that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is the largest parish on Saint Kitts and the second largest parish in Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is by far the most populous parish in the federation, holding nearly a third of the country's population. It is home to the city of Basseterre, capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and also has a longer coastline than any other parish in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Saint John Capisterre is one of 14 administrative parishes that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is the second largest parish on Saint Kitts, and the third largest parish in the federation. The capital of the parish is Dieppe Bay Town.
Saint Mary Cayon is one of 14 administrative parishes that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is located on the main island of Saint Kitts and the parish capital is Cayon.
Saint Peter Basseterre is one of 14 administrative parishes that make up Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is located on the main island of Saint Kitts and the parish capital is Monkey Hill.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Saint Kitts and Nevis:
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This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.