Saint Kitts and Nevis History, Geography, Economy and Important Events

Anguilla's British dependence was historically a part of this union, then collectively known as St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. However, Anguilla chose to secede from the Union and remained a British foreign territory. To the north-northwest lie the islands of Sint Eustatius, Sabah, St. Barthelemy, Sint Maarten, and Anguilla. To the east and north-east are Antigua and Barbuda, and to the south-east are the small uninhabited islands of Redonda (part of Antigua and Barbuda) and Montserrat Island. St. Kitts and Nevis were among the first islands in the Caribbean to be colonized by Europeans. St. Kitts was home to the first British and French colonies in the Caribbean, and is thus also called the homeland of the West Indies. It is also the most recent British region in the Caribbean to become independent in 1983.

The Union of St. Kitts and Nevis is a bilateral federal country located on Leeward Island in the West Indies. It is the smallest sovereign nation in South America and North America in terms of area and population. The country's capital and government headquarters is Besetri, located on the largest island, Set Kits. The small state of Nevis is located in the southeast. Historically, British dependent territory Anguella was also once part of this division. St. Kitts and Nevis are among the first Caribbean islands where Europeans first settled. St. Kitts was formerly the stronghold of the British and French Colony in the Caribbean.

St. Kitts and Nevis is a twin-island federation characterized by its major tourism, agricultural and light manufacturing industries. Sugar was the primary export from the 1940s, but the government's efforts to reduce the cost of production, low world market prices and dependence on it led to the increasing diversification of the agricultural sector. In 2005, the government decided to shut down the state-owned sugar company, which experienced losses and contributed significantly to the fiscal deficit.

English is the only official language. St. Kitts Creole is also widely spoken.

Antigua and Barbuda [M] , France [M] , Netherlands [M] , United Kingdom [M] , Venezuela [M] ,
Definition of international border: L = Land Border | M = Maritime Border