|RConstitution:|N Independent country within the Commonwealth of Nations. Recognizes the Queen as head of state.
|RNational holiday:|N Independence Day, September 19.
|RNature and climate:|N Two islands of volcanic origin among the Leeward Islands in the West Indies. The highest point, Mount Misery at Saint Kitts, reaches 1156 m.a.s.l.
Percipitation about 1400 mm.
|RPeople:|N 94% blacks, mainly descendants of African slaves and 6% mulattos and Europeans.
|REconomy:|N On Saint Kitts sugarplantations dominate and on Nevis cottonplantations. This makes the islands very dependent on world market prices.
Tourism is also an important source of incomes.
|RHistory:|N The islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493. He named one of them Saint Christopher, which still is the official name of Saint Kitts. The local Caribbean name for Saint Kitts is Liamuiga.
The French started to colonize Saint Kitts in 1627 and the British started to colonize Nevis in 1628. 1713 British sovereignty over the two islands were recognised and they got joint administration with Anguilla and Sombrero in 1882.
In 1967 Anguilla unilaterally proclaimed independence and the same year Saint Kitts and Nevis was granted selfrule.
1983 the two islands became an independent country.
Hurricane Hugo destroyed the whole sugarcrop in 1990, which have caused some political unrest.
