
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Legal breakdown by identity
Learn about Saint Kitts and Nevis
Beyond the scoreLearn about Saint Kitts and Nevis.Official names, languages, local time and practical context for understanding Saint Kitts and Nevis beyond its legal score.
Destination overview
About Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Two islands, two tempos
Saint Kitts and Nevis sit side by side in the eastern Caribbean, separated by a narrow channel and connected by ferry. Saint Kitts tends to be livelier, with a working port town, scenic railway and a coastline that shifts between dramatic cliffs and calm bays. Nevis moves at its own unhurried pace, with plantation inns, a quieter capital and beaches where you may well have the sand to yourself.
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Volcanic peaks and expanding rainforest
Mount Liamuiga on Saint Kitts and Nevis Peak on Nevis are both dormant volcanoes draped in dense tropical forest. The rainforest here is one of the few in the region that is actually growing, gradually reclaiming old sugar estates with vines and canopy. Trails range from gentle lowland walks to steep crater rim hikes, and hot springs bubble up on the slopes of Nevis Peak.
Centuries written in stone
Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by enslaved Africans for the British over more than a century, stands on a volcanic outcrop with views across multiple islands. Below it, the story continues through Georgian streetscapes in Basseterre, old sugar works at Wingfield Estate, and the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton in Charlestown. The layers of Caribbean, European and African heritage run deep here.
Sand, salt water and something cold
Pinney's Beach on Nevis stretches along the western coast, backed by palms and dotted with beach bars. On Saint Kitts, Cockleshell Bay and South Frigate Bay offer warm, sheltered water and views across to Nevis. Snorkelling and diving reveal coral reefs and shipwrecks, and when the sun drops, there is usually someone nearby mixing rum punch.
Official name
- Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis (English)
Region
- Caribbeanall, Applies to all constituent destinations
Continent
- North Americaall, Applies to all constituent destinations
Total population
51,320
2022 data
Capital
- BasseterreSKB
Currency
- Eastern Caribbean Dollarall, Applies to all constituent destinations (XCD · EC$)
Driving side
- leftall, Applies to all constituent destinations side of the road
Electricity
Languages
Englishall, Applies to all constituent destinations
Official by lawall, Applies to all constituent destinations · ISO 639-3: eng
American Sign Languageall, Applies to all constituent destinations
Official in practiceall, Applies to all constituent destinations · ISO 639-3: ase
Leeward Caribbean English Creole2, Applies to Saint Kitts
Indigenous2, Applies to Saint Kitts
Antiguan and Barbudan Creole1, Applies to Nevis
Indigenous1, Applies to Nevis · ISO 639-3: aig
Current time and time zone
- all, Applies to all constituent destinations
Atlantic Standard TimeAST
America/St_Kitts
Largest cities
- BasseterreSKB · 15,500
Located in Saint Kitts · 2022 data
- Sandy Point Town · 2,626
Located in Saint Kitts · 2011 data
- Gingerland · 2,500
Located in Nevis · 2011 data
- Cotton Ground · 2,069
Located in Nevis · 2011 data
- Newcastle · 2,038
Located in Nevis · 2011 data
Busiest airports
- Robert L. Bradshaw International AirportSKB · 399,706 annual passenger movements
Located in Saint Kitts · 2008 data
- Vance W. Amory International AirportNEV · 81,000 annual passenger movements
Located in Nevis · 2019 data