 Country name:
conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form:Saint Kitts and Nevis former:Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name:Basseterregeographic coordinates:17 18 N, 62 43 W time difference:UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point
Independence:
19 September 1983 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Constitution:
several previous; latest presented 22 June 1983, effective 23 June 1983 (2011)
Legal system:
English common law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Edmund LAWRENCE (since 2 January 2013)head of government:Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995) cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister elections:the monarchy is hereditary; the governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms)elections:last held on 25 January 2010 (next to be held by 2015) election results:percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SKNLP 6, CCM 2, PAM 2, NRP 1
| | Judicial branch:
highest court(s):the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States which includes Saint Kitts and Nevis; the ECSC - with its headquarters on St. Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the member states; 2 High Court judges reside on Saint Kitts and Nevisnote - the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in 2003 replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) as the final court of appeal on Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Kitts and Nevis is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice judge selection and term of office:Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts:magistrates' courts
Political parties and leaders:
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY] People's Action Movement or PAM [Shawn RICHARDS] Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Jacinth Lorna HENRY-MARTIN (since 14 February 2011)chancery:3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone:[1] (202) 686-2636 FAX:[1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general:Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
name:'Oh Land of Beauty!'
 lyrics/music:Kenrick Anderson GEORGES note:adopted 1983 |