Saint Kitts and Nevis is an island country, located in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles.  It is the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere, in both area and population, as well as the world's smallest sovereign federation. St Kitts is 37 km (23 miles) long and 8 km (5 miles) across at its widest point, a total area of 261 km sq (101 sq miles). Nevis is 13 km (8 miles) long and 10km (6 miles) wide with a land area of 93 km sq (36 sq miles). Together the islands have a coastline of 135 km (84 miles). 

The capital city is Basseterre, located on the larger island of Saint Kitts. Basseterre is also the main port for both passenger entry (via cruise ships) and cargo. The smaller island of Nevis lies approximately 3 km (2 mi) to the southeast of Saint Kitts, across a shallow channel called The Narrows. 

The population is 53,871, of which 75% identified as African;  12.3% as Afro-European; 5.3% as Mulatto; 5% East Indian and Afro-East Indian; 3% as South Asian and 2.4% other.

National flower

Poinciana is named after Monsieur de Poincy, the first French Governor of St. Kitts, who is said to have introduced it to the region. Its scientific name is Delonix Regia and it is said to have originated in Madagascar.

History

The first inhabitants who settled the islands arrived on St Kitts and Nevis as early as 3000 years ago. They were followed by the Arawak peoples (Taíno) about 1000 BC, followed by the Caribs about 800 AD.

The first settlers were the English in 1623, led by the explorer Thomas Warner, who established a settlement at Old Road Town on the west coast of St Kitts after achieving an agreement with the Carib chief Ouboutou Tegremante. The French later also settled on St Kitts in 1625 under Pierre Belain d'Esnambuc and both parties agreed to partition the island into French and English sectors. From 1628 onward the English also began settling on Nevis. 

The French and English, intent on self-enrichment through exploitation of the island's natural resources, encountered resistance from the Caribs (Kalinago) waging war throughout the first three years of the settlements' existence. In 1626 the Europeans worked together to massacre over 2000 Kalinago at Bloody Point, resulting in many more fleeing to the forests or being forcibly removed to Dominica by 1640. The English and French began to establish large sugar plantations which were worked by vast numbers of imported African slaves. This system created enormous wealth for the planter-colonists whilst also drastically changing the islands' demographics, as black slaves soon came to outnumber Europeans by some margin. 

 St Kitts became the premier base for English and French expansion into the wider Caribbean. From St. Kitts the British settled on the islands of Antigua, Montserrat, Anguilla and Tortola, and the French settled Martinique, the Guadeloupe archipelago and Saint Barthélemy. Between 1667-1713 France and England fought for control over St Kitts and Nevis, until the French renounced their claim to the islands with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The islands' economy, already shattered by years of war, was further devastated by natural disasters; in 1690 an earthquake destroyed Jamestown, capital of Nevis, forcing the construction of a new capital at Charlestown; further damage was caused by a hurricane in 1707.

When the African slave trade was terminated in 1834, 8,815 slaves were freed on Nevis, while St. Kitts had 19,780 freed. Small numbers of indentured labour from India arrived by boat from Calcutta in 1861 to Saint Kitts with 337 on board and in 1874 to Nevis with 315 Indians on board. All Indian immigrants were freed from indentureship in April 1879. Whilst around 20% of Indian immigrants to Nevis returned to India by 1890 and others moved to other islands with Indian communities; historians describe these communities as a ‘lost population’. 

After a brief period as part of the West Indies Federation (1958–62), the islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967.  St Kitts and Nevis achieved full independence on 19 September 1983 and opted to remain within the British Commonwealth, retaining Queen Elizabeth as Monarch, represented locally by a Governor-General.

Climate, geography, economy

The country consists of two main islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, separated at a distance of 2 miles (3 km) by The Narrows strait. Both are of volcanic origin, with large central peaks covered in tropical rainforest. The majority of the population live along the flatter coastal areas.

 St Kitts contains several mountain ranges (the North West Range, Central Range and South-West Range) in its centre, where the highest peak of the country, Mount Liamuiga 1,156 metres (3,793 ft) can be found. The land narrows considerably in the south-east, forming a much flatter peninsula which contains the largest body of water, the Great Salt Pond. 

Following the collapse of the sugar industry, it was nationalised in 1975 and has encouraged further diversification of the agricultural economy to produce on 39% of the land, a wider range of foods for the domestic market. Tourism from America and the cruise ships is the major economic driver. Small industrial diversification has developed since 2000 with electronics assembly, food-processing, beverages and clothing production. 

Culture, music, dance and carnival traditions

Carnival first began in 1957 because a community leader, Mr. Basil Henderson held a meeting at Warner Park gathering private businesses and members of the community together to discuss the setting up of a carnival. While he received a lot of resistance at the time from the church, many in the community became actively involved in developing carnival. By the early 60s carnival featured a street parade, steelpan bands and a calypso show. The early carnival took a lot of its influences from carnival in Trinidad and Antigua. Specific characters and stilt walking can be traced to African roots, but are a particular feature of this carnival tradition.

Carnival traditions from St Kitts and Nevis directly contributed to the arrival and development of Carnivals in the UK through the work and inspiration of Thomas A.B. France (born Nevis 1935) who started the Leeds Carnival in 1967 and subsequently assisted in setting up Notting Hill Gate Carnival.

As he said: ‘‘Carnival has brightened up a dull city and country and it brings people together in harmony. It’s the only time you see people of all races, colours, classes, creeds and ages, when you see four generations together. It’s the only event all people join in.’’