Map of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a country in North America with its capital at Basseterre, home to about 46,922 people across 269 km². The interactive map below plots 1 cities and towns, 2 mountain summits and 2 ports recorded for Saint Kitts and Nevis in YearMaps.
- Population
- 46,922
- Area
- 269 km²
- Capital
- Basseterre
- Continent
- North America
Interactive Map of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Centred on Basseterre at 17.3020° N, 62.7170° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis (SKN), officially the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, is an island country located in the Caribbean consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles. With 261 square kilometres (101 sq mi) of territory, and roughly 48,000 inhabitants, it is the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere, in both area and population, as well as the world's smallest sovereign Federation. The country is a Commonwealth realm, with Charles III as king and head of state.
The capital city is Basseterre, located on the larger island of Saint Kitts. Basseterre is also the main port for passenger entry (via cruise ships) and cargo. The smaller island of Nevis lies approximately 3 km (1.6 nmi; 1.9 mi) to the southeast of Saint Kitts, across a shallow channel called the Narrows.
The British dependency of Anguilla was historically also a part of this union, which was known collectively as Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. However, Anguilla chose to secede from the union in 1967, and remains a British overseas territory.
Saint Kitts and Nevis were among the first islands in the Caribbean to be colonised by Europeans. Saint Kitts was home to the first British and French Caribbean colonies, and thus has also been titled "The Mother Colony of the West Indies". It is also the most recent British territory in the Caribbean to become independent, gaining independence in 1983. Before independence, the federation became an associated state of the United Kingdom with full internal self-government in 1964.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Saint Kitts and Nevis (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Saint Kitts and Nevis
Carib Indians occupied the islands of the West Indies for hundreds of years before the British and French began settlement in 1623. During the 17th century, Saint Kitts became the premier base for British and French expansion into the Caribbean. The French ceded the territory to the UK in 1713. At the turn of the 18th century, Saint Kitts was the richest British Crown Colony per capita in the Caribbean, a result of the sugar trade. Although small in size and separated by only 3 km (2 mi) of water, Saint Kitts and Nevis were viewed and governed as different states until the late-19th century, when the British forcibly unified them along with the island of Anguilla. In 1967, the island territory of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla became an associated state of the UK with full internal autonomy. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. The remaining islands achieved independence in 1983 as Saint Kitts and Nevis. In 1998, a referendum on Nevis to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the necessary two-thirds majority.
- Location
- Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago.
- Climate
- Tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
- Terrain
- Volcanic with mountainous interiors.
- Highest point
- Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m.
- Lowest point
- Caribbean Sea 0 m.
- Coastline
- 135 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Arable land.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 23.1% (2023 est.); arable land: 19.2% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 3.5% (2023 est.); forest: 42.3% (2023 est.); other: 34.6% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Hurricanes (July to October) volcanism: Mount Liamuiga (1,156 m) on Saint Kitts and Nevis Peak (985 m) on Nevis are part of the volcanic-island arc of the Lesser Antilles, which extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south.
- Geographic note
- Smallest country in the Western Hemisphere in terms of both area and population; the two volcanic islands are separated by a 3-km-wide (9-mi-wide) channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of baseball-bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its ball-shaped namesake island.
- Languages
- English (official)
- Ethnic groups
- African descent 92.5%, mixed 3%, White 2.1%, East Indian 1.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 0.3% (2001 est.)
- Economy
- High-income, tourism-based Caribbean OECS economy; better debt balancing; CARICOM and ECCU member; growing offshore financial and telecommunications hub; environmentally fragile; unique citizenship-driven growth model.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Saint Kitts and Nevis in Numbers
- Population
- 46,922
- GDP
- US$1.2 billion
- GDP per person
- US$25,223
- Life expectancy
- 72.3 years
- Population growth
- 0.17% a year
- Population density
- 179 per km²
- Urban population
- 31.9%
- Surface area
- 261 km²
- Forest cover
- 42.1%
- Arable land
- 19.2%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 76.9%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Saint Kitts and Nevis in Depth
History
The earliest known inhabitants of Saint Kitts and Nevis were pre-ceramic, pre-agricultural people who arrived as early as 3000 BCE. These groups, often referred to as "Archaic people," were hunter-gatherers who migrated down the archipelago from Florida. Due to the absence of pottery and other durable artifacts, their cultural affiliations remain uncertain. Around 100 BCE, the islands saw the arrival of the Saladoid people, a ceramic-using, agricultural society that migrated northward from the Orinoco River region in present-day Venezuela. They introduced agriculture and pottery to the islands and established settled communities.
By approximately 800 CE, the Igneri people, associated with the Arawak linguistic group, had settled on the islands.
Geography
The country consists of two main islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, separated at a distance of 2 miles (3 km) by a shallow channel called The Narrows.
The capital city is Basseterre, located on the larger island of Saint Kitts. Basseterre is also the main port for passenger entry (via cruise ships) and cargo.
Both main islands 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. Along the east coast can be found the Canada Hills and Conaree Hills.
Economy
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a twin-island federation whose economy is characterised by its dominant tourism, agriculture, and light manufacturing industries. Sugar was the primary export from the 1940s on, but rising production costs, low world market prices, and the government's efforts to reduce dependence on it have led to a growing diversification of the agricultural sector. In 2005, the government decided to close down the state-owned sugar company, which had experienced losses and was a significant contributor to the fiscal deficit. In the 21st century, the government has sought to diversify the economy via agriculture, tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking.
Demographics
The population of Saint Kitts and Nevis is around 53,000 (July 2019 est.) and has remained relatively constant for many years. At the end of the 19th century there were 42,600 residents, the number slowly rising to a little over 50,000 by the mid-twentieth century. Between 1960 and 1990, the population dropped from 50,000 to 40,000, before rising again to its current level. Approximately three-quarters of the population live on Saint Kitts, 15,500 of them in Basseterre.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Saint Kitts and Nevis (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Saint Kitts and Nevis: Key Facts
| Currency | Eastern Caribbean dollar |
|---|---|
| Official language | English |
| Head of state | Charles III |
| Head of government | Terrance Drew |
| Form of government | constitutional monarchy, federal monarchy |
| Calling code | +1869 |
| Internet domain | .kn |
| Highest point | Mount Liamuiga |
| Lowest point | Caribbean Sea |
| Established | 27 February 1967 |
Facts from Wikidata Q763 (CC0).
Visiting Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis are a pair of tropical islands in the Caribbean, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago. What is really remarkable on Saint Kitts and Nevis is the natural aspect. Many tropical birds which one rarely finds elsewhere are present in great concentration in the nature and there are also the famous monkeys which, it is said, were introduced by the pirates. It is called "The Mother Colony of the West Indies".
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Saint Kitts and Nevis (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Saint Kitts and Nevis
1 city recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basseterre | 21,887 | — | National capital |
Highest Mountains in Saint Kitts and Nevis
2 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Misery | 1,156 m | 3,793 ft | North America |
| 2 | Mount Scenery | 870 m | 2,854 ft | North America |
Mount Scenery
Mountain · 870 m
Mount Scenery is a mountain rising to 870 metres (2,854 ft) in Saint Kitts and Nevis, in the North America region. From PeakBagger.com, with kind permission..
Mount Scenery is a dormant volcano in the Caribbean Netherlands. Its lava dome forms the summit of the Saba island stratovolcano. At an elevation of 870 m (2,854 ft), it is the highest point in both the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and, since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010, the highest point in the Netherlands proper.
The Saba volcano is potentially dangerous. It is currently classified as "dormant", which means it is an active volcano that is not erupting now, but could erupt in the future. The last eruption was in or around the year 1640 and included explosions and pyroclastic flows. The most recent major eruption was at least 5,000 years ago. According to the U.S. Global Volcanism Program, Saba's volcano is the northernmost active volcano in the Caribbean.
On 2 September 2019, Mount Scenery Nature Park was elevated to the status of national park. It has a hiking trail to the summit of the volcano, which is one of Saba's biggest tourist attractions. Along the way up the mountain are the multiple climate zones of Saba, including a cloud forest at the summit.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Scenery (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 870 m (2,854 ft)
- Global rank
- #575 of 641 indexed
- Region
- North America (#117)
- Subregion
- West Indies
- Country
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Coordinates
- 17.6301°, -63.2400°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Mount Scenery ranks #575 by elevation, below Slaettaratindur (882 m) and above Uluru/Ayers Rock (863 m).
- Ranges:
- Wilhelmina Gebergte (South America), Tumuc-Humac Mountains (South America)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Crocus Hill (65 m), Soufrière Hills Volcano (914 m), Mount Obama (402 m)
- Settlements below:
- Basseterre (66 km), Saint John's (158 km), Christiansted (161 km)
More about Mount Scenery
History
The formation of Mount Scenery began about 500,000 years ago, when the subaerial part of Saba began forming. About 100,000 years ago, another phase of volcanic activity created the hills that surround The Bottom. It was likely during this time that Mount Scenery's lava dome summit formed. The last major eruption happened about 5,000 years ago, during the Holocene era. The volcano was plugged by a massive basalt rock, which is why there is no typical volcanic crater at Mount Scenery's summit.
Volcanic activity on Saba occurred up to the mid-17th century, just before European settlement on the island.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Scenery (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Mount Scenery: Key Facts
| Topographic prominence | 870 m |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q1301834 (CC0).
Ports in Saint Kitts and Nevis
2 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlestown | 31.1 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | point_of_interest |
| 2 | Basseterre | 9.1 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Saint Kitts and Nevis
1 World Heritage Site recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park | 1999 | Cultural | (iii) (iv) |
Largest Islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis
1 island recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Indies | 1.73M km² | Island group |
West Indies
Island group · 1.73M km²
West Indies is an island group in North America (West Indies), covering an estimated 1.73M km². It extends across Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao, Barbados and Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is the 7th-largest of the 445 islands with a mapped extent in YearMaps.
The West Indies are an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies in three archipelagos: the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the Lucayan Archipelago.
The subregion includes all the islands in the Antilles, in addition to The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, which are in the North Atlantic Ocean. The term is often interchangeable with "Caribbean", although the latter may also include coastal regions of Central and South American mainland nations.
Adapted from Wikipedia: West Indies (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island group
- Mapped extent
- 1.73M km²
- Size rank
- #7 of 445 islands
- Region
- North America
- Subregion
- West Indies
- Countries
- Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao, Barbados, Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Coordinates
- 12.3123°, -60.8486°
- Summits:
- Mount Scenery (870 m)
- Ranges:
- Wilhelmina Gebergte (South America), Tumuc-Humac Mountains (South America)
- Settlements:
- Basseterre (20 km)
More about West Indies
History
Many cultures were Indigenous to these islands, with evidence dating some of them back to the mid-6th millennium BCE. In the late 16th century, French, English and Dutch merchants and privateers began operations in the Caribbean Sea, attacking Spanish and Portuguese shipping and coastal areas. They often took refuge and refitted their ships in the areas the Spanish could not conquer, including the islands of the Lesser Antilles, the northern coast of South America, including the mouth of the Orinoco, and the Atlantic Coast of Central America.
Geology
The West Indies are a geologically complex island system consisting of 7,000 islands and islets stretching over 3,000 km (2,000 miles) from the Florida peninsula south-southeast to the northern coast of Venezuela. These islands include active volcanoes, low-lying atolls, raised limestone islands, and large fragments of continental crust containing tall mountains and insular rivers. Each of the three archipelagos has a unique origin and geologic composition.
The Greater Antilles is geologically the oldest of the three archipelagos and includes both the largest islands (Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico) and the tallest mountains (Pico Duarte, Blue Mountain Peak, Pic la Selle, Pico Turquino) in the Caribbean.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: West Indies (CC BY-SA 4.0).
West Indies: Key Facts
| Area | 244,890 km² |
|---|---|
| Surrounded by | Atlantic Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q669037 (CC0).
Countries Bordering Saint Kitts and Nevis
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in North America
Saint Kitts and Nevis: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis?
- The capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis is Basseterre.
- What is the population of Saint Kitts and Nevis?
- Saint Kitts and Nevis has a population of about 46,922, the #208 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Saint Kitts and Nevis?
- Saint Kitts and Nevis covers 269 km², ranking #212 by area, with about 174 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Saint Kitts and Nevis in?
- Saint Kitts and Nevis is in North America.
- Which countries border Saint Kitts and Nevis?
- Saint Kitts and Nevis shares a land or maritime border with United Kingdom, Venezuela.
- What is the largest city in Saint Kitts and Nevis?
- Basseterre is the largest city in Saint Kitts and Nevis, with a metropolitan population of about 21,887.
- What is the highest mountain in Saint Kitts and Nevis?
- The highest summit recorded for Saint Kitts and Nevis in YearMaps is Mount Misery at 1,156 m (3,793 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.