Weather
Tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November).
Terrain
Volcanic with mountainous interiors.
Currency
East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)
Languages
English
Religion
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Ethnic groups
predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
History
First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis is once more trying to separate from the Saint Kitts.
|
