Saint Kitts and Nevis

Where the name comes from

Saint Kitts shortens Saint Christopher, patron saint of travellers; Nevis comes from Spanish Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, “Our Lady of the Snows”, probably for the clouds on its mountain.

First people

Indigenous Caribbean communities lived here for centuries.¹

Known for

Saint Kitts is known for Brimstone Hill Fortress, a British hilltop fortress that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.²

Outside contact

English settlement on Saint Kitts began in 1623, French settlement in 1625 and English settlement on Nevis in 1628; Britain secured Saint Kitts in 1713.¹

The modern country

Saint Kitts and Nevis became independent together in 1983, and their federation gives Nevis its own assembly and premier.^3,4