Wikipedia:
Saint Kitts (also known more formally as
Saint Christopher Island (
Saint-Christophe in
French) is an
island in the
West Indies. The west side of the island borders the
Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the
Atlantic Ocean. Together with the island of
Nevis, Saint Kitts constitutes one country: the Federation of
Saint Kitts and Nevis.
The island is situated at
17°15′N 62°40′W / 17.25°N 62.667°W / 17.25; -62.667, about 1,300 miles (2,100 km) southeast of
Miami,
Florida, in the
United States. It has a land area of about 68 sq. miles (168 km²), being 18 by 5 miles (29 by 8 km).
Saint Kitts has a population of around 35,000, the majority of whom are mainly of
African descent. The primary language is
English, with a literacy rate of approximately 98%. Residents call themselves Kittitians. Author
Neil Strauss gained citizenship with St. Kitts while writing his book
Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life.
Saint Kitts is one of the historic centres of the Caribbean. The first successful
British colony in the West Indies was founded on the island in 1624, and the island was subsequently used as a base to settle most of the neighbouring islands for Britain. It also became the site of the first successful
French colony in the West Indies (with Britain and France splitting the island between them) in 1625, and was then used to settle other Caribbean territories for France.
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest fortress ever built in the Eastern Caribbean. The island is also home to the
Warner Park Cricket Stadium, which was used to host
2007 Cricket World Cup matches. This made St. Kitts and Nevis the smallest nation on Earth to ever host a
World Cup event.
The island is also an education centre, with the
Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine [1], Windsor University School of Medicine, and University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS).
Category:Travel and Places
Subcategory:Caribbean
Subcategory Detail:Saint Kitts and Nevis
Keywords:
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