Saint Kitts and Nevis are two islands that make up one nation in the West Indies, with a history of settlement by indigenous people, Europeans, and Caribbean populations. They gained independence in 1983 and are now popular tourist destinations with well-developed tourist industries. Saint Kitts is busier, while Nevis is more relaxed, and both offer natural beauty and historical sites. Flights arrive from various cities in the US and Europe.
Saint Kitts and Nevis are two islands that make up one nation. They cover 100 square miles (260 square km), making them just a little bigger than Washington DC. Saint Kitts and Nevis is located in the West Indies, near Antigua, Barbados, Saint Barts and Saint Martin.
Saint Kitts and Nevis were first settled by indigenous people of what is now the state of Florida, around 3000 BC. These settlements lasted for a few centuries, before all the inhabitants died out and the islands were left empty. The islands remained uninhabited until about 100 BC, when Venezuelans made their way to them. In AD 800 the island was further settled by the Arawaks, who established a relatively large and stable population base. Five hundred years later the Caribs arrived on the island, driving the Arawaks further north and using Saint Kitts and Nevis as bases of operations for their aggressive settlement of neighboring islands.
The first European contact with Saint Kitts and Nevis was made by Columbus in 1493, who settled on the island. With the exception of a few forays into settlement by the French, no further colonization of the islands took place until 1623. In that year the English settled Saint Kitts, under Captain Thomas Warner. Two years later Warners allowed the French to develop their settlement on the island as well. A year later, following the revelation of a planned Caribbean incursion on the island, Warner led a virtual extermination of the Caribbean population, deporting the few survivors.
Nevis was settled by the English from Saint Kitts in 1628 and remained under British control even while Saint Kitts occasionally passed into French hands. The British finally regained full control of Saint Kitts by treaty in 1713 and the all-British pair of Saint Kitts and Nevis was established. This couple had the distinction of being the most profitable of the British colonies, per capita, for more than a hundred years. It was not until the abolition of slavery in the British colonies in 1834 that the lucrative profits of the sugar industry began to decline. The sugar trade, despite these setbacks, continued to dominate the economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis until the industry’s final closure in 2005.
After following a similar path to other dependencies in the West Indies, Saint Kitts and Nevis finally gained independence in 1983. Although there have been occasional rumblings of Nevis secession, the nation remains united. This is likely to change at some point in the near future, however, as political sentiment on Nevis continues to favor the separation.
St Kitts and Nevis are both jewels in the West Indies, with tropical beaches, sparkling waters and friendly locals. The tourist industry is well developed: in fact, Nevis was home to the first hotel in the entire western hemisphere, the Bath Hotel, which opened in 1778. St Kitts is generally a much busier place than Nevis, with a vibrant nightlife and more luxury resorts. Nevis is better suited to the quiet traveller, with quieter beaches and a more relaxed approach. Outside of the natural beauty, visitors often enjoy looking at the ruins of British and French outposts, such as the 1700s British fort of Brimstone Hill. One of the main attractions in Nevis is the Botanical Gardens, sometimes called the Eden of the Caribbean, which boasts an incredible variety of flora.
Flights arrive in Saint Kitts from Miami, Boston and New York and from many European cities via St. Martin or San Juan.
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