MY POSTBOX: SAINT KITTS ( Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis)

Monday 10 August 2015

SAINT KITTS ( Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis)

Saint Kitts, also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island, 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. Saint Kitts and the neighbouring island of Nevis constitute one country: the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Saint Kitts and Nevis are separated by a shallow 3-kilometre (2 mi) channel known as "The Narrows". The capital of the two-island nation, and also its largest port, is the town of Basseterre on Saint Kitts. There is a modern facility for handling large cruise ships there. A ring road goes around the perimeter of the island with smaller roads branching off it; the interior of the island is too steep for habitation. Saint Kitts is 10 km (6.2 mi) away from Sint Eustatius to the north and 3 km (1.9 mi) from Nevis to the south. St. Kitts has three distinct groups of volcanic peaks: the North West or Mount Misery Range; the Middle or Verchilds Range and the South East or Olivees Range. The highest peak is Mount Liamuiga, formerly Mount Misery, a dormant volcano 1,156 m high. Saint Kitts became home to the first Caribbean British and French colonies in the mid-1620s. Along with the island nation of Nevis, Saint Kitts was a member of the British West Indies until gaining independence on 19 September 1983.

The island is one of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. It is situated about 2,100 km (1,300 mi) southeast of Miami, Florida, US. The land area of Saint Kitts is about 168 km² (65 sq mi), being approximately 29 km (18 mi) long and on average about 8 km (5.0 mi) across. Saint Kitts has a population of around 40,000, the majority of whom are of African descent. The primary language is English, with a literacy rate of approximately 98%.Residents call themselves Kittitians.

The British Leeward Islands - Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Christopher (St. Kitts), and the Virgin Islands all used postage stamps inscribed "LEEWARD ISLANDS" between 1890 and 1 July 1956, often concurrently with stamps inscribed with the colony's name. The first stamps for Nevis were issued in 1861. The first stamps for Saint Kitts, inscribed Saint Christopher, were issued in 1870 . Between 1890 and 1903, stamps of the Leeward Islands were used on the islands. Saint Kitts and Nevis started issuing stamps in 1903. These were used concurrently with the stamps of the Leeward Islands until July 1, 1956. Starting in 1952, stamps were inscribed St. Christopher Nevis and Anguilla. On February 27, 1967, St. Christopher–Nevis–Anguilla achieved Associated Statehood . However, Anguilla proclaimed independence from Saint Kitts and Nevis in July of the same year, and began issuing its own stamps. Stamps inscribed St. Christopher Nevis and Anguilla were issued for Saint Kitts and Nevis until 1980.

On June 23, 1980, separate postal administrations were established, one for Saint Kitts, the other for Nevis and different stamps were produced for each. Saint Kitts and Nevis continue to issue separate stamps after independence from the United Kingdom in 1983.