St. Kitts & Nevis profile

Demography and Health

St. Kitts & Nevis is a small, highly concentrated population country with about 46,843 residents in 2024. The crude birth rate is 11.7 per 1,000 people (2023), while the crude death rate is 9.96 per 1,000 (2023), indicating a modest natural increase and a relatively balanced demographic dynamic in the near term. Life expectancy at birth stands at 72.1 years (2023), which sits in the mid-range for small island economies in the region, and the under-5 mortality rate is 16.3 per 1,000 live births (2023), signaling ongoing challenges in child health relative to high-income peers though improvements are common with increasing health investments. Net migration is negative at -7.0 per 1,000 people in 2024, suggesting outward movement of residents, which can influence labor supply, aging patterns, and demand for health and social services in the medium term. Health system capacity is evidenced by 4.33 hospital beds per 1,000 people (2021), a sign of access to inpatient care that supports both general and acute services, though it also reflects the small scale of the archipelago’s healthcare infrastructure. Government health spending is moderate in share of GDP (5.57% of GDP in 2022) with per-capita health expenditure at PPP US$1,024 (2022), indicating a targeted level of public financing for health services despite the economy’s small size. Digital connectivity is reasonably strong, with 76.4% of the population using the Internet in 2023, which supports health information dissemination, telemedicine prospects, and overall societal resilience in health communication. Together, these indicators portray a nation with accessible health infrastructure and ongoing demographic shifts driven by migration, aging pressures, and the needs of a small population navigating modern health challenges.

Economy

The economy shows a mix of affluence and vulnerability typical of small Caribbean economies. GDP per capita is US$22,771 in 2024 (current prices), with a purchasing power parity basis of US$35,545, signaling a level of income comparable to regional peers and a capacity to support domestic services and import-dependent consumption. Inflation stood at 3.56% in 2023, indicating relatively stable price growth for a small economy with exposure to external price swings. The economy attracts foreign direct investment net inflows equal to 2.05% of GDP in 2024, reflecting modest external capital participation in growth sectors such as tourism-related activities and services. However, the current account balance remains negative at 15.9% of GDP in 2024, highlighting a structural reliance on imports and external financing to support investment and consumption patterns. On the energy front, renewable energy consumption accounts for a small share of final energy consumption—1.5% in 2022—pointing to low decarbonization momentum and a potential opportunity to diversify energy supply and reduce import bills over time. The environmental footprint is underscored by total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF at 3.73 tonnes of CO2e per capita in 2023, a level that reflects a footprint shaped by transportation, small-scale energy use, and construction activity, with ample room for efficiency gains and a shift toward cleaner energy sources as the economy grows and diversifies.

Trade and Investment

St. Kitts & Nevis maintains a modest but meaningful footprint in international investment. Net foreign direct investment inflows reach 2.05% of GDP in 2024, signaling ongoing interest from foreign capital in the country’s services, hospitality, and related sectors. However, the current account deficit of 15.9% of GDP in 2024 indicates that the nation continues to rely on external financing to support import-heavy consumption and investment, a pattern not uncommon for small, open economies with sophisticated service sectors but limited domestic production of tradable goods. This external orientation is complemented by a governance context that is mid-range on regulatory quality (0.542 in 2023) and by rule-of-law indicators near the 0.48 level, highlighting a business environment that is stable but with ongoing improvements possible in regulatory efficiency and contract enforcement. Taken together, the trade and investment profile suggests opportunities for growth through higher value-added services and tourism, balanced by the need to manage external vulnerability and to strengthen the business climate to attract larger or more diversified investment inflows.

Governance and Institutions

St. Kitts & Nevis exhibits a political environment characterized by visible stability and relatively strong performance on safety metrics: Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism scores are 0.923 (2023), with a rank of 34, signaling a conducive climate for governance and investment. The broader governance indicators show room for improvement but a generally credible institutional framework: Regulatory Quality is 0.542 (rank 57), Rule of Law is 0.48 (rank 64), Control of Corruption is 0.413 (rank 64), and Government Effectiveness is 0.38 (rank 68), all measured in 2023. These figures suggest that while institutions function reliably in many respects, there is ongoing potential to bolster regulatory efficiency, law enforcement outcomes, and overall government effectiveness to better support private sector activity, public service delivery, and resilience to external shocks in a small, open economy.

Infrastructure and Technology

The country’s health and digital infrastructures are notable assets. Hospital beds per 1,000 people stand at 4.33 (2021), reflecting a modest but functional inpatient capacity to support routine care and acute events. Internet penetration is relatively high, with 76.4% of the population online in 2023, enabling digital services, e-government, and online commerce. Yet the energy sector remains comparatively underdeveloped in renewables: renewable energy consumption accounts for only 1.5% of total final energy consumption (2022), indicating a heavy reliance on imported energy and a significant opportunity for diversification and resilience building through solar, wind, or other clean energy sources. These infrastructure and technology profiles shape the country’s capacity to attract investment, deliver services, and adapt to digital and environmental transitions, all within the constraints of a small geographic and demographic footprint.

Environment and Sustainability

Environmental indicators reveal both vulnerability and potential. Level of water stress, defined as freshwater withdrawal as a share of available resources, is 50.8% (2021), signaling notable pressure on water resources and the need for efficient water management, storage, and conservation strategies in a climate that can bring variability in rainfall. Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF are 3.73 t CO2e per capita (2023), a figure typical of small island economies with transportation and energy sectors that are not heavily electrified. The combination of a low renewable share and ongoing development pressures suggests clear opportunities to advance energy efficiency, expand renewable generation, and adopt climate-adaptive infrastructure to reduce vulnerability to external energy price shocks and climate events, while supporting sustainable tourism and long-term resilience. Overall, St. Kitts & Nevis faces the challenge of balancing growth with resource stewardship, leveraging its governance strengths and connectivity to pursue a greener growth trajectory in a small, open economy.