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Saint Kitts and Nevis flag Global · Country Profile

Saint Kitts and Nevis 2023 Press Freedom Profile

Saint Kitts and Nevis is not rated by the RSF index; Freedom House classifies it as Free with a total score of 89/100. Context: pop 53K, GDP $1.05B.

RSF Score
Freedom StatusFreeFH total 89/100
GDP$1.05BWorld Bank data
Population53KNational total

2023 Press Freedom Scorecard

Overall score and global position

Saint Kitts and Nevis is not currently scored by the RSF World Press Freedom Index or by the V-Dem Freedom of Expression project; the profile relies on Freedom House and World Bank indicators below. Of the 25 Freedom House indicators, Saint Kitts and Nevis earns 14 at the maximum 4/4 and 0 at 0/4; its strongest category is Freedom of Expression (16/16) and its weakest is Personal Autonomy (13/16).

Composite index comparison

Political Rights (Freedom House)35 / 40

Elections, political pluralism, government functioning.

Civil Liberties (Freedom House)54 / 60

Freedom of expression, association, rule of law, personal autonomy.

Full socio-economic dashboard

public

Demographics & geography

Population53K
Urban population16K
Density205.0 people / km²
Land area261 km²
CapitalBasseterre
Largest cityBasseterre
Latitude17.3578°
Longitude-62.7830°
Forested area42.3%
Agricultural land23.1%
CO₂ emissions238 kt
payments

Economy & labour

GDP$1.05B
GDP per capita$19,897
CurrencyXCD
CPI104.57
CPI change (%)-1.0%
Minimum wage$3.33 /hr
Unemployment rate
Labor-force participation
Tax revenue (% of GDP)18.5%
Total tax rate49.7%
Gasoline price
medical_services

Health

Life expectancy71.3 years
Birth rate12.60 / 1 000
Fertility rate2.11 births / woman
Infant mortality9.8 / 1 000 live births
Maternal mortality ratio
Physicians2.52 / 1 000 people
Out-of-pocket health spend56.6%
school

Education

Gross primary enrollment108.7%
Gross tertiary enrollment86.7%
account_balance

Administration

Official languageEnglish
ISO abbreviationKN
Calling code+1
Armed forces size

All socio-economic indicators from the World Bank country dataset (2023 snapshot).

Democratic Rights & Civil Liberties

Freedom status explained

Freedom House classifies Saint Kitts and Nevis as Free with a 2024 aggregate score of 89/100 — meaning national institutions reliably protect political rights and civil liberties.

Within Freedom House's Americas region (35 countries), Saint Kitts and Nevis ranks #11 on the latest aggregate score — the 71st percentile. The region leaders are Canada, Uruguay, Barbados.

Political Rights vs Civil Liberties

Political Rights

35/ 40

Rating 2 of 7 (1 = best)

Civil Liberties

54/ 60

Rating 1 of 7 (1 = best)

Political rights and civil liberties are rated in similar territory, a sign that formal political channels and everyday personal freedoms move together in this country.

Twelve-year Freedom House trend

02550751002013: 912014: 902015: 902016: 882017: 892018: 892019: 892020: 892021: 892022: 892023: 892024: 89201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024

Between 2013 and 2024, Freedom House moved Saint Kitts and Nevis from Free (Free, 91/100) to Free (Free, 89/100).

Indicator trajectory (A–G over 12 years)

Of the 25 Freedom House indicators tracked for Saint Kitts and Nevis, 7 moved at least one point across the available Freedom House history. The eight with the largest absolute change appear below.

Code Indicator Earliest Latest Δ
A2 Free and fair legislative elections 4/4 (2013) 3/4 (2024) ▼ -1
A3 Electoral framework 4/4 (2013) 3/4 (2024) ▼ -1
B4 Minority political rights 4/4 (2013) 3/4 (2024) ▼ -1
D1 Free media 3/4 (2013) 4/4 (2024) ▲ +1
F1 Independent judiciary 3/4 (2013) 4/4 (2024) ▲ +1
G2 Property rights 4/4 (2013) 3/4 (2024) ▼ -1
C1 Elected officials govern 4/4 (2013) 4/4 (2024) • 0

Latest A–G indicator scorecard

A.

Electoral Process

PR

Subtotal10 / 12
  • A1Free and fair head-of-government elections

    4/4

  • A2Free and fair legislative elections

    3/4

  • A3Electoral laws and framework

    3/4

B.

Political Pluralism & Participation

PR

Subtotal15 / 16
  • B1Right to organise in political parties

    4/4

  • B2Opposition can realistically gain power

    4/4

  • B3Free political choice without domination

    4/4

  • B4Political rights of minorities

    3/4

C.

Functioning of Government

PR

Subtotal10 / 12
  • C1Elected officials determine government policy

    4/4

  • C2Safeguards against corruption

    3/4

  • C3Transparency of government

    3/4

D.

Freedom of Expression & Belief

CL

Subtotal16 / 16
  • D1Free and independent media

    4/4

  • D2Freedom of religious expression

    4/4

  • D3Academic freedom

    4/4

  • D4Free private discussion

    4/4

E.

Associational & Organisational Rights

CL

Subtotal12 / 12
  • E1Freedom of assembly

    4/4

  • E2Freedom for NGOs

    4/4

  • E3Free trade unions

    4/4

F.

Rule of Law

CL

Subtotal13 / 16
  • F1Independent judiciary

    4/4

  • F2Due process in civil and criminal matters

    3/4

  • F3Protection from illegitimate force

    3/4

  • F4Equal treatment under the law

    3/4

G.

Personal Autonomy & Individual Rights

CL

Subtotal13 / 16
  • G1Freedom of movement

    4/4

  • G2Property rights

    3/4

  • G3Personal social freedoms

    3/4

  • G4Equality of opportunity

    3/4

Each indicator is scored 0–4 by Freedom House analysts; category subtotals combine into the Political Rights (A + B + C = 0–40) and Civil Liberties (D + E + F + G = 0–60) aggregates shown above. 2024 edition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Freedom House indicator moved most in Saint Kitts and Nevis?

Indicator A2 (Free and fair legislative elections) changed by -1 points, moving from 4/4 to 3/4 across the available history — the biggest indicator-level movement of the 25 Freedom House sub-scores for Saint Kitts and Nevis.

How does Saint Kitts and Nevis rank within its Freedom House region?

Saint Kitts and Nevis holds position #11 of 35 in the Americas region on the latest Freedom House aggregate score. The region's top country is Canada (97/100).

What is Saint Kitts and Nevis's economic context for its press freedom score?

Saint Kitts and Nevis has a GDP of $1.05B across a population of 53K, giving a per-capita GDP of about $19,896. Its capital is Basseterre; the official language is English.