Nevis - Key Characteristics

Geographical and Historical

The island of Nevis is situated in the Caribbean Sea, very close to its sister island of St. Kitts, approximately 1600 miles from New York and less than an hour by air from Puerto Rico.

From the 17th Century to 1967 Nevis was governed by England as part of the colony of the Leeward Islands. Nevis and St. Kitts achieved full political independence in 1983, having been part of a Three-Island Federation since 1967.

Law

Under their sovereign status Nevis and St. Kitts have adopted the British parliamentary system of government. They have their own unilateral legislature and a government with the authority to formulate its own economic decisions.

Since attaining independence in 1983 the islands have enjoyed political stability. The legal system is based on English Common Law, which is partly codified and partly based on case law.

Currency

The official currency of the Islands is the Eastern-Caribbean Dollar (ECD) which is shared by eight states in total and pegged to the US Dollar, which is generally considered to be the second currency and is freely accepted throughout the island.

The major source of revenue on Nevis is tourism, closely followed by international financial services.