Saint Kitts and Nevis

Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is a small island nation in the Caribbean. St. Kitts was originally colonized by both French settlers in the 16th century, and later by British settlers in 1623. Settlements began appearing on Nevis in 1628, but one year later a Spanish expedition enforced claims on both islands and deported both French and English settlers. When the settlers returned shortly thereafter, a period of contention ensued in which both nations vied for control of the islands. This was settled in 1713 when full control was ceded to Great Britain. Full independence was granted to the nation in 1983, making it the youngest soverign nation in the Americas.

With a population of just over 51,000, Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas in terms of population as well as area. Nevertheless, the nation maintains both a military service (the Saint Kitts and Nevis Defence Force) and a national law enforcement agency (the Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force). The former consists of one battalion of infantry and a small maritime unit.

• Members of the St. Kitts Nevis Regiment wear US m81 woodland camouflage.