Central America and the Caribbean > Saint Kitts and Nevis > Government

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Administrative divisions 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point
Capital city	Basseterre
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	17 18 N, 62 43 W
Constitution	19 September 1983
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS
Executive branch > Cabinet Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister
Executive branch > Chief of state Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)
Flag description divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red
Government type	parliamentary democracy
Independence 19 September 1983 (from UK)
Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)
Legal system based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
National holiday Independence Day, 19 September
Political parties and leaders Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM [Lindsay GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]
Status democracy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Time required to start a business > days	47 days		[52nd of 171]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
United Nations mission http://www.stkittsnevis.org/

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