By Contributing Writer
St. Kitts and Nevis is comprised of two islands. The capital of the islands is Basseterre. As of 2007, the population was 39,129. The primary ethnic group is of African decent but there are other groups of British, Lebanese and Portuguese decent. English is the official language of the islands.
Original Inhabitants
The Carib Indians were the earliest known inhabitants of the ST. Kitts and Nevis islands. The Carib Indians migrated from Central America.
European Exploration
Christopher Columbus discovered both islands in 1493 as his second expedition to the "New World".
European Settlement
Europeans began settling on the islands in 1623. The English and French were the first settlers on the islands followed by the Spanish and Dutch. The Europeans raised tobacco, ginger, cotton and indigo.
First Colony
St. Kitts was the first English colony that led to the exploration and settlement of more islands in the region.
Sugar
Beginning in the 1640s, sugar production was introduced, thus, the slave trade began. Sugar production lasted until the 1970s. Farmers knew early in the 1700s that the rocky soil made sugar production difficult.
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