Which country is officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis?

The country officially called the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis is Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The federation consists of two Caribbean islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. Saint Kitts is the larger island and contains Basseterre, the capital and largest city. Nevis lies southeast of Saint Kitts across a narrow channel called The Narrows.

The wording can confuse readers because the constitution and legal documents use both “Saint Kitts and Nevis” and “Saint Christopher and Nevis.” The longer form is especially associated with formal legal and diplomatic usage, while Saint Kitts and Nevis is the standard name used in everyday geography, quizzes, maps and international references.

The islands became independent from the United Kingdom on September 19, 1983. Before independence, they were part of the colonial grouping Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla; Anguilla separated in 1967. Saint Kitts was also historically known as Saint Christopher, while Nevis derives from the Spanish phrase Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, meaning “Our Lady of the Snows.”