Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis

Basseterre is the capital and largest city of Saint Kitts and Nevis. It was made capital of the entire island of St. Kitts in 1727, following French expulsion from the island and full British control. Most of the city structures were built after the great fire of 1867. The Circus was modelled after Piccadilly Circus.

About Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis in brief

Summary Basseterre, Saint Kitts and NevisBasseterre is the capital and largest city of Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is one of the oldest towns in the Eastern Caribbean. The city was made capital of the entire island of St. Kitts in 1727, following French expulsion from the island and full British control. Most of the city structures were built after the great fire of 1867. The Circus was modelled after Piccadilly Circus, and the fountain in the centre was built in 1883, and dedicated to The Honourable Thomas Berkeley Hardtman Berkeley, the father of Henry Spencer Berkeley. Basseterre has no dry season; all 12 months on average see more than 60 mm of precipitation. It has a tropical rainforest climate, with temperatures averaging 27 °C year-round. On average, 1700 mm of rain falls on the city annually, and it is drained by the College River and the Westbourne River, which are locally known as ‘ghauts’ and are dry most of the year.

The town is located at 17°18′N 62°44′W, with an estimated population of 14,000 in 2018. It lies on the south western coast of Saint. Kitts Island, almost completely surrounded by lush green hills and mountains. It was founded in 1627 by the French, under Sieur Pierre Belain d’Esnambuc, and served as the capital of. the French colony of Saint-Christophe, which consisted of the northern and southern extremities of the island. The name Capesterre, given to the region to the North, was dubbed so as it was facing the wind, and is also due to the fact that the island is on the lee of winds of the. island, and thus a safe anchorage. It is also the country’s main port for both sea and air travel, as well as the hub of both air and rail transport.