  We analyze the statistical properties of the circumnuclear HII regions of a
sample of 52 nearby galaxies ($v < 1000km/s) from archival HST/NICMOS H-band
and Pa alpha (1.87micron) observations at unprecedented spatial resolutions of
between 1 and 30pc. We find HII regions in the central regions of most
galaxies, and more than a hundred in 8 galaxies. In contrast to disk HII
regions, the physical properties (luminosity and size) of individual
circumnuclear HII regions do not vary strongly with the morphological type of
the host galaxy, nor does the number of circumnuclear HII regions per unit
area. The H alpha luminosity within the central kpc, as derived from HII region
emission, is significantly enhanced in early-type (S0/a-Sb) galaxies. We find
evidence that bars increase the circumnuclear star formation, presumably by
funneling gas from the disk towards the nucleus. Barred galaxies exhibit
enhanced luminosities of the brightest HII region, the central kpc H alpha
luminosities (an effect mostly due to the early type galaxies in our sample),
and the star formation rates per unit stellar mass (which could also be
understood as the integral equivalent widths of Pa alpha) over the central kpc
with respect to non-barred galaxies.
  We fit the luminosity functions and diameter distributions of the
circumnuclear HII regions in 8 galaxies where we can catalog enough HII regions
to do so in a meaningful way. We use power laws and find that the fitted slopes
of the HII region LF are exactly in the previously found ranges, and even
confirm a trend with steeper slopes in galaxies of earlier morphological type.
This implies that the physical processes giving rise to enhanced star formation
in the circumnuclear regions of galaxies must be similar to those in disks.
