Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda 

 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Area

Note: Includes Redonda

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

153 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

None

Climate

Tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

Mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic areas
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

NA

Environment

PEOPLE

Population

65,647 (July 1996 est.)
65,176 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

25% (male 8,386; female 8,043) (July 1996 est.)
25% (male 8,390; female 8,062) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

69% (male 22,589; female 22,548) (July 1996 est.)
69% (male 22,334; female 22,342) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

6% (male 1,820; female 2,261) (July 1996 est.)
6% (male 1,817; female 2,231) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.76% (1996 est.)
0.68% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

16.83 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
17.08 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

5.32 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.35 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

-3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
-4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

1.68 children born/woman (1996 est.)
1.68 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

English (official), local dialects

Literacy

Age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (1960)

Labor Force

30,000

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

AC

Type

Parliamentary democracy

Capital

Saint John's

Administrative Divisions

6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip

Independence

1 November 1981 (from U.K.)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

Constitution

1 November 1981

Legal System

Based on English common law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Bicameral Parliament

Senate

17 member body appointed by the governor general

House of Representatives

Elections last held 8 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) ALP 11, UPP 5, independent 1

Judicial Branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia), one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political Parties and Leaders

Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Lester Bryant BIRD; United Progressive Party (UPP), headed by Baldwin SPENCER, a coalition of three opposition political parties-the United National Democratic Party (UNDP); the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM); and the Progressive Labor Movement (PLM)

Other Political or Pressure Groups

Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), William ROBINSON; People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Hugh MARSHALL

Member of

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Anthem

Flag

Red with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white with a yellow rising sun in the black band

ECONOMY

Overview

Tourism continues to be by far the dominant activity in the economy but the combined share in GDP of transport and communications, trade, and public utilities has increased markedly in recent years. Tourism's direct contribution to output in 1994 was about 20%. In addition, increased tourist arrivals helped spur growth in the construction and transport sectors. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing - which accounts for 3.5% of GDP - comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about half of all tourist arrivals.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $425 million (1994 est.), $400 million (1993 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

4.2% (1994 est.)
3.4% (1993)

National Product Per Capita

$6,600 (1994 est.)
$6,000 (1993 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

3.5% (1994)
7% (1993)

Unemployment Rate

5%-10%(1995 est.)
6% (1992 est.)

Budget

Exports

$40.9 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
$54.7 million (f.o.b., 1992)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$443.8 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
$260.9 million (f.o.b., 1992)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$377 million (1995 est.)
$250 million (1990 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate -4.9% (1993 est.); accounts for 6.5% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for 5% of GDP; expanding output of cotton, fruits, vegetables, and livestock; other crops - bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; not self-sufficient in food

Illicit Drugs

A long-time but relatively minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the U.S. and Europe and recent transshipment point for heroin from Europe to the U.S.; more significant as a drug money laundering center

Economic Aid

Currency

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange Rates

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Ports

Saint John's

Merchant Marine

Note: A flag of convenience registry: Germany owns 12 ships, Slovenia 3, Croatia 2, Cyprus 1, and US 1 (1995 est.)

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

6,700 telephones; good automatic telephone system

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (includes the Coast Guard)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million, 1% of GDP (FY90/91)

History
World Atlas