Map of Antigua and Barbuda | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


Background: The islands of Antigua and Barbuda became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.


top of page


Location: Caribbean, in the eastern Caribbean Sea, about 420 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 440 km²
Land: 440 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 153 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic areas

Elevation

Natural resources: negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use
Arable land: 18%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 7%
Forest and woodland: 16%
Other: 59%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: subject to hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Geography


top of page


Population: 64,762 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 0.59% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)

Ethnic groups: black African, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Languages: English (official), local dialects

Religions: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.59% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 17.31 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 5.44 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.93 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: insufficient freshwater resources

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 18.5 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.11 years
Male: 71.07 years
Female: 75.26 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.67 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1960)
Total population: 89%
Male: 90%
Female: 88%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form:

Government 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

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

Constitution: 1 November 1981

Legal system: based on English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993)
Head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March 1994)

Legislative branch: Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (including the Coast Guard)
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

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WCL, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, and, in his absence, the Embassy is headed by Charge d'Affaires Bryant J. SALTER
From the us chancery: Suite 4M, 3,400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20,008
From the us telephone: (809) 462-3,505 or 3,506
From the us fax: (809) 462-3,516
From the us consulates general: Miami
From the us embassy: Queen Elizabeth Highway, Saint John's
From the us mailing address: FPO AA 34,054-0001

Flag description: 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the most important determinant of economic performance. During the period 1986-91, real GDP expanded at an annual average rate of about 6%. Tourism makes a direct contribution to GDP of about 13% and also affects growth in other sectors - particularly in construction, communications, and public utilities. In 1992, reduced government capital spending and private sector investment, dampened by recession in the major world economies, slowed economic growth.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA

Real gdp per capita: $5,800 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 4% of GDP; expanding output of cotton, fruits, vegetables, and livestock; other crops - bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; not self-sufficient in food

Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1989 est.), accounts for 8% of GDP

Labor force: 30,000
By occupation commerceand services: 82%
By occupation agriculture: 11%
By occupation industry: 7% (1983)

Unemployment rate: 5% (1988 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$105 million

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $54.7 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities: petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, food and live animals 4%, machinery and transport equipment 17%
Partners: OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%, US 0.3%

Imports: $260.9 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil
Partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $250 million (1990 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

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


top of page


Electricity
Capacity: 52,100 kW
Production: 95 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 1,482 kWh (1992)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million, 1% of GDP (FY90/91)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 3
Usable: 3
With permanentsurface runways: 2
With runways 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 0

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: 227 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 849,699 GRT/1,218,492 DWT, bulk 4, cargo 156, chemical tanker 11, container 37, liquified gas 2, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11
Note: a flag of convenience registry

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs