Background: The islands of Antigua and Barbuda became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Many refugees fleeing a volcanic eruption on nearby Montserrat have settled in Antigua and Barbuda.

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total area total: 440 km²
Land: 440 km²
Comparative: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Note: includes Redonda

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 153 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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

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

Population: 65,176 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 0.68% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
Adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

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

Languages: English (official), local dialects

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 25% (female 8,062; male 8,390)
15-64 years: 69% (female 22,342; male 22,334)
65 years and over: 6% (female 2,231; male 1,817) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.68% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 17.08 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.35 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.91 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Environment
Current issues: water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly
Current issues natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

Infant mortality rate: 17.8 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.4 years
Male: 71.32 years
Female: 75.57 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

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

Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK)

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
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)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

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

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick Albert LEWIS
In the us chancery: 3,216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,016
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 362-5,211, 5,166, 5,122
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 362-5,225
In the us consulates general: Miami
From the us: the post was closed 30 June 1994; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

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

Economy overview: The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the most important determinant of economic performance. In 1993, tourism made a direct contribution to GDP of about 17%, and also spurred growth in other sectors such as construction and transport. While only accounting for roughly 5% of GDP in 1993, agricultural production increased by 4%. Tourist arrivals remained strong in 1994.

Real gdp growth rate: 3.4% (1993)

Real gdp per capita: $6,000 (1993 est.)

Agriculture products: 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

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

Industrial production growth rate: -4.9% (1993 est.), accounts for 6.5% of GDP

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

Unemployment rate: 6% (1992 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $105 million
Expenditures: $161 million, including capital expenditures of $56 million (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Exports: $54.7 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodoties: 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)
Commodoties: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil
Partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50%

Debt external: $250 million (1990 est.)

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

Electricity
Capacity: 52,100 kW
Production: 95 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 1,242 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 6,700 telephones; good automatic telephone system
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; tropospheric scatter links with Saba and Guadeloupe

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

Airports: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 2

Merchant marine
Total: 304 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,188,113 GRT/1,651,190 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 216, chemical tanker 8, container 48, liquefied gas tanker 3, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11
Note: a flag of convenience registry

Disputes international: none

Illicit drugs: a long-time but relatively minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe and recent transshipment point for heroin from Europe to the US; more significant as a drug money laundering center