Antigua and Barbuda

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

name: Saint John's geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after Saint John the Apostle

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014) head of government: Prime Minister Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister

legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral

highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: Industrial Court; Magistrates' Courts

history: several previous; latest presented 31 July 1981, effective 31 October 1981 (The Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981) amendment process: proposed by either house of Parliament; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, the establishment, power, and authority of the executive and legislative branches, the Supreme Court Order, and the procedure for amending the constitution requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership of both houses, approval by at least two-thirds majority in a referendum, and assent to by the governor general; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by both houses

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF): Antigua and Barbuda Regiment, Air Wing, Coast Guard Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda (RPFAB) (2025)

18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women; no conscription (2025)

the ABDF s responsibilities include providing for internal security and support to the police in maintaining law and order, interdicting narcotics smuggling, responding to natural disasters, and monitoring the country s territorial waters and maritime resources; established in 1981 from colonial forces originally created in 1897, it is one of the world s smallest militaries the country has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

$2.772 billion (2024 est.) $2.657 billion (2023 est.) $2.594 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$29,600 (2024 est.) $28,500 (2023 est.) $27,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.3% (2024 est.) 2.4% (2023 est.) 9.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

6.2% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 7.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

86.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

$1.314 billion (2024 est.) $1.185 billion (2023 est.) $1.111 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$1.282 billion (2024 est.) $1.273 billion (2023 est.) $1.227 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

revenues: $251.418 million (2014 est.) expenditures: $266.044 million (2014 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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

tropical fruits, milk, mangoes/guavas, eggs, lemons/limes, pumpkins/squash, sweet potatoes, vegetables, cucumbers/gherkins, yams (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 102,634 (2024 est.) male: 48,311 female: 54,323

1.09% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 21.8% (male 11,384/female 11,034) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 32,312/female 37,094) 65 years and over: 10.5% (2024 est.) (male 4,615/female 6,195)

14.7 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 78.3 years (2024 est.) male: 76.1 years female: 80.5 years

urban population: 24.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

African descent 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, Hispanic 2.7%, White 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.) note: data represent population by ethnic group

English (official), Antiguan Creole (an English-based creole)

Protestant 68.3% (Anglican 17.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.4%, Pentecostal 12.2%, Moravian 8.3%, Methodist 5.6%, Wesleyan Holiness 4.5%, Church of God 4.1%, Baptist 3.6%), Roman Catholic 8.2%, other 12.2%, unspecified 5.5%, none 5.9% (2011 est.)

NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

refugees: 5 (2024 est.)

4 (2025)

total: 614 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 24, container ship 109, general cargo 425, oil tanker 6, other 50

total subscriptions: 186,182 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 201 (2022 est.)

percent of population: 78% (2023 est.)