Airports [time series]

3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways less than 2,440 m

Civil air [time series]

10 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

240 km

Merchant marine [time series]

80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 307,315 GRT/501,552 DWT; includes 50 cargo, 4 refrigerated cargo, 8 container, 8 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 5 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 1 short-sea passenger; note--a flag of convenience registry

Ports [time series]

St. John's

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

64 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge and 13 km 0.610-meter gauge used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

good automatic telephone system; 6,700 telephones; tropospheric scatter links with Saba and Guadeloupe; stations--4 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV, 2 shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

NA

Military manpower [time series]

NA

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Aid [time series]

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $40 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $77 million; expenditures $81 million, including capital expenditures of $13 million (1988 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

East Caribbean dollar (plural--dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Electricity [time series]

49,000 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 1,410 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$30.4 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--petroleum products 46%, manufactures 29%, food and live animals 14%, machinery and transport equipment 11%; partners--Trinidad and Tobago 40%, Barbados 8%, US 0.3%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$245.4 million (1987)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$353.5 million, per capita $5,550; real growth rate 6.2% (1989 est.)

Imports [time series]

$302.1 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities--food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil; partners--US 27%, UK 14%, CARICOM 7%, Canada 4%, other 48%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 10% (1987)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7.1% (1988 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the most important determinant of economic performance. During the period 1983-87, real GDP expanded at an annual average rate of 8%. Tourism's contribution to GDP, as measured by value added in hotels and restaurants, rose from about 14% in 1983 to 17% in 1987, and stimulated growth in other sectors--particularly in construction, communications, and public utilities. During the same period the combined share of agriculture and manufacturing declined from 12% to less than 10%. Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few areas in the Caribbean experiencing a labor shortage in some sectors of the economy.

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.0% (1988 est.)

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline [time series]

153 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Contiguous zone [time series]

24 nm;

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); insufficient freshwater resources; deeply indented coastline provides many natural harbors

Extended economic zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

18% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 7% meadows and pastures; 16% forest and woodland; 59% other

Natural resources [time series]

negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Note [time series]

420 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Terrain [time series]

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

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

440 km2; land area: 440 km2; includes Redonda

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Saint John's

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

negligible

Constitution [time series]

1 November 1981

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Edmund Hawkins LAKE; Chancery at Suite 2H, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 362-5211 or 5166, 5122, 5225; there is an Antiguan Consulate in Miami; US--the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, and in his absence, the Embassy is headed by Charge d'Affaires Roger R. GAMBLE; Embassy at Queen Elizabeth Highway, Saint John's (mailing address is FPO Miami 34054); telephone (809) 462-3505 or 3506

Executive branch [time series]

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

1 November 1981 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Wilfred Ebenezer JACOBS (since 1 November 1981, previously Governor since 1976); Head of Government--Prime Minister Vere Cornwall BIRD, Sr. (since NA 1976); Deputy Prime Minister Lester BIRD (since NA 1976)

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

none

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IMF, ISO, OAS, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM), a small leftist nationalist group led by Leonard (Tim) Hector; Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), headed by Noel Thomas

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Vere C. Bird, Sr., Lester Bird; United National Democratic Party (UNDP), Dr. Ivor Heath

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18 House of Representatives--last held 9 March 1989 (next to be held 1994); results--percentage of vote by party NA; seats--(17 total) ALP 15, UNDP 1, independent 1

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Birth rate [time series]

18 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

almost entirely of black African origin; some of British, Portuguese, Lebanese, and Syrian origin

Infant mortality rate [time series]

23 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

30,000; 82% commerce and services, 11% agriculture, 7% industry (1983)

Languages (Language) [time series]

English (official), local dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

70 years male, 74 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

90% (est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Antiguan(s); adjective--Antiguan

Net migration rate [time series]

- 10 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

Antigua and Barbuda Public Service Association (ABPSA), membership 500; Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), 10,000 members; Antigua Workers Union (AWU), 10,000 members (1986 est.)

Population [time series]

63,726 (July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.7 children born/woman (1990)