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Communications

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 1,220 m

Civil air [time series]

11 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

240 km

Merchant marine [time series]

105 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 364,891 GRT/552,475 DWT; includes 71 cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo, 12 container, 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 multifunction large load carrier, 1 oil tanker, 12 chemical tanker, 2 bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry

Ports [time series]

Saint 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; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV, 2 shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million, 1% of GDP (FY91)

Manpower availability [time series]

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues $92.8 million; expenditures $101 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, $10 million (1985-88); Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $50 million

Electricity [time series]

52,100 kW capacity; 95 million kWh produced, 1,482 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$33.2 million (f.o.b., 1990) 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%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$250 million (1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

exchange rate conversion - $418 million, per capita $6,500 (1989); real growth rate 4.2% (1990 est.)

Imports [time series]

$325.9 million (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50%

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

growth rate 3% (1989 est.); accounts for 3% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7% (1990 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the most important determinant of economic performance. During the period 1987-90, 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. Although Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few areas in the Caribbean experiencing a labor shortage in some sectors of the economy, it was hurt in 1991 by a downturn in tourism caused by the Persian Gulf war and the US recession.

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.0% (1988 est.)

Geography

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

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

none

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

Area (Land area) [time series]

440 km2; includes Redonda

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

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

Maritime claims [time series]

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

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

Area (Total area) [time series]

440 km2

Government

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

Constitution [time series]

1 November 1981

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

Ambassador Patrick Albert LEWIS; 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 Bryant SALTER; Embassy at Queen Elizabeth Highway, Saint John's (mailing address is FPO AA 34054); telephone (809) 462-3505 or 3506; FAX (809) 462-3516

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

House of Representatives: last held 9 March 1989 (next to be held NA 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) ALP 15, UPP 1, independent 1

Executive branch [time series]

British monarch, governor general, 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

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

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 (vacant)

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, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WCL, WHO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

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

United Progressive Party (UPP), 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), the UPP is led by Baldwin SPENCER; 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 Progressive Party (UPP), Baldwin SPENCER

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

People

Birth rate [time series]

18 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

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]

20 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

English (official), local dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

71 years male, 75 years female (1992)

Literacy [time series]

89% (male 90%, female 88%) age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1960)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

--8 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

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]

64,110 (July 1992), growth rate 0.4% (1992)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.7 children born/woman (1992)