Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 2 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 2 televisions: NA

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]

exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million, 1% of GDP (FY90/91) ARCTIC OCEAN

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $105 million expenditures: $161 million, including capital expenditures of $56 million (1992)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 52,100 kW production: 95 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,242 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$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%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$250 million (1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$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%

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

growth rate -4.9% (1993 est.); accounts for 6.5% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7% (1993)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $400 million (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$6,000 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

3.4% (1993)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

6% (1992 est.)

Area [time series]

total area: 440 sq km land area: 440 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Redonda

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline [time series]

153 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts 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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Terrain [time series]

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

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

Digraph [time series]

AC

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick Albert LEWIS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5211, 5166, 5122

Executive branch [time series]

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

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

[1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

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

Legislative branch (House of Representatives) [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

1 November 1981 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

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

United Progressive Party (UPP), headed by Baldwin SPENCER, 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); Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), headed by William ROBINSON

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

Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Lester Bryant BIRD; United Progressive Party (UPP), Baldwin SPENCER

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

17 member body appointed by the governor general

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

the post was closed 30 June 1994; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

17.08 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.35 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

black African, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Infant mortality rate [time series]

17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

30,000 by occupation: commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)

Languages [time series]

English (official), local dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.4 years male: 71.32 years female: 75.57 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (1960) total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

65,176 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.68% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.68 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports [time series]

total: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 240 km paved: NA unpaved: NA

Merchant marine [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Saint John's

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

total: 77 km narrow gauge: 64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge (used almost exclusively for handling sugar cane)