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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Budget [time series]

revenues: $107 million expenditures: $132 million, including capital expenditures of $18 million (1995)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$225 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

$NA

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

Tourism continues to be by far the dominant activity in the economy accounting directly or indirectly to more than half of GDP. Increased tourist arrivals have helped spur growth in the construction and transport sectors. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about half of all tourist arrivals.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

26,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

1,458 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

95 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1-2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports [time series]

total value: $45 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) 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%

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-31 March Communications

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

purchasing power parity-$470 million (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 3.8% industry: 18.9% services: 77.3% (1995)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$7,400 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

3.3% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $350.8 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) 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 [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

2.5% (1996)

Labor force [time series]

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

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 2

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: good automatic telephone system international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

6,700

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

28,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

5%-10%(1995 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 440 sq km land: 440 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline [time series]

153 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates [time series]

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 18% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 11% other: 62% (1993 est.)

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 hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

1 November 1981

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel Alexander HURST chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5211

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (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 elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general chosen by the queen on the advice of the prime minister; prime minister appointed by the governor general

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

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

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

1 November 1981 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia), one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives-last held 8 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-ALP 11, UPP 5, independent 1

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Saint John's

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

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

Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER], a coalition of three opposition political parties-the United National Democratic Party or UNDP; the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM; and the Progressive Labor Movement or PLM

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

Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$1.4 million (FY90/91)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

1% (FY90/91)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 26% (male 8,482; female 8,200) 15-64 years: 68% (male 21,695; female 22,042) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,548; female 2,039) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

16.72 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.87 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Infant mortality rate [time series]

21.35 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), local dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.19 years male: 68.82 years female: 73.69 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-6.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

64,006 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.39% (1998 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.74 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

considered 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; potentially more significant as a drug money-laundering center ARCTIC OCEAN

Transportation

Airports [time series]

3 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 250 km (1996 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 440 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,025,920 GRT/2,690,028 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 295, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 1, container 89, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 20, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry: Germany owns 11 ships, Slovenia 3, Cyprus 2, and US 1 (1997 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Saint John's

Railways [time series]

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