Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

16 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.ag

Internet users [time series]

5,000 (2001)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

36,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA 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 - main lines in use) [time series]

28,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1,300 (1996)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

31,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $123.7 million expenditures: $145.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

XCD

Debt - external [time series]

$231 million (1999)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$2.3 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have slowed the economy, however, and pressed the government into a tight fiscal corner. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction work. 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 one-third of all tourist arrivals.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

93 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

100 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports [time series]

$40 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8%

Exports - partners [time series]

OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%, US 0.3%

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

purchasing power parity - $674 million (2000 est.)

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

agriculture: 4% industry: 19% services: 77% (2001 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2000 est.)

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

3.5% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$357 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Imports - partners [time series]

US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

6% (1997 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

0.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force [time series]

30,000

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

7% (2000 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km land: 442 sq km

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 [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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Geography - note [time series]

Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 18.18% permanent crops: 0% other: 81.82% (1998 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 territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

NEGL; 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

Country name [time series]

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

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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Robin YEARWOOD

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]

constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

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, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, 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) election results: percent of vote by party - ALP 53.2%, UPP 45.5%, independent 1.3%; seats by party - ALP 12, UPP 4, independent 1 elections: House of Representatives - last held 9 March 1999 (next to be held prior to March 2004)

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981)

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

Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three opposition parties - United National Democratic Party or UNDP, Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, and 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

Background [time series]

The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib Indians populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

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

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA

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

NA%

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 28% (male 9,618; female 9,293) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 22,695; female 22,682) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 1,289; female 1,871) (2002 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.75 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

21.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), local dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.02 years female: 73.45 years (2002 est.) male: 68.72 years

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]

-6.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

67,448 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.69% (2002 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and 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: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.29 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center

Airports [time series]

3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,165 km paved: 384 km unpaved: 781 km note: it is assumed that the main roads are paved; the secondary roads are assumed to be unpaved (1995)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 762 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,541,940 GRT/5,894,553 DWT ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 469, chemical tanker 9, combination bulk 4, container 202, liquefied gas 7, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 35 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 3, Colombia 1, Cuba 1, Estonia 1, Germany 747, Greece 1, Iceland 8, Latvia 1, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 1, Netherlands 22, New Zealand 2, Portugal 1, Slovenia 6, South Africa 1, Sweden 2, United Kingdom 1, United States 7 (2002 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) (2001 est.)

Waterways [time series]

none