Internet country code [time series]

.ag

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

2,231 (2006)

Internet users [time series]

20,000 (2005)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA domestic: good automatic telephone system international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

38,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

54,000 (2004)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (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 (code)) [time series]

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Current account balance [time series]

$-83.4 million

Debt - external [time series]

$427.3 million; note - data are for public external debt, not total external debt (2000)

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

$1.65 million (2004)

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. 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 slightly more than one-third of tourist arrivals.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

93 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - production [time series]

100 million kWh (2003)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001) note: fixed rate since 1976

Exports [time series]

$46.81 million (2004 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]

Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore 5.8%, UK 4.9% (2005)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$905 million

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

$750 million (2002 est.)

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

agriculture: 3.8% industry: 22% services: 74.3% (2002)

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

$10,900 (2005 est.)

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

3.8% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$378 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

US 21.1%, China 16.4%, Germany 13.3%, Singapore 12.7%, Spain 6.5% (2005)

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]

0.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force [time series]

30,000

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 7% industry: 11% services: 82% (1983)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

3,600 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2003)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

11% (2001 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical maritime; 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, 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

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 18.18% permanent crops: 4.55% other: 77.27% (2005)

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]

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 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]

name: Saint John's geographic coordinates: 17 06 N, 61 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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 Deborah Mae LOVELL chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 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 Sir James B. CARLISLE (since 10 June 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister 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

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 parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

1 November 1981 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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); member Caribbean Court of Justice

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 23 March 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ALP 4, UPP 13

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]; National Democratic Congress [Tillman THOMAS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three opposition parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP)

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 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.

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 18,952 females age 18-49: 18,360 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 14,859 females age 18-49: 14,947 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males age 18-49: 507 females age 18-49: 494 (2005 est.)

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

Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2006)

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

NA

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age (est.); no conscript military service (2001)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 27.6% (male 9,716/female 9,375) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 23,801/female 23,524) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,020/female 1,672) (2006 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

16.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 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]

total: 18.86 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), local dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 72.16 years male: 69.78 years female: 74.66 years (2006 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 85.8% male: NA% female: NA% (2003 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 30 years male: 29.5 years female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-6.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population [time series]

69,108 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.55% (2006 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.24 children born/woman (2006 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 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1,011 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,452,503 GRT/9,783,309 DWT by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 596, chemical tanker 7, container 321, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 21 foreign-owned: 984 (Australia 1, Bangladesh 4, Belgium 4, Colombia 2, Denmark 14, Estonia 12, France 1, Germany 858, Iceland 8, Isle of Man 2, Latvia 5, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 3, Netherlands 14, Norway 11, NZ 1, Poland 3, Russia 6, Singapore 1, Slovenia 6, Switzerland 4, Turkey 8, UK 7, US 7, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Saint John's

Roadways [time series]

total: 1,165 km paved: 384 km unpaved: 781 km (2002)