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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.ag

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

2,215 (2008)

Internet users [time series]

60,000 (2007)

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; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe (2007)

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

37,500 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

110,200 (2006)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (1997)

Economy

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 (2000 est.)

Central bank discount rate [time series]

6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

10.44% (31 December 2007)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Current account balance [time series]

$-211 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$359.8 million (June 2006)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Antigua has a relatively high GDP per capita in comparison to most other Caribbean nations. It has experienced solid growth since 2003, driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing that which should wind down in 2008. Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. 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. Since taking office in 2004, the SPENCER government has adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program, but will continue to be saddled by its debt burden with a debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding 100%.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

97.65 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

105 million kWh (2006 est.)

Exchange rates [time series]

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976

Exports [time series]

$84.3 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals

Exports - partners [time series]

Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore 5.8%, UK 4.9% (2006)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$1.089 billion (2007 est.)

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

$1.526 billion (2007 est.)

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

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

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

$18,300 (2007 est.)

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

6.1% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$522.8 million (2007 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% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.5% (2007 est.)

Labor force [time series]

30,000 (1991)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

4,109 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

157.7 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports [time series]

4,556 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$1.002 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$294.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$902 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

11% (2001 est.)

Geography

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, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 0.005 cu km/yr (60%/20%/20%) per capita: 63 cu m/yr (1990)

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 large western harbor

Irrigated land [time series]

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

Total renewable water resources [time series]

0.1 cu km (2000)

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]

name: Saint John's geographic coordinates: 17 07 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; 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 Louisse LAKE-TACK (since 17 July 2007) 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: 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 monarchy with a parliamentary system of government

Independence [time series]

1 November 1981 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, 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 seats; members 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]; Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three 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

Introduction

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.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 19,560 females age 16-49: 18,977 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 15,591 females age 16-49: 15,542 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 744 female: 742 (2008 est.)

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

Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2007)

Military expenditures [time series]

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 27.2% (male 11,670/female 11,318) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 26,138/female 29,859) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,408/female 3,129) (2008 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

16.78 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.9% of GDP (2002)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 17.49 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.21 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages [time series]

English (official), local dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.25 years male: 72.33 years female: 76.26 years (2008 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: 29.5 years male: 28 years female: 30.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

2.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population [time series]

84,522 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.305% (2008 est.)

Religions [time series]

Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.08 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Transnational Issues

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

3 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1,146 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 50, cargo 651, carrier 4, chemical tanker 5, container 392, liquefied gas 12, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 20 foreign-owned: 1,113 (Australia 1, Colombia 2, Cyprus 18, Denmark 19, Estonia 23, France 1, Germany 941, Greece 3, Iceland 12, Italy 1, Latvia 13, Lithuania 5, Netherlands 20, NZ 2, Norway 8, Poland 2, Russia 4, Slovenia 6, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Turkey 6, UK 9, US 8) (2008)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Saint John's

Roadways [time series]

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