Country Guide

Antigua Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

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


Geographic coordinates:
17 03 N, 61 48 W


Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean


Area:
total:442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)country comparison to the world: 201
land:442.6 sq km
water:0 sq km
note:includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km


Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC


Land boundaries:
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


Climate:
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation


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


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


    Natural resources:
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism


Land use:
arable land:9.09%
permanent crops:2.27%
other:88.64% (2011)


Irrigated land:
1.3 sq km (2003)


Total renewable water resources:
0.05 cu km (2011)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
0.05 cu km (2011)

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


Environment - current issues:
water management - a major concern because of limited natural freshwater resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly


Environment - international agreements:
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


Geography - note:
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor

People and Society

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


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


Languages:
English (official), local dialects


Religions:
Protestant 76.4% (Anglican 25.7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%), Roman Catholic 10.4%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)


Population:
91,295 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 199


Age structure:
0-14 years:24.3% (male 11,289/female 10,932)
15-24 years:16.8% (male 7,588/female 7,723)
25-54 years:42.6% (male 17,789/female 21,137)
55-64 years:8.9% (male 3,694/female 4,441)
65 years and over:7.3% (male 2,886/female 3,816) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:46.4 %
youth dependency ratio:35.9 %
elderly dependency ratio:10.4 %
potential support ratio:9.6 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:31.1 years
male:29.4 years
female:32.6 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
1.25% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 95


Birth rate:
15.94 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 124


Death rate:
5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 172


Net migration rate:
2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 44


Urbanization:
urban population:29.8% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:0.96% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
SAINT JOHN'S (capital) 27,000 (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years:0.98 male(s)/female
25-54 years:0.84 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.76 male(s)/female
total population:0.9 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Infant mortality rate:
total:13.29 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 119
male:15.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female:11.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


    Life expectancy at birth:
total population:76.12 yearscountry comparison to the world: 85
male:74.04 years
female:78.3 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
2.03 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 120


Health expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
0.17 physicians/1,000 population (1999)


Hospital bed density:
2.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 97.9% of population
rural: 97.9% of population
total: 97.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2.1% of population
rural: 2.1% of population
total: 2.1% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 91.4% of population
rural: 91.4% of population
total: 91.4% of population
unimproved:
urban: 8.6% of population
rural: 8.6% of population
total: 8.6% of population (2011 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
25.6% (2008)country comparison to the world: 52


Education expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2009)country comparison to the world: 159

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling
total population:99%
male:98.4%
female:99.4% (2011 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:14 years
male:13 years
female:15 years (2012)


Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:19.9%country comparison to the world: 59
male:18.4%
female:21.6% (2001)

Government

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


Government type:
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government and a Commonwealth realm


Capital:
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)


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


Independence:
1 November 1981 (from the UK)


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


Constitution:
several previous; latest presented 31 July 1981, effective 31 October 1981 (Antigua and Barbuda Constitutional Order 1981) (2011)


Legal system:
common law based on the English model


International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


Executive branch:
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 Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014)
cabinet:Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections:the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed 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 usually appointed prime minister by the governor general


Legislative branch:
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 on 12 June 2014 (next to be held in 2019)
election results:percent of vote by party - ALP 56.4% UPP 42%; seats by party - ALP 14, UPP 3


Judicial branch:
highest court(s):the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the itinerant superior court of record for the 9-member Organization of Eastern Caribbean States to include Antigua and Barbuda; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - is headed by the chief justice and is comprised of the Court of Appeal with 3 justices and the High Court with 16 judges; sittings of the Court of Appeal and High Court rotate among the 9 member states; 2 High Court judges reside on Antigua and Barbuda
note - Antigua and Barbuda replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London as the final appellate court; also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice
judge selection and term of office:Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Chief Justice appointed by the Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
subordinate courts:Industrial Court; Magistrates' Courts


    Political parties and leaders:
Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Gaston BROWNE]
Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Trevor WALKER]
Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]
Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]
United Progressive Party or UPP [W. 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 pressure groups and leaders:
Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [Wigley GEORGE]


International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO


Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL (since 8 March 2005)
chancery:3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone:[1] (202) 362-5122
FAX:[1] (202) 362-5525
consulate(s) general:Miami, New York


Diplomatic representation from the US:
name:'Fair Antigua, We Salute Thee'

lyrics/music:Novelle Hamilton RICHARDS/Walter Garnet Picart CHAMBERS
note:adopted 1967; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, 'God Save the Queen' serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

Economy

Economy - overview:
Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment. 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 tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and potential damages from natural disasters. After taking office in 2004, the SPENCER government adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program and was successful in reducing its public debt-to-GDP ratio from approximately 130% in 2010 to 89% in 2012. In 2009, Antigua's economy was severely hit by the global economic crisis and suffered from the collapse of its largest private sector employer, a steep decline in tourism, a rise in debt, and a sharp economic contraction between 2009-11. Antigua has not yet returned to its pre-crisis growth levels.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.61 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
$1.583 billion (2012 est.)
$1.558 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.22 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
1.6% (2012 est.)
-3% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$18,400 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
$18,100 (2012 est.)
$17,800 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


Gross national saving:
18% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
18% of GDP (2012 est.)
18.4% of GDP (2011 est.)


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:55.8%
government consumption:14.9%
investment in fixed capital:28%
investment in inventories:0.1%
exports of goods and services:46.2%
imports of goods and services:-45%
(2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:2.2%
industry:16.4%
services:81.4% (2013 est.)


Agriculture - products:
cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock


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


Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151

Labor force:
30,000 (1991)
country comparison to the world: 205


Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:7%
industry:11%
services:82% (1983)


    Unemployment rate:
11% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115

Population below poverty line:
NA%


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:NA%
highest 10%:NA%


Budget:
revenues:$239.5 million
expenditures:$248.7 million (2012 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
19.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-0.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61


Public debt:
89% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
130% of GDP (2010 est.)


Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
3.4% (2012 est.)


Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.3% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
10.13% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$213 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
$205.2 million (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$1.044 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
$1.033 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$1.111 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
$1.111 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Current account balance:
-$164.8 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
-$78.5 million (2012 est.)


Exports:
$55 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
$56.7 million (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals


Imports:
$340.8 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
$402.7 million (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil


Debt - external:
$441.2 million (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 177
$458 million (June 2010)


Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2013 est.)
2.7 (2012 est.)
2.7 (2010 est.)
2.7 (2009)

Energy

Electricity - production:
115 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197


Electricity - consumption:
107 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197


Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93


Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
27,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146


Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76


Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102


Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168


Refined petroleum products - exports:
240 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117


Refined petroleum products - imports:
4,790 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154


Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96


Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116


Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54


Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149


Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
731,600 Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
35,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 174


Telephones - mobile cellular:
179,800 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 182


Telephone system:
general assessment:good automatic telephone system
domestic:fixed-line teledensity roughly 40 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is some 200 per 100 persons
international:country code - 1-268; landing points for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) and the Global Caribbean Network (GCN) submarine cable systems with links to other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands) and Guadeloupe (France) (2011)



    Broadcast media:
state-controlled Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service (ABS) operates 1 TV station; multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available; ABS operates 1 radio station; roughly 15 radio stations, some broadcasting on multiple frequencies (2007)


Internet country code:
.ag


Internet hosts:
11,532 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 130


Internet users:
65,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 172

Transportation

Airports
3 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 192


Airports - with paved runways
total:2
2,438 to 3,047 m:1
under 914 m:1 (2013)


Airports - with unpaved runways
total:1
under 914 m:
1 (2013)


Roadways
total:1,170 kmcountry comparison to the world: 182
paved:386 km
unpaved:784 km (2011)


    Merchant marine
total:1,257country comparison to the world: 9
by type:bulk carrier 49, cargo 753, carrier 6, chemical tanker 4, container 407, liquefied gas 12, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 17, vehicle carrier 2
foreign-owned:1,215 (Albania 1, Colombia 1, Denmark 20, Estonia 10, Germany 1094, Greece 4, Iceland 10, Latvia 16, Lithuania 3, Mexico 1, Netherlands 17, Norway 9, NZ 2, Poland 2, Russia 3, Switzerland 7, Turkey 7, UK 1, US 7) (2010)



Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Saint John's

Military

Military branches
Ministry of National Security, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (includes Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard) (2012)


Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; Governor-General has powers to call up men for national service and set the age at which they could be called up (2012)


Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49:21,141
females age 16-49:24,056 (2010 est.)


    Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49:17,676
females age 16-49:19,960 (2010 est.)


Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:806
female:799 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international
none


    Illicit drugs
considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center
 Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook