1988 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1988 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
153 km
Comparative area
about two and onehalf times the size of Washington, D.C.
Contiguous zone
24 nm
Environment
subject to hurricanes and tropical storms (June to October); insufficient freshwater resources; deeply indented coastline provides many natural harbors
Extended economic zone
200 nm
Land use
18% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 7% meadows and pastures; 16% forest and woodland; 59% other
Special notes
about 650 km from Puerto Rico
Terrain
mostly low-lying with some higher volcanic areas
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
440 km2; land area: 440 km2
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
almost entirely of black African origin; some of British, Portuguese, Lebanese, and Syrian origin
Infant mortality rate
31.5/1,000 (1985)
Labor force
30,000; 20% unemployment (1983); agriculture 11%, industry 7%, and commerce and services 82%
Language
English (official), local dialects
Life expectancy
70
Literacy
about 90%
Nationality
noun — Antiguan(s); adjective— Antiguan
Population
69,280 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 2.47%
Religion
Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic
Government
Administrative divisions
6 parishes, 2 dependencies (Barbuda, Redonda)
Branches
bicameral legislative, 17-member popularly elected House of Representatives and 17-member Senate; executive, Prime Minister and Cabinet; judiciary, Court of Appeals
Capital
St. John's
Communists
negligible
Elections
every five years; last general election 17 April 1984 Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Vere C. Bird, Sr., Lester Bird; United National Democratic Party (UNDP), Dr. Ivor Heath
Government leaders
Vere Cornwall BIRD, Sr., Prime Minister (since 1976); Lester BIRD, Deputy Prime Minister (since 1976); Sir Wilfred Ebenezer JACOBS, Governor General (since 1967)
Legal system
based on English common law; British Caribbean Court of Appeal has exclusive original jurisdiction and an appellate jurisdiction
Member of
CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IMF, ISO, OAS, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Official name
Antigua and Barbuda
Other political or pressure groups
Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM), a small leftist nationalist group led by Leonard (Tim) Hector
Suffrage
universal suffrage at age 18
Type
independent state recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State
Voting strength
(1984 election) House of Representatives — ALP, 16 seats; independent, 1 seat
Communications
Airfields
3 total, 3 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways of 1,100 m (Wallblake Airport)
Branches
Police 20km Barbuda Caribbean Sea ST. JOHN'S 0 Redonda
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
about 60 km surfaced
Inland waterways
none
Ports
1 major (Road Bay), 1 minor (Blowing Point)
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
modern internal telephone system; 890 telephones (13.6 per 100 popl.); 1 FM and 3 AM stations; radiorelay link to St. Martin's Island Defense Forces Defense is the responsibility of United Kingdom