1989 Edition

Climate

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Coastline

1 53 km

45,389 km f'limate: persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

4,989 km

Comparative area

slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

slightly more than 1 .5 times the size of the US; smallest of the world's four oceans (after Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean)

slightly more than four times the size of Texas

Contiguous zone

24 nm

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation

Disputes

short section of the boundary with Uruguay is in dispute; short section of the boundary with Chile is indefinite; claims British-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); claims British-administered South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica

Environment

subject to hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); insufficient freshwater resources; deeply indented coastline provides many natural harbors

endangered marine species include walruses and whales; ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from Arctic Ocean (continued) Argentina western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean and lasts about 10 months; permafrost in islands; virtually icelocked from October to June; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage

Tucuman and Mendoza areas in Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike Pampas and northeast; irrigated soil degradation; desertification; air and water pollution in Buenos Aires

Extended economic zone

200 nm

Land boundaries

none

9,665 km total; Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Land use

18% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 7% meadows and pastures; 16% forest and woodland; 59% other

9% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 52% meadows and pastures; 22% forest and woodland; 1 3% other; includes 1% irrigated

Natural resources

negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism

sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals, whales)

fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, crude oil, uranium

Note

420 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico

major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May; strategic location between North America and the USSR; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western USSR; floating research stations operated by the US and USSR

second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between South Atlantic and South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage)

Terrain

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

central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack which averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight line movement from the New Siberian Islands (USSR) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the ice pack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling land masses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonsov Ridge); maximum depth is 4,665 meters in the Fram Basin

rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border

Territorial sea

1 2 nm

200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond 1 2 nm)

Total area

440 km2; land area: 440 km2; includes Redonda

14,056,000 km2; includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, and other tributary water bodies

2,766,890 km2; land area: 2,736,690 km2

Birth rate

18 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

20 births/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Death rate

6 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

9 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

almost entirely of black African origin; some of British, Portuguese, Lebanese, and Syrian origin

85% white, 15% mestizo, Indian, or other nonwhite groups

Infant mortality rate

23 deaths/ 1 ,000 live births (1990)

32 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

30,000; 82% commerce and services, 1 1% agriculture, 7% industry (1983)

10,900,000; 1 2% agriculture, 31% industry, 57% services (1985 est.) Organized labor 3,000,000; 28% of labor force

Language

English (official), local dialects

Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Life expectancy at birth

70 years male, 74 years female (1990)

67 years male, 74 years female (1990)

Literacy

90% (est.)

94%

Nationality

noun — Antiguan(s); adjective— Antiguan

noun — Argentines); adjective— Argentine

Net migration rate

— 10 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

NEGL migrants/ 1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

Antigua and Barbuda Public Service Association (ABPSA), membership 500; Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), 10,000 members; Antigua Workers Union (AWU), 10,000 members (1986 est.)

Population

63,726 (July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)

32,290,966 (July 1990), growth rate 1.2% (1990)

Religion

Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic

90% nominally Roman Catholic (less than 20% practicing), 2% Protestant, 2% Jewish, 6% other

Total fertility rate

1 .7 children born/ woman (1990)

2.8 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

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

22 provinces (provincias, singular — provincial, 1 national territory* (territorio nacional), and 1 district** (distrito); Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Distrito Federal**, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego and Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur*, Tucuman

Capital

Saint John's

Buenos Aires (tentative plans to move to Viedma by 1990 indefinitely postponed)

Communists

negligible

some 70,000 members in various party organizations, including a small nucleus of activists

Constitution

1 November 1981

1 May 1853

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Edmund Hawkins LAKE; Chancery at Suite 2H, 3400 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 362-5211 or 5166, 5122, 5225; there is an Antiguan Consulate in Miami; US — the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, and in his absence, the Embassy is headed by Charge d'Affaires Roger R. GAMBLE; Embassy at Queen Elizabeth Highway, Saint John's (mailing address is FPO Miami 34054); telephone (809) 462-3505 or 3506

Ambassador Guido Jose Maria DI TELLA; Chancery at 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone 202) 939-6400 through 6403; there are Argentine Consulates General in Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Consulates in Baltimore, Chicago, and Los Angeles; US — Ambassador Terence A. TODMAN; Embassy at 4300 Colombia, 1425 Buenos Aires (mailing address is APO Miami 34034); telephone [54] (1) 774-7611 or 8811,9911

Elections

House of Representatives — last held 9 March 1989 (next to be held 1994); results — percentage of vote by party NA; seats— (17 total) ALP 15, UNDP 1, independent 1

President — last held 14 May 1989 (next to be held May 1995); results — Carlos Saul Menem was elected; Chamber of Deputies — last held 14 May 1989 (next to be held May 1991); results— JP 47%, UCR 30%, UDC 7%, other 16%; seats— (254 total); JP 122, UCR 93, UDC 11, other 28

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

president, vice president, Cabinet

Flag

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

three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May

Independence

1 November 1981 (from UK)

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Leaders

Chief of State— Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Wilfred Ebenezer JACOBS (since 1 November 1 98 1 , previously Governor since 1 976); Head of Government — Prime Minister Vere Cornwall BIRD, Sr. (since NA 1976); Deputy Prime Minister Lester BIRD (since N A 1976) Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Vere C. Bird, Sr., Lester Bird; United National Democratic Party (UNDP), Dr. Ivor Heath

Chief of State and Head of Government— President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President Eduardo DUHALDE (since 8 July 1989) Political parties and leaders: Justicialist Party (JP), Antonio Cafiero, Peronist umbrella political organization; Radical Civic Union (UCR), Raul Alfonsin, moderately left of center; Union of the Democratic Center (UCEDE), Alvaro Alsogaray, conservative party; Intransigent Party (PI), Dr. Oscar Alende, leftist party; several provincial parties

Legal system

based on English common law

mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of an upper chamber or Senate (Senado) and a lower chamber or Chamber of Deputies (Camera de Diputados)

Long-form name

none

Argentine Republic

Member of

ACP, CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IMF, ISO, OAS, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT, Group of Eight, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, IDA, IDB— Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, ISO, ITU, IWC— International Whaling Commission, IWC — International Wheat Council, LAIA, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO, WSG

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

National Day, 25 May (1810)

Other political or pressure groups

Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM), a small leftist nationalist group Arctic Ocean led by Leonard (Tim) Hector; Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), headed by Noel Thomas

Peronist-dominated labor movement, General Confederation of Labor (Peronistleaning umbrella labor organization), Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association), Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association), business organizations, students, the Roman Catholic Church, the Armed Forces

Suffrage

universal at age 18

universal at age 18

Type

parliamentary democracy

republic

Agriculture

accounts for 4% of GDP; expanding output of cotton, fruits, vegetables, and livestock sector; other crops — bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes; not self-sufficient in food

accounts for 15% of GNP (including fishing); produces abundant food for both domestic consumption and exports; among world's top five exporters of grain and beef; principal crops — wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets; 1987 fish catch estimated at 500,000 tons

Aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (197087), $40 million

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.0 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $3.6 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $718 million

Budget

revenues $77 million; expenditures $81 million, including capital expenditures of $13 million (1988 est.)

revenues $11.5 billion; expenditures $13.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $0.93 billion (1988)

Currency

East Caribbean dollar (plural — dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

austral (plural — australes); 1 austral (A) = 100 centavos

Electricity

49,000 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 1,410 kWh per capita (1989)

16,449,000 kW capacity; 46,590 million kWh produced, 1,460 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (ECS) per US$1— 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

australes (A) per US$1 — 1,930 (December 1989), 8.7526 (1988), 2.1443 (1987), 0.9430 (1986), 0.6018 (1985) Fiscal yean calendar year

Exports

$30.4 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities — petroleum products 46%, manufactures 29%, food and live animals 14%, machinery and transport equipment 1 1%; partners — Trinidad and Tobago 40%, Barbados 8%, US 0.3%

$9.6 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities— meat, wheat, corn, oilseed, hides, wool; partners— US 14%, USSR, Italy, Brazil, Japan, Netherlands

External debt

$245.4 million (1987)

$60 billion (December 1989)

Fiscal year

1 April-3 1 March

GDP

$353.5 million, per capita $5,550; real growth rate 6.2% (1989 est.)

GNP

$72.0 billion, per capita $2,217; real growth rate -5.5% (1989 est.)

Imports

$302.1 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities — food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil; partners — US 27%, UK 14%, CARICOM 7%, Canada 4%, other 48%

$4.3 billion (c.i.f., 1989); commodities— machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, fuels and lubricants, agricultural products; partners — US 25%, Brazil, FRG, Bolivia, Japan, Italy, Netherlands

Industrial production

growth rate 10% (1987)

growth rate —8% (1989)

Industries

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

food processing (especially meat packing), motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.1% (1988 est.)

4,925% (1989)

Overview

No economic activity at present except for fishing off the coast and smallscale tourism, both based abroad. Exploitation of mineral resources will be held back by technical difficulties, high costs, and objections by environmentalists.

The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the most important determinant of economic performance. During the period 1983-87, real GDP expanded at an annual average rate of 8%. Tourism's contribution to GDP, as measured by value added in hotels and restaurants, rose from about 14% in 1983 to 17% in 1987, and stimulated growth in other sectors — particularly in construction, communications, and public utilities. During the same period the combined share of agriculture and manufacturing declined from 12% to less than 10%. Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few areas in the Caribbean experiencing a labor shortage in some sectors of the economy.

Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including crude oil, natural gas, fishing, and sealing.

Argentina is rich in natural resources, and has a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Nevertheless, the economy has encountered major problems in recent years, leading to a recession in 1988-89. Economic growth slowed to 2.0% in 1987 and to -1.8% in 1988; a sharp decline of -5.5% has been estimated for 1989. A widening public-sector deficit and a multidigit inflation rate has dominated the economy over the past three years, reaching about 5,000% in 1989. Since 1978, Argentina's external debt has nearly doubled to $60 billion, creating severe debtservicing difficulties and hurting the country's creditworthiness with international lenders.

Unemployment rate

5.0% (1988 est.)

8.5% (1989 est.)

Airports

39 total; 25 usable; none with permanent surface runways; 3 with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,4403,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways less than 2,440 m

1,799 total, 1,617 usable; 132 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 30 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 335 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Branches

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

Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Argentine Naval Prefecture, National Aeronautical Police

Civil air

10 major transport aircraft

54 major transport aircraft

Defense expenditures

NA

1.4% of GNP (1987)

Highways

240 km

208,350 km total; 47,550 km paved, 39,500 km gravel, 101,000 km improved earth, 20,300 km unimproved earth

Inland waterways

11,000 km navigable

Merchant marine

80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 307,315 GRT/501,552 DWT; includes 50 cargo, 4 refrigerated cargo, 8 container, 8 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 5 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 1 short-sea passenger; note — a flag of convenience registry

131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,693,540 GRT/ 2,707,079 DWT; includes 45 cargo, 6 refrigerated cargo, 6 container, 1 roll-on/ roll-off cargo, 1 railcar carrier, 48 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 18 bulk

Military manpower

NA

males 15-49, 7,860,054; 6,372,189 fit for military service; 277,144 reach military age (20) annually

Note

none; Article 7 of the Antarctic Treaty states that advance notice of all activities and the introduction of military personnel must be given Barbuda Caribbean Sea SAINT JOHN'S Antigua Q Redonda Set regional map HI

sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Asia) are important waterways South Atlantic Ocean Comodoro Rivadavia Boundary representation it not necessarily authoritative See rt |iun»l map IV

Pipelines

4,090 km crude oil; 2,900 km refined products; 9,918 km natural gas

Ports

none; offshore anchorage only Defense Forces

St. John's

Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (USSR), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario, Santa Fe

Railroads

64 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge and 13 km 0.610-meter gauge used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane

34,172 km total (includes 169 km electrified); includes a mixture of 1.435-meter standard gauge, 1.676-meter broad gauge, 1 .000-meter gauge, and 0.750-meter gauge

Telecommunications

good automatic telephone system; 6,700 telephones; tropospheric scatter links with Saba and Guadeloupe; stations — 4 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV, 2 shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station Defense Forces

no submarine cables

extensive modern system; 2,650,000 telephones (12,000 public telephones); radio relay widely used; stations— 171 AM, no FM, 231 TV, 13 shortwave; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; domestic satellite network has 40 stations Defense Forces