1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
153 km
Comparative area
slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Contiguous zone
24 nm
Disputes
none
Environment
subject to hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); insufficient freshwater resources; deeply indented coastline provides many natural harbors
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
440 km2; includes Redonda
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 18%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and woodland 16%; other 59%
Natural resources
negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Note
420 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Terrain
mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic areas
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
440 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
18 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
almost entirely of black African origin; some of British, Portuguese, Lebanese, and Syrian origin
Infant mortality rate
20 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
30,000; commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)
Languages
English (official), local dialects
Life expectancy at birth
71 years male, 75 years female (1992)
Literacy
89% (male 90%, female 88%) age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years of schooling (1960)
Nationality
noun - Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s); adjective - Antiguan, Barbudan
Net migration rate
--8 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
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
64,110 (July 1992), growth rate 0.4% (1992)
Religions
Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic
Total fertility rate
1.7 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip
Capital
Saint John's
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Wilfred Ebenezer JACOBS (since 1 November 1981, previously Governor since 1976)
Constitution
1 November 1981
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Patrick Albert LEWIS; 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
Executive branch
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, 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
Head of Government
Prime Minister Vere Cornwall BIRD, Sr. (since NA 1976); Deputy Prime Minister (vacant)
House of Representatives
last held 9 March 1989 (next to be held NA 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (17 total) ALP 15, UPP 1, independent 1
Independence
1 November 1981 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Long-form name
none
Member of
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WCL, WHO, WMO
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 November (1981)
Other political or pressure groups
United Progressive Party (UPP), a coalition of three opposition political parties - the United National Democratic Party (UNDP), the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM), and the Progressive Labor Movement (PLM), the UPP is led by Baldwin SPENCER; Antigua Trades and Labor Union (ATLU), headed by Noel THOMAS
Political parties and leaders
Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Vere C. BIRD, Sr., Lester BIRD; United Progressive Party (UPP), Baldwin SPENCER
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
parliamentary democracy
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 4% of GDP; expanding output of cotton, fruits, vegetables, and livestock; other crops - bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; not self-sufficient in food
Budget
revenues $92.8 million; expenditures $101 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Currency
East Caribbean dollar (plural - dollars); 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
US commitments, $10 million (1985-88); Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $50 million
Electricity
52,100 kW capacity; 95 million kWh produced, 1,482 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Exports
$33.2 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, food and live animals 4%, machinery and transport equipment 17% partners: OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%, US 0.3%
External debt
$250 million (1990 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $418 million, per capita $6,500 (1989); real growth rate 4.2% (1990 est.)
Imports
$325.9 million (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil partners: US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%, other 50%
Industrial production
growth rate 3% (1989 est.); accounts for 3% of GDP
Industries
tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
7% (1990 est.)
Overview
The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the most important determinant of economic performance. During the period 1987-90, real GDP expanded at an annual average rate of about 6%. Tourism makes a direct contribution to GDP of about 13% and also affects growth in other sectors - particularly in construction, communications, and public utilities. Although Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few areas in the Caribbean experiencing a labor shortage in some sectors of the economy, it was hurt in 1991 by a downturn in tourism caused by the Persian Gulf war and the US recession.
Unemployment rate
5.0% (1988 est.)
Communications
Airports
3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways less than 1,220 m
Civil air
11 major transport aircraft
Highways
240 km
Merchant marine
105 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 364,891 GRT/552,475 DWT; includes 71 cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo, 12 container, 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 multifunction large load carrier, 1 oil tanker, 12 chemical tanker, 2 bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry
Ports
Saint John's
Railroads
64 km 0.760-meter narrow gauge and 13 km 0.610-meter gauge used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane
Telecommunications
good automatic telephone system; 6,700 telephones; tropospheric scatter links with Saba and Guadeloupe; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV, 2 shortwave; 1 coaxial submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (including the Coast Guard)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $1.4 million, 1% of GDP (FY91)
Manpower availability
NA