2020 Edition

Background

The Siboney were the first people to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but the Arawaks populated the islands when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early Spanish and French settlements were succeeded by an English colony in 1667. Slavery, which provided labor on the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Barbuda, devastating the island and forcing the evacuation of the population to Antigua. Almost all of the structures on Barbuda were destroyed and the vegetation stripped, but Antigua was spared the worst.

Area

land

443 sq km

total

443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

153 km

Elevation

highest point

Mount Obama 402 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

1.3 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

20.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 9.1% (2023 est.)

forest

18% (2023 est.)

other

61.5% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Population distribution

the island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population; nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

21.8% (male 11,384/female 11,034)

15-64 years

67.6% (male 32,312/female 37,094)

65 years and over

10.5% (2024 est.) (male 4,615/female 6,195)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

4.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

11.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

3.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

14.7 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

15.6 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

6.4 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.9 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

32.3 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

5.9% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

African descent 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, Hispanic 2.7%, White 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.94 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

5.9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

14% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.3 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

16.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

English (official), Antiguan Creole (an English-based creole)

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.5 years

male

76.1 years

total population

78.3 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

21,000 SAINT JOHN'S (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

35 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

35.7 years

male

31.9 years

total

34.1 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Antiguan, Barbudan

noun

Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)

Net migration rate

1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.9% (2016)

Physician density

2.92 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

female

54,323

male

48,311

total

102,634 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

1.09% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant 68.3% (Anglican 17.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.4%, Pentecostal 12.2%, Moravian 8.3%, Methodist 5.6%, Wesleyan Holiness 4.5%, Church of God 4.1%, Baptist 3.6%), Roman Catholic 8.2%, other 12.2%, unspecified 5.5%, none 5.9% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 98% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 97.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 2.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.74 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.92 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

24.3% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

named after Saint John the Apostle

geographic coordinates

17 07 N, 61 51 W

name

Saint John's

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by either house of Parliament; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, the establishment, power, and authority of the executive and legislative branches, the Supreme Court Order, and the procedure for amending the constitution requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership of both houses, approval by at least two-thirds majority in a referendum, and assent to by the governor general; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by both houses

history

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

Country name

conventional long form

Antigua and Barbuda

conventional short form

Antigua and Barbuda

etymology

antiguo is Spanish for "ancient" or "old;" Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493, after the church of Santa Maria la Antigua (Old Saint Mary's) in Seville, Spain; barbuda is Spanish for "bearded" and may refer to the island's lichen-covered fig trees

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

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

chancery

3216 New Mexico Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016

chief of mission

Ambassador Sir Ronald SANDERS (since 17 September 2015)

consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

email address and website

embantbar@aol.com https://www.antigua-barbuda.org/Aghome01.htm

FAX

[1] (202) 362-5225

telephone

[1] (202) 362-5122

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014)

election/appointment process

the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014)

Flag

description: red, with an inverted isosceles triangle in the center that spans the flag from top to bottom; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band meaning: the sun stands for the dawn of a new era, black for the African heritage of most of the population, blue for hope, and red for the dynamism of the people; the "V" shape of the triangle stands for victory; the yellow, blue, and white colors are also meant to evoke the country's tourist attractions of sun, sea, and sand

Government type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence

1 November 1981 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts

judge selection and term of office

chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; 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

Legal system

common law based on the English model

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

Parliament

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

House of Representatives

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

January 2028

most recent election date

1/18/2023

number of seats

18 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) (9); United Progressive Party (UPP) (6); Barbuda People's Movement (BPM) (1); Independents (1); (1); Republican Force (1)

percentage of women in chamber

5.6%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate

expected date of next election

February 2028

most recent election date

2/17/2023

number of seats

17 (all appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

41.2%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country

lyrics/music

unknown

title

"God Save the King"

National color(s)

red, white, blue, black, yellow

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Antigua Naval Dockyard (Nelson's Dockyard)

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

National symbol(s)

fallow deer

Political parties

Antigua Labor Party or ABLP Barbuda People's Movement or BPM Democratic National Alliance or DNA Go Green for Life or GGL United Progressive Party or UPP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

tropical fruits, milk, mangoes/guavas, eggs, lemons/limes, pumpkins/squash, sweet potatoes, vegetables, cucumbers/gherkins, yams (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$266.044 million (2014 est.)

revenues

$251.418 million (2014 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$291.674 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$271.047 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$181.366 million (2024 est.)

Economic overview

dual island-tourism and construction-driven economy; emerging “blue economy”; limited water supply and susceptibility to hurricanes limit activity; improving road infrastructure; friendly to foreign direct investment; looking at financial innovation in cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies

Exchange rates

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

2.7 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.7 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.7 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2.7 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

2.7 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$1.111 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$1.185 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$1.314 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, soybean meal, shellfish, paintings (2023)

Exports - partners

Suriname 29%, Poland 21%, USA 8%, Dominican Republic 7%, Australia 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.9% (2023 est.)

industry

19% (2023 est.)

services

69.1% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.225 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$1.227 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.273 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$1.282 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, cars, plastic products, furniture (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 43%, Poland 6%, China 5%, UK 4%, Germany 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2023 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.5% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.1% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

6.2% (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

86.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$2.594 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$2.657 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$2.772 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

9.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

4.3% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$27,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$28,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$29,600 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

1.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$396.506 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$364.367 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$358.441 million (2024 est.)

Coal

imports

25 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

322.923 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

148,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

38.121 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

93.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

6.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

110.114 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2022 est.)

total

10,000 (2022 est.)

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 20 radio stations (2024)

Internet country code

.ag

Internet users

percent of population

78% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

29 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

27,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

201 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

186,182 (2022 est.)

Airports

4 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V2

Heliports

2 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 24, container ship 109, general cargo 425, oil tanker 6, other 50

total

614 (2023)

Ports

key ports

St. John's

large

0

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

1

small

0

total ports

1 (2024)

very small

0

Military - note

the ABDF’s responsibilities include providing for internal security and support to the police in maintaining law and order, interdicting narcotics smuggling, responding to natural disasters, and monitoring the country’s territorial waters and maritime resources; established in 1981 from colonial forces originally created in 1897, it is one of the world’s smallest militaries the country has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

Military and security forces

Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF): Antigua and Barbuda Regiment, Air Wing, Coast Guard Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda (RPFAB) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 300 active Defense Force personnel (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the ABDF's equipment inventory is limited to small arms, light weapons, and soft-skin vehicles; the Coast Guard maintains ex-US patrol vessels and some smaller boats (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women; no conscription (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

5 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

725,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

725,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

limited natural freshwater resources; water management hampered by tree-clearing to increase crop production, causing rapid rainfall runoff

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

8.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

52 million cubic meters (2022)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

2.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

7.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

30,600 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

15.3% (2022 est.)