Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 64,246 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 26% (male 8,414; female 8,137)
15–64 years: 69% (male 21,936; female 22,227)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,504; female 2,028) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.36% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 16.22 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.76 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: −6.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 20.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.46 years male: 69.06 years female: 73.98 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan
Ethnic groups: black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian
Religions: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some
Roman Catholic
Languages: English (official), local dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of
schooling
total population: 89%
male: 90%
female: 88% (1960 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
Data code: AC
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Saint John's
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 UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 November (1981)
Constitution: 1 November 1981
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March
1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
the advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen
by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; prime minister
appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(17-member body 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 9 March 1999 (next to
be held NA March 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—ALP
12, UPP 4, independent 1
Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint
Lucia) (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands
and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)
Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester
coalition of three opposition political parties—United National
Democratic Party or UNDP, Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or
ACLM, and the Progressive Labor Movement or PLM
Political pressure groups and leaders: Antigua Trades and Labor
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel Alexander HURST chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda
Flag description: 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
Economy
Economy—overview: Tourism continues to be by far the dominant activity in the economy accounting directly or indirectly for more than half of GDP. Increased tourist arrivals have helped spur growth in the construction and transport sectors. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull 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 income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about half of all tourist arrivals.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$503 million (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 6% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$7,900 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 12.5% services: 83.5% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): −1.1% (1997)
Labor force: 30,000
Labor force—by occupation: commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)
Unemployment