Antigua and Barbuda
Introduction
Background
The Siboney were the first people to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early Spanish and French settlements were succeeded by an English colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Barbuda devastating the island and forcing the evacuation of the population to Antigua. Almost all the structures on Barbuda were destroyed and the vegetation stripped, but Antigua was spared the worst.
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Geography
Location
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates
17 03 N, 61 48 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
land: 442.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km
Area - comparative
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
153 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain
mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas
Elevation
highest point: Mount Obama 402 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Land use
agricultural land: 20.5% (2018 est.)
arable land: 9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 9% (2018 est.)
forest: 18.8% (2018 est.)
other: 60.8% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
1.3 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
the island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population; nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington
Natural hazards
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
Geography - note
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor
Map description
Antigua and Barbuda map showing the two islands situated in the Caribbean Sea.
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan
Ethnic groups
African descent 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, Hispanic 2.7%, White 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)
note: data represent population by ethnic group
Languages
English (official), Antiguan creole
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.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 22.52% (male 11,243/female 10,871)
15-24 years: 16.15% (male 7,891/female 7,961)
25-54 years: 41.68% (male 18,757/female 22,167)
55-64 years: 10.74% (male 4,693/female 5,848)
65 years and over: 8.91% (2020 est.) (male 3,736/female 5,012)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 45.3
youth dependency ratio: 31.8
elderly dependency ratio: 13.6
potential support ratio: 7.4 (2020 est.)
Median age
total: 32.7 years
male: 30.7 years
female: 34.4 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
the island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population; nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington
Urbanization
urban population: 24.3% of total population (2022)
rate of urbanization: 0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
21,000 SAINT JOHN'S (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.85 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.8 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.8 years
male: 75.63 years
female: 80.08 years (2022 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 96.7% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
4.4% (2019)
Physicians density
2.96 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Hospital bed density
2.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: total: 91.7% of population
unimproved: total: 8.1% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
(2018) <1,000
HIV/AIDS - deaths
(2018) <100
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling
total population: 99%
male: 98.4%
female: 99.4% (2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 16 years (2012)
Environment
Environment - current issues
water management - a major concern because of limited natural freshwater resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly
Environment - international 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
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 17.92 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.56 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 0.22 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
Land use
agricultural land: 20.5% (2018 est.)
arable land: 9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 9% (2018 est.)
forest: 18.8% (2018 est.)
other: 60.8% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 24.3% of total population (2022)
rate of urbanization: 0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 30,585 tons (2012 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 7.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 2.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 1.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
52 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
etymology: "antiguo" is Spanish for "ancient" or "old"; the island was discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and, according to tradition, named by him after the church of Santa Maria la Antigua (Old Saint Mary's) in Seville; "barbuda" is Spanish for "bearded" and the adjective may refer to the alleged beards of the indigenous people or to the island's bearded fig trees
Government type
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital
name: Saint John's
geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after Saint John the Apostle
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 the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 November (1981)
Constitution
history: several previous; latest presented 31 July 1981, effective 31 October 1981 (The Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981)
amendments: 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; amended 2009, 2011, 2018
Legal system
common law based on the English model
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014)
head of government: Prime Minister Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch
description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general)
House of Representatives (18 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections:
Senate - last appointed on 26 March 2018 (next NA)
House of Representatives - last held on 21 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023)
election results:
Senate - composition - men 8, women 9, percent of women 52.9%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - ABLP 59.4%, UPP 37.2%, BPM 1.4%, other 1.9% ; seats by party - ABLP 15, UPP 1, BPM 1; composition - men 16, women 2, percent of women 11.1%; note - total Parliament percent of women 31.4%
Judicial branch
highest courts: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - 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 is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 assigned to Antigua and Barbuda
judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; 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
Political parties and leaders
Antigua Labor Party or ABLP [Gaston BROWNE]
Antigua Barbuda True Labor Party or ABTLP [Sharlene SAMUEL]
Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Trevor WALKER]
Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Joanne MASSIAH]
Go Green for Life [Owen GEORGE]
United Progressive Party or UPP [Harold LOVELL] (a coalition of ACLM, PLM, UNDP)
International organization participation
ACP, 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
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Ronald SANDERS (since 17 September 2015)
chancery: 3234 Prospect Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122
FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225
email address and website:
embantbar@aol.com
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
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; [1] (246) 227-4000
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; the sun symbolizes the dawn of a new era, black represents the African heritage of most of the population, blue is for hope, and red is for the dynamism of the people; the "V" stands for victory; the successive yellow, blue, and white coloring is also meant to evoke the country's tourist attractions of sun, sea, and sand
National symbol(s)
fallow deer; national colors: red, white, blue, black, yellow
National anthem
name: Fair Antigua, We Salute Thee
lyrics/music: Novelle Hamilton RICHARDS/Walter Garnet Picart CHAMBERS
note: adopted 1967; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Antigua Naval Dockyard
Economy
Economic overview
Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components.
Like other countries in the region, Antigua's economy was severely hit by effects of the global economic recession in 2009. The country suffered from the collapse of its largest private sector employer, a steep decline in tourism, a rise in debt, and a sharp economic contraction between 2009 and 2011. Antigua has not yet returned to its pre-crisis growth levels. Barbuda suffered significant damages after hurricanes Irma and Maria passed through the Caribbean in 2017.
Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and could be disrupted by potential damage from natural disasters. The new government, elected in 2014 and led by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, continues to face significant fiscal challenges. The government places some hope in a new Citizenship by Investment Program, to both reduce public debt levels and spur growth, and a resolution of a WTO dispute with the US.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.76 billion (2020 est.)
$2.09 billion (2019 est.)
$2.02 billion (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
2.8% (2017 est.)
5.3% (2016 est.)
4.1% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$18,000 (2020 est.)
$21,500 (2019 est.)
$21,000 (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.524 billion (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.5% (2017 est.)
-0.5% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 1.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 20.8% (2017 est.)
services: 77.3% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 53.5% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 15.2% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 23.9% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 73.9% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -66.5% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
tropical fruit, milk, mangoes/guavas, melons, tomatoes, pineapples, lemons, limes, eggplants, onions
Industries
tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 7%
industry: 11%
services: 82% (1983 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: 298.2 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 334 million (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Current account balance
-$112 million (2017 est.)
$2 million (2016 est.)
Exports
$1.15 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$56.5 million (2016 est.)
Exports - partners
Poland 37%, Suriname 33%, United Arab Emirates 8% (2019)
Exports - commodities
ships, refined petroleum, precious/semi-precious metal scraps, rice, corn (2019)
Imports
$1.12 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$503.4 million (2016 est.)
Imports - partners
United States 39%, Poland 16%, China 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, ships, cars, precious/semi-precious metals, recreational boats (2019)
Debt - external
$441.2 million (31 December 2012)
$458 million (June 2010)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2017 est.)
2.7 (2016 est.)
2.7 (2015 est.)
2.7 (2014 est.)
2.7 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
124,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177Electricity - from fossil fuels
97% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153Electricity - from other renewable sources
3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118Refined petroleum products - consumption
5,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 24,000 (2018 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25.15 (2018 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 184,000 (2018)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 192.8 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: good automatic telephone system with fiber-optic lines; telecom sector contributes heavily to GDP; numerous mobile network competitors licensed, but small and local; govt. to spend EC80 million in 2019 to improve state-owned telecom market competitiveness; legislative amendments extend jurisdiction of its telecom regulator in Barbuda to include mobile services (2020)
domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 25 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is about 193 per 100 persons (2019)
international: country code - 1-268; landing points for the ECFS and Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cable systems with links to other islands in the eastern Caribbean; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
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 15 radio stations, some broadcasting on multiple frequencies
Internet users
total: 73,807 (2019 est.)
percent of population: 76% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 8,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8.17 (2021)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 10
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 580,174 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 290,000 (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Roadways
total: 1,170 km (2011)
paved: 386 km (2011)
unpaved: 784 km (2011)
Merchant marine
total: 677
by type: bulk carrier 24, container ship 123, general cargo 473, oil tanker 2, other 55 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Saint John's
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF): Coast Guard and the Antigua and Barbuda Regiment (2021)
Military expenditures
not available
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF) has approximately 200 active personnel (2021)
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 (2021)
Military service age and obligation
18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for both males and females; no conscription (2021)
Military - note
has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts, 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
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none identified
Illicit drugs
a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean