Land use:
arable land 18%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and
woodland 16%; other 59%
Environment:
subject to hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); insufficient
freshwater resources; deeply indented coastline provides many natural
harbors
Note:
420 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico
:Antigua and Barbuda People
Population:
64,110 (July 1992), growth rate 0.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
18 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
—8 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
20 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
71 years male, 75 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.7 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s); adjective - Antiguan, Barbudan
Ethnic divisions:
almost entirely of black African origin; some of British, Portuguese,
Lebanese, and Syrian origin
Religions:
Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic
Languages:
English (official), local dialects
Literacy:
89% (male 90%, female 88%) age 15 and over having completed 5 or more years
of schooling (1960)
Labor force:
30,000; commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)
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.)
:Antigua and Barbuda Government
Long-form name:
none
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)
Constitution:
1 November 1981
Legal system:
based on English common law
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 November (1981)
Executive branch:
British monarch, governor general, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house
or House of Representatives
Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Leaders:
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)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Vere Cornwall BIRD, Sr. (since NA 1976); Deputy Prime
Minister (vacant)
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
Elections:
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
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
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
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
:Antigua and Barbuda Government
US:
the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, and, in
his absence, the Embassy is headed by Charge d'Affaires Bryant SALTER;
Embassy at Queen Elizabeth Highway, Saint John's (mailing address is FPO AA
34054); telephone (809) 462-3505 or 3506; FAX (809) 462-3516
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
:Antigua and Barbuda Economy
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.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $418 million, per capita $6,500 (1989); real
growth rate 4.2% (1990 est.)