Antigua and Barbuda: The Siboney were the first 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 settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a 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.
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Flag of Antigua and Barbuda
Flag Description of Antigua and Barbuda: 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
Map of Antigua and Barbuda
Map of Antigua and Barbuda

OFFICIAL NAME ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA:
Antigua and Barbuda

Geography of Antigua and Barbuda
Area: Antigua--281 sq. km. (108 sq. mi.); Barbuda--161 sq. km. (62 sq. mi.).
Cities: Capital--St. John's (pop. 30,000).
Terrain: Generally low-lying, with highest elevation 405 m. (1,330 ft.).
Climate: Tropical maritime.

People of Antigua and Barbuda
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s).
Population (2005): 82,786.
Annual population growth rate (2005): 1.7%.
Ethnic groups: Almost entirely of African origin; some of British, Portuguese, and Levantine Arab origin.
Religions: Principally Anglican, with evangelical Protestant and Roman Catholic minorities.
Language: English.
Education (2005): Adult literacy--85.8%.
Health (2004): Infant mortality rate--11.0/1,000. Life expectancy--men 70 years; women 74 years.
Work force (2005): 30,000 (commerce and services, agriculture, other industry).
Unemployment (2002): 13%.

Government of Antigua and Barbuda
Type: Parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth.
Constitution: 1981.
Independence: November 1, 1981.
Branches: Executive--governor general (representing Queen Elizabeth II, head of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet. Legislative--bicameral Parliament. Judicial--magistrate's courts, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (High Court and Court of Appeals), Privy Council in London.
Administrative subdivisions: Six parishes and two dependencies (Barbuda and Redonda).
Political parties: Antigua Labour Party (ALP), United Progressive Party (UPP, majority), Barbuda People's Movement (BPM).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.

Economy of Antigua and Barbuda
GDP (2005): $875.8 million.
GDP growth rate (2005): 3.2%.
Per capita GDP (2004): $12,586.
Inflation (2005): 0.9%.
Natural resources: Negligible.
Agriculture: Fish, cotton, livestock, vegetables, and pineapples.
Services: Tourism, banking, and other financial services.
Trade (2005): Exports--$58 million (merchandise) and $454 million (commercial services). Major markets--European Union (23.2%), United States (7.7%), Anguilla (7.0%), St. Kitts and Nevis (10.3%), Netherlands Antilles (23.4%). Imports--$497 million (merchandise) and $197 million (commercial services). Major suppliers--United States (48.9%), Netherlands Antilles (10.2%), European Union (11.6%), Trinidad and Tobago (10.9%), Canada (3.7%).
Official exchange rate: EC$2.70 = U.S. $1.

HISTORY of Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua was first inhabited by the Siboney ("stone people"), whose settlements date at least to 2400 BC. The Arawaks--who originated in Venezuela and gradually migrated up the chain of islands now called the Lesser Antilles--succeeded the Siboney. The warlike Carib people drove the Arawaks from neighboring islands but apparently did not settle on either Antigua or Barbuda.

Christopher Columbus landed on the islands in 1493, naming the larger one "Santa Maria de la Antigua." The English colonized the islands in 1632. Sir Christopher Codrington established the first large sugar estate in Antigua in 1674, and leased Barbuda to raise provisions for his plantations. Barbuda's only town is named after him. Codrington and others brought slaves from Africa's west coast to work the plantations.

Antiguan slaves were emancipated in 1834, but remained economically dependent on the plantation owners. Economic opportunities for the new freedmen were limited by a lack of surplus farming land, no access to credit, and an economy built on agriculture rather than manufacturing. Poor labor conditions persisted until 1939, which saw the birth of the trade union movement in Antigua and Barbuda.

The Antigua Trades and Labour Union became the political vehicle for Vere Cornwall Bird, who was elected as the Labour Union's president in 1943. The Antigua Labour Party (ALP), formed by Bird and other trade unionists, first ran candidates in the 1946 elections and became the majority party in 1951, beginning a long history of electoral victories.

Voted out of office in the 1971 general elections that swept the progressive labor movement into power, Bird and the ALP returned to office in 1976, winning renewed mandates in every subsequent election under Vere Bird's leadership until 1994 and also under the leadership of his son, Lester Bird, up until March 2004, when the ALP lost power in national elections.

In the last elections on March 23, 2004, the United Progressive Party (UPP) won 12 of the 17 seats in Parliament. The main opposition ALP, now led by Steadroy "Cutie" Benjamin, retained four seats.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
As head of state, Queen Elizabeth II is represented in Antigua and Barbuda by a governor general who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet. Antigua and Barbuda has a bicameral legislature: a 17-member Senate appointed by the governor general--mainly on the advice of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition--and a 17-member popularly elected House of Representatives. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House and conducts affairs of state with the cabinet. The prime minister and the cabinet are responsible to the Parliament. Elections must be held at least every 5 years but may be called by the prime minister at any time. National elections were last held on March 23, 2004.

Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the eastern Caribbean court system. Jurisprudence is based on English common law.

Principal Government Officials
Chief of State--Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General--Sir James Beethoven Carlisle
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs--Winston Baldwin Spencer
Ambassador to the United States and the OAS--Deborah Mae Lovell
Ambassador to the United Nations--Dr. John Ashe

Antigua and Barbuda maintains an embassy in the United States at 3216 New Mexico Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016 (tel. 202-362-5122).

ECONOMY of Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda's service-based economy grew by 3.2% in 2005, compared with 5.2% in 2004. Construction, banking and insurance, communications, and wholesale and retail trade sectors were the main contributors to economic growth. The economy is experiencing its third consecutive year of high growth, driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing, as well as projects related to the 2007 Cricket World Cup. The tourism and hospitality sector has largely recovered after the decrease in tourism following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It posted a strong performance in 2004, and in 2005 the sector was estimated at 50% of GDP.

To lessen its vulnerability to natural disasters and economic shocks, Antigua has sought to diversify its economy by encouraging growth in transportation, communications, Internet gambling, and financial services.

Antigua and Barbuda's currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$), a regional currency shared among members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) issues the EC$, manages monetary policy, and regulates and supervises commercial banking activities in its member countries. The ECCB has kept the EC$ pegged at EC$2.7=U.S. $1.

Antigua and Barbuda is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative that grants duty-free entry into the United States for many goods. In 2005, 7.7% of its total exports went to the United States, and 48.9% of its total imports came from the United States. Antigua and Barbuda also belongs to the predominantly English-speaking Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

FOREIGN RELATIONS
Antigua and Barbuda maintains diplomatic relations with the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the People's Republic of China, as well as with many Latin American countries and neighboring Eastern Caribbean states. It is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, and the Eastern Caribbean's Regional Security System (RSS).

U.S.-ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA RELATIONS
The United States has maintained friendly relations with Antigua and Barbuda since its independence. The United States has supported the Government of Antigua and Barbuda's effort to expand its economic base and to improve its citizens' standard of living. However, concerns over the lack of adequate regulation of the financial services sector prompted the U.S. Government to issue a financial advisory for Antigua and Barbuda in 1999. The advisory was lifted in 2001, but the U.S. Government continues to monitor the Government of Antigua and Barbuda's regulation of financial services. The United States also has been active in supporting post-hurricane disaster assistance and rehabilitation through the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Peace Corps. U.S. assistance is primarily channeled through multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), as well as through the USAID office in Bridgetown, Barbados. In addition, Antigua and Barbuda receives counter-narcotics assistance and benefits from U.S. military exercise-related and humanitarian civic assistance construction projects.

Antigua and Barbuda is strategically situated in the Leeward Islands near maritime transport lanes of major importance to the United States. Antigua has long hosted a U.S. military presence. The former U.S. Navy support facility, turned over to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in 1995, is now being developed as a regional Coast Guard training facility.

Antigua and Barbuda's location close to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico makes it an attractive transshipment point for narcotics traffickers. To address these problems, the United States and Antigua and Barbuda have signed a series of counter-narcotic and counter-crime treaties and agreements, including a maritime law enforcement agreement (1995), subsequently amended to include overflight and order-to-land provisions (1996); a bilateral extradition treaty (1996); and a mutual legal assistance treaty (1996).

In 2005, Antigua and Barbuda had 239,804 stay-over visitors, with nearly 28% of Antigua and Barbuda's visitors coming from the United States. It is estimated that 4,500 Americans reside in the country.

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Introduction Antigua and Barbuda
Background:
 The Siboney were the first 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 settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a 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.
Geography Antigua and Barbuda
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: 442.6 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:
 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 extremes:
 lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m
Natural resources:
 NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Land use:
 arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
 NA
Natural hazards:
 hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
 water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
 Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor
People Antigua and Barbuda
Population:
 69,481 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
 0-14 years: 27.3% (male 9,647/female 9,306)
15-64 years: 69% (male 24,137/female 23,801)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 965/female 1,625) (2007 est.)
Median age:
 total: 30.3 years
male: 29.8 years
female: 30.8 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
 0.527% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
 16.62 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
 5.31 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
 -6.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
 at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.037 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.014 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.594 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
 total: 18.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population: 72.42 years
male: 70.03 years
female: 74.94 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
 2.23 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
 NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
 NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
 NA
Nationality:
 noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan
Ethnic groups:
 black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census)
Religions:
 Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
Languages:
 English (official), local dialects
Literacy:
 definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling
total population: 85.8%
male: NA%
female: NA% (2003 est.)
Government Antigua and Barbuda
Country name:
 conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
Government type:
 constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital:
 name: Saint John's
geographic coordinates: 17 06 N, 61 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 (National 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 Sir James B. CARLISLE (since 10 June 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March 2004)
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; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
 bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17 seats; members 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 23 March 2004 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ALP 4, UPP 13
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); member Caribbean Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
 Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
 Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]
International organization participation:
 ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
 chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122
FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225
consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US:
 the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; 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 Antigua and Barbuda
Economy - overview:
 Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have slowed the economy and pressed the government into a tight fiscal corner. 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. 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 slightly more than one-third of tourist arrivals.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
 $750 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
 $905 million (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
 3.8% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
 $10,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
 agriculture: 3.8%
industry: 22%
services: 74.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
 30,000 (1991 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
 agriculture: 7%
industry: 11%
services: 82% (1983)
Unemployment rate:
 11% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
 NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
 lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
 0.9% (2005 est.)
Budget:
 revenues: $123.7 million
expenditures: $145.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:
 cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock
Industries:
 tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)
Industrial production growth rate:
 NA%
Electricity - production:
 105 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source:
 fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
 97.65 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:
 0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:
 0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:
 0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:
 3,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:
 NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:
 NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:
 0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
 0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:
 -$83.4 million (2004)
Exports:
 $46.81 million (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
 petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8%
Exports - partners:
 Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore 5.8%, UK 4.9% (2005)
Imports:
 $378 million (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
 food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil
Imports - partners:
 US 21.1%, China 16.4%, Germany 13.3%, Singapore 12.7%, Spain 6.5% (2005)
Debt - external:
 $427.3 million; note - data are for public external debt, not total external debt (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:
 $1.65 million (2004)
Currency (code):
 East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code:
 XCD
Exchange rates:
 East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)
note: fixed rate since 1976
Fiscal year:
 1 April - 31 March
Communications Antigua and Barbuda
Telephones - main lines in use:
 38,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
 54,000 (2004)
Telephone system:
 general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; coaxial submarine cable - 1; satellite earth station - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe
Radio broadcast stations:
 AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
 36,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
 2 (1997)
Televisions:
 31,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
 .ag
Internet hosts:
 2,231 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
 16 (2000)
Internet users:
 20,000 (2005)
Transportation Antigua and Barbuda
Airports:
 3 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:
 total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
 total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways:
 total: 1,165 km
paved: 384 km
unpaved: 781 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
 total: 1,011 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,452,503 GRT/9,783,309 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 596, chemical tanker 7, container 321, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 21
foreign-owned: 984 (Australia 1, Bangladesh 4, Belgium 4, Colombia 2, Denmark 14, Estonia 12, France 1, Germany 858, Iceland 8, Isle of Man 2, Latvia 5, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 3, Netherlands 14, Norway 11, NZ 1, Poland 3, Russia 6, Singapore 1, Slovenia 6, Switzerland 4, Turkey 8, UK 7, US 7, Vietnam 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:
 Saint John's
Military Antigua and Barbuda
Military branches:
 Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
 18 years of age (est.); no conscript military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
 males age 18-49: 18,952
females age 18-49: 18,360 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
 males age 18-49: 14,859
females age 18-49: 14,947 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
 males age 18-49: 507
females age 18-49: 494 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 NA (2006)
Transnational Issues Antigua and Barbuda
Disputes - international:
 none
Illicit drugs:
 considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center
 

Information gathered from the Central Intelligence Agency