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NAVIGATION
Antigua and Barbuda
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda |
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament |
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Capital:
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Saint John's |
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Administrative divisions:
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6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip |
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Independence:
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1 November 1981 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981) |
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Constitution:
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1 November 1981 |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993)
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 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Robin YEARWOOD |
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Legislative branch:
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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)
election results: percent of vote by party - ALP 53.2%, UPP 45.5%, independent 1.3%; seats by party - ALP 12, UPP 4, independent 1 elections: House of Representatives - last held 9 March 1999 (next to be held prior to March 2004) |
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Judicial branch:
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three opposition parties - United National Democratic Party or UNDP, Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, and Progressive Labor Movement or PLM) |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL] |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel Alexander HURST
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5211 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have slowed the economy, however, 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 work. 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 one-third of all tourist arrivals. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $674 million (2000 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.5% (2000 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2000 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4%
industry: 19% services: 77% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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0.4% (2000 est.) |
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Labor force:
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30,000 |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983) (1983) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $123.7 million
expenditures: $145.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances) |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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6% (1997 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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100 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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93 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock |
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Exports:
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$40 million (2000 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8% |
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Exports - partners:
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OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%, US 0.3% |
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Imports:
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$357 million (2000 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil |
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Imports - partners:
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US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3% |
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Debt - external:
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$231 million (1999) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$2.3 million (1995) |
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Currency:
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East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
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Currency code:
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XCD |
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Exchange rates:
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East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March |