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ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
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Also Known
as: |
The Island of 365 Beaches |
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Motto:
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Each
Endeavoring All Achieving
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History
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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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Geography
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Location:
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Caribbean,
islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
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Geographic coordinates:
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17 03
N, 61 48 W
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean
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Area:
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total:
442 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.
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Coastline:
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153
km
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous
zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
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Climate:
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Tropical
marine; little seasonal temperature variation
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Terrain:
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mostly
low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher
volcanic areas
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Elevation
Extremes
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lowest
point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m
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Natural
Resources:
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pleasant
climate fosters tourism
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Land use:
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arable
land: 18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27% (2005 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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hurricanes
and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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People
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Population:
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85,632
(July 2009 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 26.8% (male 11,660; female 11,303)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 26,597; female 30,414)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,456; female 3,202)
(2009 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
1.3%
(2009 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
16.59 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
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Death rate: |
5.94 deaths/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
2.38
migrants/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at
birth: 1.05 male/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male/female
total population: 0.91 male/female (2009 est.) |
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Nationality: |
noun:
Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan |
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Ethnic groups: |
black 91%, mixed
4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001) |
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Religions: |
Anglican
25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentacostal 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) |
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Languages: |
English
(official), local dialects |
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Government |
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Country name: |
Conventional
short form: Antigua and Barbuda |
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Government type: |
constitutional
monarchy with parlimentary system of government and a
commonwealth realm |
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Capital: |
Saint
John's |
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Administrative divisions: |
6
parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint
George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint
Philip |
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Independence: |
1
November 1981 (from UK) |
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National holidays: |
Independence
Day (National Day), 1 November (1981)National Holidays: New
Year's Day (01 January), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day
(First Monday in May), Whit Monday (First Monday in June),
Summer Carnival (Monday and Tuesday of first week of August),
Independence Day (01 November), Vere Cornwall Bird, Snr Day (09
December), Christmas Day (25 December), Boxing Day (26
December). Holidays that fall on a Sunday are observed the
following Monday |
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Constitution: |
1 November 1981 |
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Legal system: |
Based on
English Common Law |
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Louisse
LAKE-TACK (since 17 July 2007)
head of government is
Prime Minister Winston Baldwin Spencer (since 24 March 2004):
cabinet made up of a Council of Ministers appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister. elections:
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 part or the
leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the governor general. |
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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 March
2009, Next to be held in 2014
Election results: United Progressive Party holds 50.9%,
ALP 47.2%, BPM 1.1% |
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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); Magistrates Courts;
member of the Caribbean Court of Justice. |
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Political parties and leaders: |
The Hon. Baldwin Spencer is Prime Minister of Antigua and
Barbuda. He was born on the 8th day of October 1948. He attended
the Greenbay Primary School and the Princess Margaret Secondary
School. He is married with a son and a daughter. Mr. Spencer is
a Trade Unionist/Politician by profession.
The Political Parties: Antigua Labor Party of ALP (Lester Bryant
Bird); Barbudans for a Better Barbuda (Ordrick Samuel); Barbuda
People's Movement of 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) |
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International organization participation: |
ACP,
C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
ICct, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, ISO (subscriber), ITUC, MIGA, IOC, ITU, NAM , OAS, OECS,
OPCW, OPANAL, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
Chief of mission:
Ambassador Deborah Mae Lovell
Chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20016
telephone: [1] (202) 362-5211
FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225
Consulate(s) general: Miami |
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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 |
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Caricom Membership: |
4 July 1974 |
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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. |
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Economy |
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Overview: |
Antigua has a relatively high GDP
per capita in comparison to most other Caribbean nations. The
economy experienced solid growth from 2003 to 2007, reaching
over 12% in 2006 driven by a construction boom in hotels and
housing associated with the Cricket World Cup. Growth dropped
off in 2008 with the end of the boom. Tourism continues to
dominate the 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.
Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue
to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada and Europe and
potential damages from natural disasters. Since taking office in
2004, the Spencer government has adopted an ambitious fiscal
reform program and has been successful in reducing its public
debt-to-GDP ratio from 120% to about 90%. |
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GDP: |
$1.657 billion
(2008 est) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
4.2% (2008 est) |
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GDP - per capita: |
19,600 (2008 est) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture:
3.8%
industry: 22%
services: 74.3% (2002 est) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
1.5%
(2007 est.) |
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Labor force: |
30,000 (1991) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
commerce
and services 82%, agriculture 7%, industry 11% (1983) |
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Unemployment rate: |
11% (2001 est) |
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Budget: |
revenues:
$123.7 million
expenditures: $145.9 million (2000 est) |
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Agriculture: |
cotton, fruits, vegetables,
bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane, livestock |
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Industries: |
tourism,
construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol,
household appliances) |
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Agriculture - products: |
cotton,
fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes,
sugarcane; livestock |
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Exports: |
$84.3
million (2007) |
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Exports - commodities: |
petroleum
products , bedding, handicrafts, electronic components,
transport equipment, food and live animals |
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Imports: |
$522.8 million (2007
est) |
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Imports - commodities: |
food
and live animals, machinery and transport equipment,
manufactures, chemicals, oil |
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Imports - partners: |
US
27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3% |
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Debt - external: |
$359.8
million (June 2006) |
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Exchange rates: |
East
Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since
1976) |
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Business Hours: |
Commercial: 08:00-12:00 hrs;
13:00-16:00 hrs (Monday to Saturday). Closed on Thursday
afternoons.
Government: 08:00-16:30 hrs. (Monday to Thursday); 08:00-15:00
hrs (Friday) |
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Fiscal Year: |
1 April - 31 March |
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Communications |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
37,500 (2006) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
110,200 (2006) |
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Telephone system: |
domestic:
good automatic telephone system
international:
country code - 1-268; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber
System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in
the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands
to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter
to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe (2007) |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 4,
FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Radios: |
36,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
2
(1997) |
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Internet Country
code: |
.ag |
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Internet Hosts: |
2215 (2008) |
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Internet Users: |
60,000 (2007) |
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Transportation |
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Airports: |
3
(2008 est.); 2 main airports: V.C. Bird International
(Antigua) and Codrington (Barbuda) |
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Airports with paved runways: |
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009) |
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Airports - with unpaved
runways: |
total: 1;
under 914 m: 1 (2009) |
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Railways: |
total:
77 km
Narrow gauge: 64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge
(used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane |
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Highways: |
Total:
1,165 km
Paved: 384 km
Unpaved: 781 km (1999 est.) |
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Ports and
Terminals: |
Saint
John's |
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Merchant marine: |
total: 1,146
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 50,
cargo 651, carrier 4, chemical tanker 5, container 392,
liquefied gas 12, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll
on/roll off 20 foreign owned: 1.113 (Australia 1, Colombia 2,
Cyprus 18, Denmark 19, Estonia 23, France 1, Germany 941, Greece
3, Iceland 12, Italy 1, Latvia 13, Lithuania 5, Netherlands 20,
NZ 2, Norway 8, Poland 2, Russia 4, Slovenia 6, Sweden 1,
Switzerland 8, Turkey 6, UK 9 US 8) (2008) |
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Military |
Royal
Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2009) |
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Main Source of Information: the Central Intelligence Agency
World Factbook |
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Items of Interest |
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National Anthem: |
Fair Antigua and Barbuda
Fair Antigua and Barbuda
We thy sons and daughters stand
Strong and firm in peace or danger
To safeguard our native land
We commit, ourselves to building
A true nation, brave and free
Ever striving, ever seeking
Dwell in love and unity. Raise the standard! Raise it boldly!
Answer now to duty's call
To the service of your country
Sparing nothing, giving all
Gird your loins and join the battle
'Gainst fear, hate and poverty
Each endeavouring, all achieving
Live in peace where man is free. God of nations, let thy
blessings
Fall upon this land of ours
Rain and sunshine ever sending
Fill her fields with crops and flowers
We her children do implore thee
Give us strength, faith, loyalty
Never failing, all enduring
To defend her liberty.
(Words by Novelle H. Richards; Music by Walter P. Chambers)
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Highest National Award: |
Order of the Nation |
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Favourite Dish |
Antigua Pepperpot |
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Government web
page |
http://www.ab.gov.ag/gov_v2/ |
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