activity at present except for fishing off the coast and small-scale tourism, both based abroad. Exploitation of mineral resources is unlikely because of technical difficulties, high costs, and objections by environmentalists.
_*Communications #_Airports: 37 total; 27 usable; none with permanent hard-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440–3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220–2,439 m
_#_Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
_*Defense Forces #Note: none; Article 7 of the Antarctic Treaty states that advance notice of all activities and the introduction of military personnel must be given % @Antigua and Barbuda *Geography #_Total area: 440 km2; land area: 440 km2; includes Redonda
_#_Comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 153 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 nm;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
_#_Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
_#_Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands with some higher volcanic areas
_#_Natural resources: negligible; pleasant climate fosters tourism
_#_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
_*People #_Population: 63,917 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: - 9 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 74 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun—Antiguan(s); adjective—Antiguan
_#_Ethnic divisions: almost entirely of black African origin; some of British, Portuguese, Lebanese, and Syrian origin
_#_Religion: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant sects, some Roman Catholic
_#_Language: 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.)
_*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, deputy 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)
_#_Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party (ALP), Vere C. BIRD, Sr., Lester BIRD; United National Democratic Party (UNDP), Dr. Ivor HEATH
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
House of Representatives—last held 9 March 1989 (next to be held 1994); results—percentage of vote by party NA; seats—(17 total) ALP 15, UNDP 1, independent 1
_#_Communists: negligible
_#_Other political or pressure groups: Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement (ACLM), a small leftist nationalist group led by Leonard (Tim) HECTOR; 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 Edmund Hawkins LAKE; 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;
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 Miami 34054); telephone (809) 462–3505 or 3506
_#_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
_*Economy #_Overview: The economy is primarily service oriented, with tourism the most important determinant of economic performance. During the period 1983–89, real GDP expanded at an annual average rate of about 7%. Tourism's contribution to GDP, as measured by value added tax in hotels and restaurants, rose from about 14% in 1983 to 16% in 1989, and stimulated growth in other sectors—particularly in construction, communications, and public utilities. Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few areas in the Caribbean experiencing a labor shortage in some sectors of the economy.
_#_GDP: $350
