Country Name: Antigua and Barbuda

Capital: Saint John's

Official Visa & Travel Information: Antigua and Barbuda Immigration Services (Visa Services)

Government Type: Parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm.

Background: The Siboney were the first people to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when Christopher Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early Spanish and French settlements were succeeded by an English colony in 1667. Slavery, to provide labor on the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Barbuda devastating the island and forcing the evacuation of the population to Antigua. Almost all of the structures on Barbuda were destroyed and the vegetation stripped, but Antigua was spared the worst.

Region: Caribbean

Population: 101,489 (2023 est.)

Ethnic Groups: African descent 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, Hispanic 2.7%, White 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)

Languages: English (official), Antiguan Creole (an English-based creole).

Religions: Protestant 68.3% (Anglican 17.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.4%, Pentecostal 12.2%, Moravian 8.3%, Methodist 5.6%, Wesleyan Holiness 4.5%, Church of God 4.1%, Baptist 3.6%), Roman Catholic 8.2%, other 12.2%, unspecified 5.5%, none 5.9% (2011 est.)

Economic Overview: Dual island-tourism and construction-driven economy; emerging “blue economy”; limited water supply and susceptibility to hurricanes limit activity; improving road infrastructure; friendly to foreign direct investment; looking at financial innovation in cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies.

Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (XCD)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $367.512 million (31 December 2021 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $1.76 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate: 2.8% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per Capita: $18,000 (2020 est.)

Exports:

• $749.476 million (2021 est.); note: data is in current year U.S. dollars and does not include illicit exports or re-exports

• Comparison Ranking: 185

Export Commodities: Refined petroleum, ships, gas turbines, aircraft parts, lobster, and durum wheat (2021)

Export Partners: Suriname 20%, Barbados 17%, Poland 12%, United Kingdom 10%, France 7% (2021)

Imports:

• $868.797 million (2021 est.) note: data is in current year U.S. dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 191

Import Commodities: Refined petroleum, ships, recreational boats, cars, and poultry (2021)

Import Partners: United States 42%, Poland 25%, China 10%, Brazil 3%, Trinidad and Tobago 2% (2021)

Natural Resources: NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism.

Agricultural Products: Tropical fruit, milk, mangoes/guavas, melons, tomatoes, pineapples, lemons, limes, eggplants, and onions.

Industries: Tourism, construction, and light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances).

Industrial Production Growth Rate: 

• 8.26% (2021 est.)

• Comparison Ranking: 49

Labor Force: 30,000 (1991)

Labor Force By Occupation: 

• Agriculture: 7%

• Industry: 11%

• Services: 82% (1983 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 11% (2014 est.)

Natural Hazards: Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts.

Geography:

• Total: 443 sq km

• Land: 443 sq km

• Water: 0 sq km

(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)

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