General background: The islands of Antigua
and Barbuda became an independent state within the British
Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Some 3,000 refugees
fleeing a volcanic eruption on nearby Montserrat have
settled in Antigua and Barbuda since 1995.
Area comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington,
DC
Climate: Tropical marine; little
seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
Mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with
some higher volcanic areas
Population: 67,448 (July 2002 est.)
Ethnic groups: Black, British, Portuguese,
Lebanese, Syrian
Religions: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant,
some Roman Catholic
Language: English (official), local dialects
Government type: Constitutional monarchy with
UK-style parliament
Capital: Saint John's
Legal system: Based on English common law
Economic 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, 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.
Communication/Telephone system: Good automatic
telephone system, 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric
scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe.
Places of interest:
Travel Tips:
|
