Antigua and Barbuda - Economic Indicators

Economic Overview

Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's 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. Like other countries in the region, Antigua's economy was severely hit by effects of the global economic recession in...

Continue reading View Factbook for Antigua and Barbuda

GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2022 4,726,864,693 4,196,810,000 XCD Annual
Private Consumption 2019 2,104,581,173 2,164,151,797 XCD Annual
Investment 2019 1,491,548,712 1,590,095,950 XCD Annual
Real Private Consumption 2016 913,762,840 786,169,747 2010 USD Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2016 1,022,993,400 882,499,500 NCU Annual
Government Consumption 2014 602.48 598.92 Mil. XCD Annual
Real Government Consumption 2014 602.48 598.92 Mil. XCD Annual
Real Gross Domestic Product 2012 101.56 100.11 Index 2005=100 Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) 2025 110.42 108.25 Index Annual
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Current Account Balance 2022 -296,146,708 -287,547,921 USD Annual
Balance of Goods 2022 -642,330,460 -474,681,104 USD Annual
Exports of Goods 2022 82,652,099 50,554,547 USD Annual
Imports of Goods 2022 724,982,560 525,235,652 USD Annual
Net Exports 2020 22,000,000 38,000,000 USD Annual
Exports of Goods and Services 2019 3,044,676,058 2,783,800,738 XCD Annual
Imports of Goods and Services 2019 2,971,376,684 3,007,372,249 XCD Annual
Government Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Outstanding Public Debt 2025 4.42 4.48 Bil. NCU Annual
Government Budget Balance 2025 -0.17 -0.2 Bil. USD Annual
Government Revenues 2025 1.32 1.25 Bil. NCU Annual
Government Expenditures 2025 1.25 1.2 Bil. NCU Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Treasury Bills (over 31 days) Feb 2018 1.98 1.98 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Money Market Rate Jan 2016 6.89 6.89 % p.a., NSA Monthly
Lending Rate Feb 2013 6.5 6.5 % - End of period Monthly
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Change in Inventories 2000 0 NCU Annual
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Net Migration 2100 1.49 1.49 Per Thousand, NSA Annual
Population 2017 102,012 100,963 # Annual
Birth Rate 2016 16.23 16.37 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Death Rate 2016 5.79 5.79 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

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 COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early Spanish and French settlements were succeeded by an English 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. 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 the structures on Barbuda were destroyed and the vegetation stripped, but Antigua was spared the worst.

Geography

Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
17 03 N, 61 48 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 442.6 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
country comparison to the world: 201
Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
153 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas
Elevation:
mean elevation: NA
elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Obama 402 m
Natural resources:
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Land use:
agricultural land: 20.5%
arable land 9.1%; permanent crops 2.3%; permanent pasture 9.1%
forest: 22.3%
other: 57.2% (2014 est.)
Irrigated land:
1.3 sq km (2012)
Population - distribution:
the island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population; nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington
Natural hazards:
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
water management - a major concern because of limited natural freshwater resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor

People & Society

Population:
94,731 (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Nationality:
noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan
Ethnic groups:
black 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, hispanic 2.7%, white 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)
Languages:
English (official), Antiguan 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.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.09% (male 11,116/female 10,760)
15-24 years: 16.83% (male 7,939/female 8,008)
25-54 years: 42.19% (male 18,268/female 21,695)
55-64 years: 9.83% (male 4,179/female 5,130)
65 years and over: 8.06% (male 3,279/female 4,357) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 45.2
youth dependency ratio: 35.7
elderly dependency ratio: 9.6
potential support ratio: 10.5 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 31.9 years
male: 30 years
female: 33.5 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Population growth rate:
1.21% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Birth rate:
15.7 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Death rate:
5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Net migration rate:
2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Population distribution:
the island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population; nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington
Urbanization:
urban population: 23% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: -0.38% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
SAINT JOHN'S (capital) 22,000 (2014)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.84 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.7 years
male: 74.6 years
female: 79 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Total fertility rate:
2 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Health expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 127
Hospital bed density:
3.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 97.9% of population
rural: 97.9% of population
total: 97.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2.1% of population
rural: 2.1% of population
total: 2.1% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 91.4% of population
rural: 91.4% of population
total: 91.4% of population
unimproved:
urban: 8.6% of population
rural: 8.6% of population
total: 8.6% of population (2011 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Major infectious diseases:
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
18.9% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 113
Education expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 159
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling
total population: 99%
male: 98.4%
female: 99.4% (2012 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 15 years (2012)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
etymology: "antiguo" is Spanish for "ancient" or "old"; the island was discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and, according to tradition, named by him after the church of Santa Maria la Antigua (Old Saint Mary's) in Seville; "barbuda" is Spanish for "bearded" and the adjective may refer to the alleged beards of the indigenous people or to the island's bearded fig trees
Government type:
parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Saint John's
geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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 the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 November (1981)
Constitution:
several previous; latest presented 31 July 1981, effective 31 October 1981 (Antigua and Barbuda Constitutional Order 1981); amended 2009, 2011 (2016)
Legal system:
common law based on the English model
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014)
head of government: Prime Minister Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Legislative branch:
description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held on 21 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023)
election results: percent of vote by party - ABLP 59.4%, UPP 37.2%, BPM 1.4%, other 1.9% ; seats by party - ABLP 15, UPP 1, BPM 1
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside at the member states with 2 assigned to Antigua and Barbuda
judge selection and term of office: chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
subordinate courts: Industrial Court; Magistrates' Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM
Antigua Labor Party or ABLP [Gaston BROWNE]
Antigua Barbuda True Labor Party or ABTLP [Sharlene SAMUEL]
Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Trevor WALKER]
Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]
Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]
Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Joanne MASSIAH]
Go Green for Life [Owen GEORGE]
Progressive Labor Movement or PLM
United National Democratic Party or UNDP
United Progressive Party or UPP [Harold LOVELL] (a coalition of ACLM, PLM, UNDP)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [Wigley GEORGE]
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]
International organization participation:
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Ronald SANDERS (since 17 September 2015)
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122
FAX: [1] (202) 362-5525
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda
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
National symbol(s):
fallow deer; national colors: red, white, blue, black, yellow
National anthem:
name: "Fair Antigua, We Salute Thee"
lyrics/music: Novelle Hamilton RICHARDS/Walter Garnet Picart CHAMBERS
note: adopted 1967; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

Economy

Economy - overview:
Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's 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.
Like other countries in the region, Antigua's economy was severely hit by effects of the global economic recession in 2009. The country suffered from the collapse of its largest private sector employer, a steep decline in tourism, a rise in debt, and a sharp economic contraction between 2009 and 2011. Antigua has not yet returned to its pre-crisis growth levels. Barbuda suffered significant damages after hurricanes Irma and Maria passed through the Caribbean in 2017.
Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and could be disrupted by potential damage from natural disasters. The new government, elected in 2014 and led by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, continues to face significant fiscal challenges. The government places some hope in a new Citizenship by Investment Program to both reduce public debt levels and spur growth and a resolution of a WTO dispute with the US.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.39 billion (2017 est.)
$2.328 billion (2016 est.)
$2.209 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 192
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.535 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2017 est.)
5.3% (2016 est.)
4.1% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$26,300 (2017 est.)
$25,900 (2016 est.)
$24,800 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 76
Gross national saving:
26% of GDP (2017 est.)
24.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
30.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 68%
government consumption: 16%
investment in fixed capital: 21.7%
investment in inventories: 0.1%
exports of goods and services: 34%
imports of goods and services: -39.7% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 20.2%
services: 77.5% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock
Industries:
tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Labor force:
30,000 (1991 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 11%
services: 82% (1983 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $295.9 million
expenditures: $322.9 million (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
19.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-1.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Public debt:
92.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
99.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2017 est.)
-0.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.6% (31 December 2017 est.)
9.61% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Stock of narrow money:
$307.7 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$293 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Stock of broad money:
$1.229 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.194 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Stock of domestic credit:
$925.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$913 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Current account balance:
$22 million (2017 est.)
$2 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Exports:
$61.3 million (2017 est.)
$56.5 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
Exports - commodities:
petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals
Exports - partners:
Poland 53.2%, UK 12.7%, Cameroon 7.2%, Germany 5.5%, US 4.5% (2016)
Imports:
$420.7 million (2017 est.)
$407.3 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil
Imports - partners:
US 44.3%, Japan 4.7%, China 4.1% (2016)
Debt - external:
$441.2 million (31 December 2012 est.)
$458 million (June 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2017 est.)
2.7 (2016 est.)
2.7 (2015 est.)
2.7 (2014 est.)
2.7 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 9,358
electrification - total population: 91%
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 80% (2012)
Electricity - production:
330 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Electricity - consumption:
306.9 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
87,000 kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
96.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
4.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Refined petroleum products - exports:
90.55 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Refined petroleum products - imports:
4,884 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
600,000 Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 22,504
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 180,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 190 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Telephone system:
general assessment: good automatic telephone system
domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 22 per 100 persons (2016); mobile-cellular teledensity is about 178 per 100 persons (2016)
international: country code - 1-268; landing points for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) and the Global Caribbean Network (GCN) submarine cable systems with links to other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands) and Guadeloupe (France) (2016)
Broadcast media:
state-controlled Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service (ABS) operates 1 TV station; multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available; ABS operates 1 radio station; roughly 15 radio stations, some broadcasting on multiple frequencies (2009)
Internet country code:
.ag
Internet users:
total: 60,000
percent of population: 65.2% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 1
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 9
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,039,809
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 526,545 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
V2 (2016)
Airports:
3 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 193
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
Roadways:
total: 1,170 km
paved: 386 km
unpaved: 784 km (2011)
country comparison to the world: 183
Merchant marine:
total: 964
by type: bulk carrier 36, container ship 238, general cargo 615, oil tanker 2, other 73 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 25
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Saint John's

Military & Security

Military branches:
Ministry of National Security, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (includes Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard) (2012)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; Governor-General has powers to call up men for national service and set the age at which they could be called up (2012)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
none
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Antigua and Barbuda is a destination and transit country for adults and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; forced prostitution has been reported in bars, taverns, and brothels, while forced labor occurs in domestic service and the retail sector
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Antigua and Barbuda does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government made no discernible progress in convicting traffickers in 2014 but charged two individuals in separate cases; efforts to convict traffickers have been impeded by a 2014 ruling that found the 2010 anti-trafficking act was unconstitutional because jurisdiction rests with the Magistrate’s Court rather than the High Court; no new prosecutions, convictions, or punishments were recorded in 2014; credible sources have raised concerns about trafficking-related complicity among some off-duty police officers, which could hinder investigations or victims willingness to report offenses; prevention efforts were sustained, but progress in protecting victims was uneven; seven victims were assisted, which was an increase over 2013 (2015)
Illicit drugs:
considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center

Economic Indicators for Antigua and Barbuda including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Antigua and Barbuda economy.